'I went to Yorkshire's cheapest town - buying a house could be a winning lottery ticket'
Mexborough really is a town of two halves.
At street level there are more shops boarded up and closed than there are open.
When you look up from the boarded up shop fronts however there are signs of the town’s illustrious past.
The stunning Victorian and early Edwardian architecture of the buildings date back to the period of town’s rapid development.
At the bottom end of the high street you’ve got a range of newer shops such as nail bars, vape shops and takeaways.
At the top end you’ve got a shoe shop still thriving amidst the closed down buildings.
Pettits has been going since 1860 with a coffee shop above. Here you can sit and be served afternoon tea.
The walls are lined with historical photos of Mexborough, while the windows look out onto The Montagu Arms pub.
Pubs are plentiful in this town.
One local, who asked not to be named, said: “If you like pubs and drinking, they're everywhere here. There’s not much else to do other than a few parks and a leisure centre.”
Mexborough has an unusual history of food as well as drink.
One blue plaque paying homage to Fred and Ann Green who ran a famous pork pie butchers and were philanthropists.
Just down the road is another blue plaque to the ‘father of veganism.’
The plaque at New Pastures Primary School (formerly Pit Street School) honours former pupil Donald Watson, the Mexborough man who was instrumental in the development of veganism and a founder member of The Vegan Society.
Mexborough has a rich cultural tapestry being the breeding ground of well known figures such as poet Ted Hughes, actor Brian Blessed, and Formula 1 World Champion Mike Hawthorn - who also has a blue plaque in the town.
Mexborough reminded me of Redcar. At face value the town centre looks run down and hopeless but that’s just a snapshot of this former mining town.
Talking to the locals and visiting the remaining businesses, you realise that there’s still a strong community here who refuse to give up on the town.
Redcar may look dilapidated in the town centre but on the periphery is the stunning coastline with sweeping sandy beaches.
Mexborough is also lined with a stunning RSPB nature reserve nestled in the Dearne Valley.
It’s easy to take the town at face value but the heart of the place is still there providing it’s given much needed money and love.
Whether buying a property in Redcar or Mexborough, if you invest now, the only way is up, you’ll just have to have patience.