North West towns feature in UK’s most unhealthy high street rankings

Two North West towns have been named among the most unhealthy high streets in the UK.

Bolton was placed third in the UK’s 10 unhealthiest high streets, while Bolton was rated seventh.

Grimsby was named the most unhealthy, followed by Walsall.

The report by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) analysed 70 major UK towns and cities.

It said high streets with more payday lenders, bookmakers, tanning salons and fast food outlets are among the worst.

And the report said there was a clear link between deprived areas and unhealthy High Streets.

The number of fast-food outlets on UK streets rose by 4,000 between 2014 and 2017, and it is claimed there was a clear link between deprived areas and unhealthy High Streets.

London’s High Streets were not considered in the report, as they have been ranked separately in the city.

Edinburgh, Canterbury and Taunton were considered the healthiest high streets in the UK.

Outlets that were considered good for people on the UK’s healthiest high streets included leisure centres, health services, libraries and museums and art galleries.

The report also considered pubs and bars as being good for people, because they are centres for social interaction.

However, they are in decline and many people are using the UK’s 22,000 coffee shops as places to socialise, eat and drink instead.

Shirley Cramer, RSPH chief executive said: “When our time and money are converted into a loss at the bookmaker, a tan from a sunbed, a high-cost loan or a bucket of fried chicken, the high street is enabling and supporting poor health behaviours.

“Our Health on the High Street rankings illustrate how unhealthy businesses concentrate in areas which already experience higher levels of deprivation, obesity and lower life expectancy.

“Reshaping these high streets to be more health-promoting could serve as a tool to help redress this imbalance,” she said.