The ‘underwhelming’ UK town named one of the most boring places on Earth

From Inverness to St Ives, the UK is full of vibrant towns and cities, packed full of fun things to see and do.

But with light, there is also shade, and there are plenty of places in Britain that aren’t quite so thrilling.

A ranking revealed the most boring places on Earth, and a British town made it into the top five.

Described as ‘overlooked and underwhelming’ Hatfield in Hertfordshire can claim the ‘prize’ as the most boring place in the UK, and fifth in the world.

The winner (or loser, depending on how you look at it) was the city of Lubbock in northwest Texas, USA – while Bratislava in Slovakia was crowned the most boring place in Europe.

So what is it about Hatfield that makes it quite so dull? The list, by The World Bucket List, reads: ‘Its lack of notable attractions and limited cultural offerings contribute to its reputation as a somewhat underwhelming destination.

‘Hatfield caters more to residents seeking a quiet life than to tourists in search of exciting experiences.’

And on the surface, Hatfield doesn’t exactly scream ‘excitement’.

A post WW2 ‘new town’ (a la Milton Keynes and Welwyn Garden City), residents on Reddit seem to feel pretty ‘meh’ about the town they’re calling home.

‘It’s a relatively dull place with little appeal,’ wrote one local, while another resident summed up their feelings by saying: ‘It’s absolutely fine, but boring.’ Another added that it was ‘not great, not terrible.’

The outlet shopping centre, the Galleria, does have some fans, with TripAdvisor reviewers saying there are ‘bargains to be had’, although one local did say that without the the Galleria ‘I don’t think anyone would notice it was there’. Ouch.

But others have also pointed out that while the town centre might leave little to be desired, other parts of Hatfield are ‘bloody lovely’ and it does boast some pretty impressive tourist attractions.

Namely, Hatfield House is steeped in history. The Jacobean stately home was built by Robert Cecil, whose father was the chief minister of Elizabeth I.

The surrounding Hatfield Park is also home to the Old Palace, which was owned by Henry VIII, who used it as a home for his children, Mary, Elizabeth and Edward. Elizabeth I was actually living in the house when she learnt that she’d become Queen.

And while it Hatfield House might be steeped in history, it’s line-up of music events this spring and summer are very 2025.

This May, Slam Dunk Festival will welcome music fans, as the biggest independent Rock Festival in the UK, and later in August, Classic Ibiza returns to the venue, which features a 32-piece orchestra, DJs and vocalists performing sets inspired by the White Isle.

There’s also some stunning scenery in the area. The aforementioned Hatfield Park is home to a deer park, the remains of a 17th century vineyard and trees that are more than 700 years old.

There’s also the Woodfield Garden which is said to have one of the best displays of blooming daffodils every spring, or you could enjoy a picnic on the banks of the River Lea.

Elsewhere, Stanborough Park (which, we’ll admit, is ever so slightly closer to Welwyn than Hatfield) is great in the summertime if you fancy getting out on the water. There are two large lakes, and visitors can hire kayaks and rowing boats.

World Bucket List themselves also pointed out that boring doesn’t mean bad. They described their list of dull towns as ‘tailor-made for those seeking the extraordinary in the ordinary’.

It’s also worth noting that the overall average price of a property in Hatfield is £412,611, which compared to other commuter towns, such as St Albans and Tunbridge Wells, is pretty reasonable.

Sometimes, it pays to a bit boring.

This article was first published on March 26, 2024.

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