They are the towns that in decades past were hotspots of tourism and culture, but which have become dark emblems of decline.
Blackpool, once the sparkling jewel of Britain's seaside resorts, is a hub of deprivation where the life expectancy for men is the lowest in the country.
In Hastings, where huge numbers of people are now economically inactive because of long-term illness, locals once took pride in their stunning seafront and thriving fishing industry.
In Coventry - once one of the world's leading car-making hubs - a population explosion fuelled by immigration has put huge pressure on services.
And Bradford is, according to a recent study, the second most miserable place to live in the UK - despite being this year's City of Culture.
