Middlesbrough on a night time

[Emmersons_BrazillianDong]

Exactly this. I think we tend to think Teesside is worse because we know it is not an affluent area. But there's loads of town centres down South that are similarly run down. It is towns across the country. Cities in bigger urban areas seem to be fine, attracting more investment and with student populations supporting the economy. But Wycombe, Reading, Slough, Swindon, Portsmouth, Luton etc look a lot like Middlesbrough, if not worse.

Looking run down is one thing. Having some of the worst statistics for violent crime, cocaine related deaths, domestic violence, highest rates of suicides and Herion releated deaths in the country is something else that goes way beyond that and matters an awful lot more than looks. It hits at the heart of people's lives generally and comparisons, no matter how well meaning, shouldn't be made with other towns to normalise this.


I'm not trying to do the town down. Luton, Whitehaven, Tower Hamlets. All places that make Middlesbrough look like Hollywood. But ignoring the facts, is not just people protecting their home town. It allows the issues to become normalised and frankly the town and the people deserve better.

We can all argue about why we are here. But surely none of us think that it's OK? And hopefully even fewer think that we don't deserve better?

 

[Alexander Supertramp]

In fairness I think people are discussing the relative safety of having a pint or a meal in town, or doing a bit of shopping. Rather than the safety of going to a weekend “house party” down Parliament Road