MONDAY MARKED A NEW BEGINNING FOR GUILDFORD STREET; IT IS A FRESH START FOR THE EAST MARSH
Sunday on Look North and on the BBC website it was reported that a street in the East Marsh Ward, Grimsby which has been the scene of arson, drug dealing and violence for years is to be pulled down. Guildford Street in Grimsby was closed for good on Monday before demolition begins in a few weeks.
More than 100 houses, which were originally built to accommodate fishermen, will be demolished. Cllr Steve Beasant said pulling down the street would “make great differences to people’s life chances, the street closure order is another step forward in this whole process to turning around the prospects of the East Marsh area”. The street had become a hotbed of illegal activity and drug raids were common.
Chair of East Marsh Involve, John Harrison who lives in Guildford Street and as done so for more than 30 years, said life in the area had become difficult. “This was like little Beirut,” he said. “In fact this was worse than Beirut, but no more. It’s going to be better, it’s going to be like Buckingham Palace.” Mr Harrison said that he had seen life in the street deteriorate. “I’ve seen the full change,” he said. “It was a touch of going out, getting done whatever you had to do, shopping or whatever, and then getting back and doors locked.”
Guildford Street is among the top 3% of the most deprived areas in the country and on average its residents died seven years earlier than those from elsewhere in Grimsby. Cllr Steve Beasant said North East Lincolnshire Council was determined to make the area better.
“One of the major problems with this street is that it blends itself to anti-social behaviour there are no front boundary walls; people are living in cold and damp conditions and it has had major impact on their lives.
“We’re all committed to making a difference to people’s lifestyles, we want to see it as an area where people want to live again,” he said.
