The Government is currently looking for bids from those interested in becoming the first-ever UK Town of Culture in 2028.
The new contest will run alongside the UK City of Culture, a title currently held by Bradford, with three finalists to be selected in due course – one small, one medium, and one large town.
The winner will be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive a £3 million prize, while the two runners-up will each receive £250,000.
🇬🇧 Our expert provides his candid verdict on the country’s most populous towns
Which big town do you think is the worst?
Read the full list and ratings at the link below ⬇️https://t.co/N5R2SoMmxC pic.twitter.com/1ASaUSWYzv
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) February 6, 2026
Following the launch of the UK Town of Culture contest, The Telegraph has taken a look at the 25 biggest towns in Britain and ranked them from best to worst.
Each town is given a mark out of 10, based on several factors, including:
- Quality of their architecture
- Attractions
- Culture
- Dining
- All-round appeal
Britain’s 25 biggest towns ranked from best to worst
Britain’s 25 biggest towns ranked best to worst, by The Telegraph, are:
- Blackpool
- Cheltenham
- Ipswich
- Rochdale
- Gateshead
- Worthing
- Bournemouth
- Poole
- Stockport
- Blackburn
- Bolton
- Huddersfield
- Warrington
- Swindon
- Reading
- Slough
- Northampton
- Middlesbrough
- Telford
- Basingstoke
- Basildon
- Oldham
- Luton
- Crawley
- Watford
Why Swindon is among the best ‘big’ towns in Britain
Swindon is one of the biggest towns in the UK with a population of 224,942 people, behind only Northampton (249,093), Oldham (242,003), and Luton (225,262).
It was ranked the 14th best town in Britain by The Telegraph, with a rating of 4.5 (out of 10).
The “once small market town” came highly recommended for its events, “off-beat” arts venues, and award-winning railway museum.
The Telegraph said: “Once a small market town, in the 1840s Isambard Kingdom Brunel made Swindon the site of the Great Western Railway engine and repair shed on the London-Bristol line, changing its fortunes forever.
“Rail lovers rate Steam, its award-winning railway museum, as highly as the one at York and gather in numbers to ogle GWR locomotives.
“Others come to attend innovative events – last year the museum hosted wellbeing, jazz age, and beer festivals.
“The town has a fair number of green spaces – the Old Town Gardens with its Victorian bandstand are lovely – and some off-beat arts venues, including the Swindon Museum and Art Gallery, which has one of the best collections of 20th-century British art outside London.
“Palladian House at Lydiard Park, and the iron-age hillfort at Liddington Castle, are other draws.”
Swindon was ranked the 14th best town in Britain. (Image: Getty Images)
If you are looking for the best spot for a bite to eat, Yak The Himalayan Kitchen (SN1 4BJ) has been labelled the “King” of restaurants in Swindon by locals.
If you are looking for a takeaway, Xana’s Fish Bar offers the best fish and chips in town, according to Google.
If you’re simply after a coffee and cake, Brew Book Ltd is the highest-rated cafe in Swindon (Google).
For those that like a bit of retail therapy, Designer Outlet Swindon has you covered, offering a “quality mix” of high street and designer brands, “all housed in the beautifully renovated Grade II listed buildings of the Great Western Railway Works”, Visit Wiltshire says.
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If you fancy a little day trip, there are plenty of picturesque villages in nearby Wiltshire, or the Cotswolds is only a short drive away.
If a city break is more your speed, Bath and Bristol are both under an hour’s drive away from Swindon.
Do you live in, or have you visited, Swindon? Do you have any recommendations? Let us know in the comments below.