The Knowhere Guide

Other Stuff in Basingstoke, Hampshire*

Basingstoke, Hampshire Stuff You Don't Get Anywhere Else

The Stuff We Can't Fit In Somewhere Else

• Basingstoke is better than it used to be. It used to take the brunt of loads of jokes from comedians.
• Interesting question - why is there a 'Tadley Town Council'? Don't you have to have a Town Hall to be a town?? Or at least more than one off-licence?
• Most of the complaits about Basingstoke are made by youngsters and teenagers, but amazingly most of the fun things in Basingstoke are designed for them. Older people have absolutly nothing to do apart from bowls and the odd summer fayre. It's this 80% of the population that have something to moan abaout.
• Basingstoke is appropriately named Boringstoke
• Due the the town centre rebuilding, the nightclub 'Martines' has now closed so the choice of venues for swinging your pants in Basingstoke after 11pm in has decreased by about 33%. Magnum's Wine Bar on Basing View has an interesting 70s/80s night until 2am on Saturdays, although like most pubs/bars in central Basingstoke there are queues to get in - the exceptions are The Hog's Head and The Hop Leaf, the former being too trendy for the yobs whilst the latter is too pleasant and quiet for them. Beware of violence in the town centre after 11.15pm on Fridays and Saturdays; it is very easy for innocent passers by to have there faces smashed in for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The police presence at these times is not good enough, usually being two policemen huddled in a shop doorway watching fights from a distance.
• This place has got to be one of the strangest Twilight Zone places in the world, Why on gods earth would anyone choose to live there? So close to London, but the residents still choose to stay there than get on a train and get a life. Although if there was no Basingstoke Butlin's at Bognor Regis would fall into ruin (more so than it is now) as this is the place to holiday if you come from the town.
• Non geeky roleplayers/social/friends outfit always on the look out for other people.
• Basingstoke is a great place to live in and do business - the Mayor.
• And Karoke is not dead in Basingstoke, check The George on Friday nights (well it was on last time I went on a Friday night on 4/12/98). Sad sad SAD! If you need some bits for your car, go to Basingstoke Auto Parts on Worting Rd, (Nr ATS). Bloke knows his stuff and loads cheaper than Halfords et al. He can get you service items, engines, panels etc. almost anything to help you make a mess of your driveway and annoy suburban neighbours who have new cars.
• Basingstoke, as Prince Charles would say is a "hideous carbuncle" of a town, with quite possibly the ugliest population this side of the black stump. The town centre is populated by groups of objectionable youths, foul mouthed and foul mannered, single mothers pushing wailing kids in snot covered chairs attempting to placate the childs infernal whining by either swearing loudly at the the unfortunate or alternatively sticking sweets in it's mouth to shut it up. The pubs either in the town centre or in any of the estates are the sort of places you venture in at your own risk, if you happen to catch someones eye then the chances are you will probably catch a pint glass in the other one a short time later. I cannot understand why the locals all talk like extras from the Queen Vic, bearing in mind the subtle Hampshire brogue of the Town's most famous ex son the late John Arlott (the sound of summer) which should in theory be the native tongue of North Hampshire. I left Basingstoke as soon as was humanly possible and would urge anyone with half and ounce of grey matter to follow my example and get the hell out of there before you find yourself pushing kids around in snotty pushchairs.......
• Summary - A souless, ugly blot on one of the most beautiful areas in the country.
• Basingstoke is trying to update its image, although it has a long, long way to go. The Anvil has improve life for culture vultures, and with the revamp of the lower half of town, we will gain a Debenhams and a BHS to boot. I am quite fond of Basingstoke, although not blind to the lack of amenities, the town shops shuts at 5.30 and the buses stop soon after that, so you don't live in Basingstoke for an exciting life!!
• Basingstoke is mentioned in Gilbert and Sullivan's Ruddigore. Whenever Mad Margaret starts to go off the deep end Sir Despard asks her to think of Basingstoke to bring her back to a state of calm.
• Yes I have noticed how ugly all the natives are. I think it might have something to do with the Chlorine fumes pumping into the town centre from the underground swimming pool!
• Could do with a decent department store, eg: John Lewis, and the M & S needs improving.
• Fit though Pippa is (I know, I went to school and college with her, great in a swim suit) there are other reasons to go to Basingstoke, like a few other fit birds (sadly minly ravers but at least they're easy on the eye).
• The best thing about Basingstoke is leaving. Even when you're bored, depressed etc. you can cheer yourself up by thinking, "Well, at least I don't live in Basingstoke any more."
• Don't get of their butts and organise things or support local ventures like Donut ragazine and thus damn the hard work of others with their negative attitude.
• Wish it was London
• Worst thing: the old estates that it would be kinder to nuke and rebuild from scratch AND the fact that everyone whinges about it only being Basingstoke when they
  1. Best thing about Basingstoke: the social life around Brookvale and Charlies Mushrooms the local SurfJazz/AcidJazz quintet (and growing) and the Donut magazine.... and hopefully soon a new live music venue hopefully being set up with a euro-grant to give even more life to what is starting to look like rather a phoenix of a town.
  2. The worst thing about Basingstoke is the guy moping around the streets every night asking for loose change. He likes to introduce himself as Stuart Gray. So beware.
  3. If you're looking for somewhere to stay in Basingstoke, there are not a lot of choices. The Trust House and the Travel Lodge are always full but there is a Hilton (!) Probably the best choice is the YMCA. All the rooms are singles and have their own kitchen and en-suite shower & toilet and it's only a 10 minute walk from the Town Centre.
  4. The best thing about Basingstoke is the cool tall buildings. Churchill Plaza looks really cool when you're on one. There is nothing to do without money or alcohol here.
  5. I am from Basingstoke, but I now live in Norway (Thank God !!) The best thing about B/stoke is that my family are there and of course the pubs. Oh, and the roundabouts. The worst thing about Basingstoke is that it is the piss hole of the universe and the BLOODY multi story car park.
  6. Best thing about Basingstoke: Mark, Rik, Drian, Stu, Stu-2, Chris and Phil are all really good people. Worst thing: psycho hit and run drivers who speed up, hit a skater (Eric), and leave him with a leg broken in three places. Basingstoke has a lot of people like that.
  7. The best thing about Basingstoke is Pippa, the bird, who takes your coats in at Ziggys (it's the only reason I ever go down there). Other stuff, the Anvil (a1 skateboard area outside), 10 Screen Cimena, Ice rink (Wella Bison rule), Bowling allay.
  8. No: Basingstoke's real name is Donut City due to the massive and ever increasing number of roundabouts on our actually half decent road system.
  9. Commonly refered to, by those people who don't live there, as Boringstoke.

The Knowhere Guide started out as a list of places to skateboard in the UK. It is a compilation of (unedited) information and views supplied by users like yourself. It is not a conventional tourist guide!

In most cases, the information in each section has been submitted by more than one contributor (the credits at the bottom of the page list some, but not all, of the contributors) and some of it dates back to the 1970s.

We make no claims as to the accuracy of the information in the Guide - our only purpose is to provide a forum for users to share their knowledge and opinions. So please keep a large bag of salt handy and be prepared to read between the lines!

If you disagree with a comment, or information is out of date, please submit an update! The contributors come from all walks of life, and their opinions are bound to be subjective, so if your view isn't represented, please speak up and contribute to the balance of the Guide. See below in the 'Have Your Say' section for how to add your voice.

If we have helped you out or made you laugh you can buy us a pint.

Have Your Say...

You can tell us more about Basingstoke. This is also the method to use if you want to correct some of the information already here. (But please remember you're not mailing the person who actually wrote whatever-it-is.)

You can use the add an event form to tell us about events happening in Basingstoke.

Or, if you'd just like to leave a message for other users of this site, take a look at The Knowhere Board (handy if you're just trying to get in touch with someone).

Credits

Last updated: 2007-06-14