Nottingham bleak and rundown, journalist claims
A JOURNALIST has been condemned for an article in a national magazine which criticises Nottingham as rundown and home to drug addicts and gun crime.
Robert Beaumont says in his article in The Spectator that Nottingham is "bleak", criticises its regeneration schemes and says no one wants to live in Radford, which is "a chilling example of the urban decay".
He adds St Ann’s, the Meadows, Bilborough, Basford and Broxtowe are "pockets of deprivation, crime, drug addiction and third-generation welfare dependency, where you can smell the stench of hopelessness."
The article also says there is a melancoly which hangs over the city and blames this directly on the miners' strike of 1984 and the subsequent closure of the pits.
Nottingham City Council has described the article as an "uninformed piece of jaundiced journalism".
Graham Chapman, the city council deputy leader, said: "He’s gone back as far as the 1990s for quotes, and is three years out with comments about guns as we haven’t had a shooting in the city for about two years.
"It refers to Nottingham as a northern town and calls Rushcliffe a suburb on Nottingham. The man is well out (with his facts)."
Mr Beaumont has defended the article.
He said: “Regeneration in the city centre, when compared to cities such as Leeds, Sheffield and Newcastle, hasn’t been as imaginative as one would have hoped.”
Positive aspects mentioned in the article were the legacy of Brian Clough, the city centre’s retail hub and the work of the University of Nottingham.
“It is quite wrong to write Nottingham off completely,” Mr Beaumont said.
The journalist also called for a monument to Boots founder Jesse Boot to be installed near his first premises in Goose Gate.
What do you think of the article? Join the debate below.
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by sheryl, strelley
Tuesday, December 16 2008, 12:44AM
“i agree with the journalist yes notts is a dive but there are good people here i grown up at bestwood they knocked padstow down which was a good school in a way 2 over crowd other schools for what ???? and as for broxtowe yes there is stabbing car theft burglarys youth on corners burnt out car all because the kids have nowhere 2 go and nothing 2 do as funding is low in the community my estate was once called crack alley all because of drug dealers they have gone but still need more cctv as yes there is still some but no 1 will tell if community got 2gether and put there head 2gether then notts would be a better place stand up and get rid of the rif raf”
by pete, Red Deer AB
Monday, December 15 2008, 2:53PM
“you should all thank the council and all the social engineers , no need to spend hard earned money and fly to jamaica to witness the low lifes in action .
labour has saved you al that money by bringing the yardies to your doorstep , look how enriched your lives have become .”
by Mr B J Mann, Nottingham
Saturday, December 13 2008, 2:13PM
“Or to use your phrase, they were:
"asking for it"
.
And I suppose the same goes for girls who get shot.
.”
by Mr B J Mann, Nottingham
Saturday, December 13 2008, 2:11PM
“Ahhhhhhhh, so any woman who gets raped in Nottigham brought it on herself, Seb!”
by Seb, Wollaton
Saturday, December 13 2008, 10:30AM
“No, I think he EXPECTED to be attacked in Nottinham, so he was”