We go into every place we visit trying to find the positives — that’s always been our thing.
But our visit to Grimsby, UK, felt different from the moment we arrived.
We immediately felt unsafe, had to move the van within minutes, and despite genuinely trying to find the good and positives in Grimsby, the whole experience left us on edge. By the end of the visit, a confrontation pushed things over the line, and we decided it was time to leave… immediately.
This video is not about attacking a place or its people — it’s simply our honest experience of Grimsby on this particular day. Everyone’s experience will vary, and this is just ours.
📍 Topics covered in this video:
• Exploring Grimsby safely (or not!)
• Real-life urban exploration in the UK
• Van life adventures gone wrong
• How to stay positive even when travel gets tough
We’re Emma and Reese, a married couple who’ve spent the last 13 years travelling around the UK and Europe in various campervans. With our little dog Daisy, we now travel full time in our self-converted van, called Romany.
On this channel we share the reality of van life in the UK and Europe — the good days, the hard days, and everything in between. We don’t pretend to be anything other than ourselves and believe in staying positive while keeping things real.
Romany is a 2019 Ford Transit and our tiny home on wheels.
If you love travel, adventure, or are curious about van life, life on the open road, or exploring unusual places in the UK, then you’re in the right place.
We post Travel & Van Life vlogs twice a week — Tuesdays at 8pm and Fridays at 7pm.
A huge thank you to everyone who watches, comments, and supports our channel — we genuinely love hearing from you!
📧 Contact: romanypirates@gmail.com
#grimsby #grimsbytown #uktravel #vanlifeuk
27 Comments
Violent crime in Grimsby is 167% higher than the UK average.
Very grim 😨
Come to Kettering and I'll make you a cuppa!
So sorry you guys, I am so glad you told us you were okay! It must have been awful, the aggression in his voice…… sending you both all the positive vibes and love we can, hoping this will soak up that nastiness like a positivity sponge! Genuinely, much love to you both xxxxx
Grimsby by name… Grimsby by nature.
WOW!!!!!…… glad your safe sorry you had to go through that and i feel sorry for the ppl of the city for being dumbt on by their council and out backhander self serving goverments over the last 50+ years
What a depressing hell hole
I felt really uncomfortable watching this 🙈 the vibe just wasn’t good.
I was there over 20yrs ago, I didn’t walk around the back streets but I thought it was a nice place.
Glad to see you are both ok at the end of the video. 😢
Sadly there are a lot of towns like this now. Crime is rampant
Can't blame people of Grimsby,it's the government to the local council. They should be ashamed of the area being in such a state.
Really interesting vid, thanks. It seems to me that the sense of community and pride has been lost. I came from a mining town and in the 80s it took a nose dive. However, one pioneering lady set out to change it with getting together people to plant flowers and hanging baskets and litter pick. Slowly but surely she brought pride back into the town. Although she’s no longer with us, her legacy lives on and the “in bloom” has grown from strength to strength. All it needs is someone with vision and to bring people together. Litter picking costs nothing if folks are willing and the sociable side can bring people together. Once an area starts to look more respectable people feel safer and it all starts to get better.
Just watched your video, I hope you both are OK.😢❤ Xxx
It’s so sad to see a place so neglected, I can’t believe how much litter and derelict buildings. And that attack at the end 😱
Yes it looks grim.
Great job guys! The truth hurts England needs help! ❤
Just watched your vlog .Such a shame a place with the fishing history has been left to rot .Always follow your gut feeling and if it feels unsafe move .Your ever in Norfolk give me a shout .Im in Great Yarmouth
So glad you're all okay! What an awful place, all the rubbish, graffiti and boarded up shops is never a good sign 😢 Like you said, the councils are to blame. It's the same in parts of Manchester where I used to live. Take care guys ❤
The councils up and down the country are ripping the people off. Everyone paying a fortune and nothing being spent on our cities.
My hometown-interesting to see it from a visitors perspective- I am embarrassed and ashamed. I love that throughout your visit you stayed hopeful. All be it in vain. Only one EPIC daffodil. You really tried to find the best in it even though WE could feel the vibe just watching you. It’s sad to have watched its decline and Emma was spot on about the posh paving, not necessary, empty buildings opposite a bridge where homeless people stay. Yes it looked like the apocalypse. I was so relieved to see you walked PAST the pub.
If I had have spotted you then you would have had the warmest welcome! But even I avoid those areas, like most people of Grimsby.
But if you had told us you were coming to Grimsby I would have told you it’s not safe to stay here. Or at least signposted you away from the area that you went too. Maybe you should tell your online community in future where you are heading, just for your safety. I know it takes the shine off your adventures but it’s not worth the risk.
Im sorry you went through this-If you had driven just 2 miles out in any direction you would have found some beautiful spots to enjoy. The entire town now consists of vape shops, Turkish barbers, ‘every man for himself’ vibe.
You are the sweetest people I do hope you are not too traumatised.
'Broken window theory' springs to mind.
Omg thanks for telling us you were ok, your instincts were on point about that place you could see emma was uncomfortable all the way and yes you both love to find the best in every situation but there was no denying that place was bleak , so glad your out of there stay safe and we will check in with you Friday night ,love to you both❤❤
It’s only going to get worse I’m afraid. If AI is allowed to take over big time. There will be mass unemployment. Communities will collapse. There will only be financial gains by the elites with no investment in industries that require human labour. 54 years ago at school we were asked to do a composition on how we spend our spare time as automation was coming in. In our naivety we all had these great ideas. The reality was any wealth generated was not shared amongst the redundant and any thoughts of anything grand to do with your spare time, went straight out the window.
Instead of Starmer jetting all over the world he needs to make the effort to visit all the deprived areas in Britain and take note of all the industries that Thatcher and her fellow Tories have destroyed. You can’t help the people and build back Britain unless you actually see how people are being forced to live in poverty. What are you going to do to bring back jobs to deprived areas.
Bad vibes there for sure; Its sad what happens. Always follow your gut feeling I say, glad you are Ok and got away from there. Must have been a horribly traumatic experience. Bless you all xx
weston super mare gone down hill over the years too.
Sending loads of love and uplifting energy your way guys. 💜🙏💜
Oh my goodness 😳 hope you are both OK ❤