Barking WAS bad, say 25 or 30 years ago, when the (fantastic) big panes of glass facing the street used to get smashed by skinheads as soon as they were replaced, meaning everything was boarded up more often than not, and when all of the platforms had poky, and smoky, little waiting rooms (the only one left is the one on platforms 7/8), which generally had no seats in (as they had been smashed or sawn up), only radiators to sit on, and grotty toilet blocks on every platform as well (all gone, replaced by new facilities up stairs).
Nowadays it's very much better, and better maintained, and brighter and cleaner and much less crime-ridden. (Strangely back in the day the subway was probably both the brightest and most well-maintained part of the station). It's a listed building too (the bit upstairs at least), but it must be said that some of the renovations of the 90s and 00 have spoiled the original design and the space and flow that it had. I really wouldn't say it's a horrible station at all. Horrible town? Well, that's a different question..
And thinking how grotty Stratford was back then too.....that is completely unrecognizable now
Agreed that any number of ex-Thameslink stations in London are far grottier and/or intimidating.
I reckon the opening of this new "Hepworth Wakefield" art gallery and surrounds in Wakefield will be a spur to do something more about Kirkgate (and who knows, the surrounding area?), as it's much nearer to that station than it is to Westgate. A big problem, though, an enormous decaying, protected, building.
