Which part of the UK did you come from? I have to say I'm 41 and neither me or my friends/family have experienced what you describe.
Dover, Maidstone, Swindon, Bath, Bristol and Exeter all look and feel worse with every visit.
The shops are where you see it the most. In the past towns were full of boutique places. They have been replaced by "pound shops" and plastic fantastic chains (like Gregs). Or horrible fake pubs like Wetherspoons or whatever it's called.
The South West has just gotten so bloody old. I'm 41, and when I'm there I feel young.
People there are so angry - I'm constantly being sworn and shouted at by fat old (60+) guys because I have a European car.
The country has just turned into a shitshow, only like frogs being slowly cooked the people living there are blind to it.
It's not just me - it comes up all of the time in conversation with European friends.
I've never experienced anything on this level in the UK my whole life - and it's not like I've spent much time in the USA - just a few short weeks at a time.
Honestly I think the UK has a lot going for it - very low levels of corruption, good law and court systems, good education, low levels of crime outside of London stabbings, the NHS, excellent Civil Service, The National Trust, English/Scottish Heritage.
I think your comment about town centres going downhill is valid, but a symptom of more out-of-town shopping centres taking away the business. Horrible pubs have always existed, and pubs in general have been struggling for numerous reasons for decades.
The South West is where people go to retire - there are no jobs there as there's hardly any major cities, so not sure why you are surprised about the ages of the people there?
> People there are so angry - I'm constantly being sworn and shouted at by fat old (60+) guys because I have a European car.
Do you mean you had a European registration plate? I drove a BMW for years without many people shouting at me (when they did it was because I'd made a driving error).
Me too! It feels like the UK is following that lead (but thankfully we don't have so many guns).
> Honestly I think the UK has a lot going for it
Sure, but the differential is pointing the wrong way, especially on corruption and the NHS (which is being chocked - I have family working in it and have worked with some trusts so I know exactly what is going on).
> Do you mean you had a European registration plate?
Yup.
Except the heritage everything that you mentioned here has gone to shit.