A town branded one of the most depressing in the UK also boasts one of the best days out in the world, according to visitors.
Back in February Tiverton in Devon came fifth on a damning list by online review site Ilivehere, which pointed to the bad feeling in the town due to its “oppressive underbelly”.
But in a boost for the area, Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life has since secured the top spot in Tripadvisor’s prestigious Travellers’ Choice Awards for 2024, as it was hailed as one of the most outstanding attractions in the world.
Winners are in an elite category of the 10 percent of destinations on TripAdvisor globally, receiving consistently strong reviews from users.
The museum is a treasure trove of objects about local history with visitors taken by its eccentric artefacts and one of the most popular exhibits the “Tivvy Bumper”, a famous steam locomotive.
Among the other exhibits on show are the domestic duty of laundry, lace making, the history of brewing and the evolution of bicycles to the heritage of brewing.
Clothing from times gone by are also on show as well as horse-drawn carriages. The museum was originally as a means of preserving rich history and artefacts of Tiverton and the surrounding area in the wake of World War 2, Devon Live reports.
Museum director Pippa Griffith paid tribute to the museums volunteers for their part in securing the award. “We are delighted to receive another accolade from Tripadvisor showing that visitors continue to recognise the museum as a top visitor attraction,” she said.
“We’d like to thank our wonderful volunteers who provide such a warm welcome and without whom we wouldn’t be able to open our doors.”
John Boris, chief growth officer at Tripadvisor congratulation Tiverton Museum on the recognition, saying: “Travelers’ Choice honours businesses that consistently demonstrate a commitment to hospitality excellence.
“This means you have made such a memorable impact on your visitors that many of them took the time to go online and leave a great review about their experience.
“People rely on Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice seal to help them navigate the myriad of things to see, eat and do across the globe. We hope this recognition continues to drive business to you in 2024 and beyond.”
Locals hit back after the area was named and shamed for its allegedly gloomy atmosphere, with one Mumsnet saying: “As with anywhere, there are people who have barely set foot outside the town and some of them can be a bit dodgy but most people are lovely.”
“There are a lot of toddler groups, some nice parks, dance classes, beavers/rainbows and a good leisure centre,” they added. “There are some very active Facebook community pages which are really helpful.”