Morecombe is a shit pit at the moment but give it 5 years and it will be very different I suspect.
In terms of true northern hell I nominate Barrow, Millom, Grimesthorpe, Bury, Bolton, Blackpool.
Blackburn has to be at the top of this list. John Lennon wrote about the 4,000 holes (road pot holes) in Blackburn Lancashire in the Day in the Life lyrics, must be twice that number today.