Copyright birminghammail
Harry Styles' birthplace of Redditch has become so tedious that locals have christened it "Deaditch" - plagued by endless rows of vacant shops and overrun with drug-addled hooligans. The Worcestershire town, historically renowned for its needle and fish-hook manufacturing, was previously a flourishing commercial centre boasting a vibrant music scene. Led Zeppelin's drummer John Bonham, pop sensation Harry Styles and Dodgy frontman Nigel Clark all originate from this community. Read more: Historic pub becoming rock 'n roll boozer A monument honouring the late John Bonham continues to stand near the high street, serving as an enduring tribute to Redditch's distinguished musical legacy. However, the town today, housing approximately 87,000 inhabitants, has become so monotonous that numerous residents have branded it "Deaditch". The formerly prosperous centre has transformed into a disheartening collection of shuttered businesses, graffiti-daubed shopfronts and derelict drinking establishments. The Wetherspoon establishment The Rising Sun remains vacant and deserted, displaying a For Sale notice above its entrance since shutting in April 2023. Even the typically busy Kingfisher Shopping Centre is frantically seeking traders to occupy empty premises. Over 20 units remain unoccupied in the shopping complex that launched amid great celebration in 1976 by then-Prime Minister James Callaghan. Charitable organisations are even contemplating departing the town, with the Cancer Research outlet scheduled to shut next year. Local inhabitants report that gangs of unruly thugs are seizing control of the town's most disadvantaged areas, with narcotics being held responsible for escalating antisocial conduct. Grandmother Maggie Scott, 72, revealed she no longer feels secure venturing out after nightfall. The retired carer said: "I lived here in the 1980s and it was a much different place then. "There was a buzz around the town and people went out. Shopping was great and there was a good atmosphere about the place. "Now I rarely go into town and never at night despite living walking distance from the centre. "The big shops have all left and all you have left are vape shops and charity shops. "If I go shopping or meet friends I go to Birmingham on the train. It's got far more to offer than here." Former club doorman Phil Jones, 62, revealed he had endured verbal and physical threats from thugs in the area. He said: "The place has definitely declined. I often meet up with mates who lived in Redditch to reminisice about the old days. "We'd talk about going around the town and in the pubs. You can't recognise the town now and places I wouldn't go into now. "I've been verbally abused in the street before now. I accidentally bumped into someone who was really offensive. "They swore at me and even threatened me with a penknife." Over half of households in the town are classified as deprived, with almost a quarter of the town's 150 retail and office premises standing vacant. Businesswoman Suela Cangaj has operated the Three Cooks coffee lounge in the town centre for a decade. She said: "The situation now is very very bad. My takings have gone down 30 or 40 per cent. People have no money to spend on food and drink. "Every day is a struggle. Lots of shops and businesses have left because they can't afford the rents. People also have very little money and they don't come into the town. "I have had several discussions with my husband about whether we can even afford to stay open. It is really bad, no wonder people call it Deaditch not Redditch." Substance abuse represents another significant challenge, with 299 drug-related crimes recorded between January and June this year alone. This figure stands higher than the 261 offences logged in neighbouring Wychavon and the 215 incidents in nearby Bromsgrove . PC Mike Moore, a safer neighbourhoods officer for West Mercia Police, told ITV : "We do tackle the drug problem in Redditch quite robustly. "We have a train line that ends in Redditch which is possibly and easy way to facilitate bringing drugs in from other areas by County Lines." Narcotics-driven criminality has escalated to such concerning levels that authorities implemented a Public Space Protection Order, granting officers enhanced powers to tackle antisocial behaviour.
