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The Irish Sun
12-08-2025
- The Irish Sun
The £5 street pills wreaking havoc in seaside town voted happiest place to live as pubs replaced by bedsits for addicts
One problem area has a crime rate that's three times the national average 'JEKYLL & HYDE' The £5 street pills wreaking havoc in seaside town voted happiest place to live as pubs replaced by bedsits for addicts WITH its long sandy beach and iconic historic 'Spanish City' complex offering up first class dining and a champagne bar, it doesn't seem absurd that this north east town was dubbed one of the UK's happiest places to live. But baffled locals have branded the accolade "a load of rubbish", claiming the 'Jekyll and Hyde' seaside resort is overrun with drug addicts and alcoholics. 17 Residents have complained that the north east town is being engulfed by anti-social behaviour Credit: NNP 17 A man is seen clutching cans of lager in the morning on the streets of Whitley Bay, where locals say drunks are a problem Credit: NNP 17 Victoria says the town has a lot of potential if investment was spread more evenly across it Credit: NNP 17 Locals claim pregabalin is being used by addicts across the town, sold illegally for £5 a hit Credit: Alamy Whitley Bay, in North Tyneside, was ranked third out of 70 areas in 2024 in an online survey which cited its impressive coastline and independent shops and bars. But locals say there is a stark divide between its hipster high street lined with boutiques and fancy restaurants, and scruffy rundown terraces full of bedsits. Residents who live in the east of the town - also named best place to live in the North of England in 2023 by The Sunday Times - told The Sun they're sick of being woken up by drunks in the middle of the night. They also claim the streets have been flooded with pregabalin - a highly addictive prescription-only medication which can induce feelings of euphoria and relaxation, being flogged illegally for £5 a pill - earning the town the nickname 'Pregab City'. While the famous Spanish City Plaza complex, immortalised in the Dire Straits song Tunnel of Love, underwent an impressive renovation in 2018 and is now home to a fine dining restaurant and champagne bar, other areas of the town are struggling. Residents believe many are unable to afford the expensive offerings at the iconic domed building, which housed a down-to-earth funfair, amusement arcade and bingo hall up until the 2000s. Now a cod and chips at the venue will set you back £13.95. South Parade, which leads from the town down to the seafront, used to be lined with bars and nightclubs and was a hive of activity on bank holidays and weekends. But now the street is a shadow of its former self and has just one club - the rundown-looking Havana. Other nightlife hotspots have been replaced by halfway houses, bedsits and B&Bs, many of which are reportedly occupied by alcoholics and drug addicts. We live in UK's 'worst' seaside town – tourists say it's rundown and crime is a problem but here's why locals love it Meanwhile the crime rate in the immediate area is three times as high as the national average. Victoria Knibbs lives in a flat in the area with her boyfriend and dog Sunny. The 29-year-old team manager said: "Whitley Bay has the potential to be a lovely place. There are really nice cafes and bars on one side of the town, but it's still very run-down on the other. "We look out onto our street and there is always shouting. People shout up and down from the windows and there's a constant police presence at one of the B&Bs. We've been woken up at 4am with people shouting drunk in the street and on stuff Victoria Knibbs "Every weekend there are police or ambulances down there. Every day you'll have people on the street corners rolling around. "I was walking to the Metro station the other day and there was a guy trying to pick up his friend off the floor. "They had both fallen over and were moving at the slowest pace. It doesn't bother me, but you will see this as soon as you leave the house. "We've been woken up at 4am with people shouting drunk in the street and on stuff." 'Jekyll and Hyde' town 17 The Spanish City complex saw huge investment in 2018, including the addition of a fine dining restaurant and champagne bar Credit: NNP 17 Locals say some areas have seen limited investment compared to others Credit: NNP Just around the corner from Victoria, one couple are seen hurrying down a back alley, as the man downs a can of lager before 11am. The woman with him is still in her pyjamas as they wander out of sight. Victoria, who says the town is divided in two, added: "Whitley Bay was voted as this lovely place to live, but if people want to visit there's no good hotels to stay at. "There are nice spots, but that's the seafront, it isn't Whitley Bay itself. "I love my flat and the landlord is fine, but the pubs around here bring in a certain clientele. "The places in this town are either run-down and cheap, or they charge you £20 for a glass of water. It's split into two halves." They've spent millions on the sea front and the Spanish City but the investment should have been spread Anonymous resident Victoria claimed there is "no reason" for her to go to Spanish City as there's "nothing for families with kids and dogs". "It was built to make it look, how amazing is this place, but you go and there's not much there. In my whole life I've probably been inside three or four times," she said. "Since we've been living here there have been lots of places we wanted to try but they end up closing down. "I would love to shop independent and go local, but there's not the investment." High accolades 17 The Spanish City was immortalised in a Dire Straits song Credit: NNP 17 The town's seaside location was given as a reason for it being a great place to live Credit: NNP Army veteran Dave Kelly is originally from Northampton but has lived in Whitley Bay for over 20 years. The 52-year-old is fed up of what he sees on a daily basis, telling The Sun: "You see homeless people and alcoholics all of the time. "It's mainly young adults who are off their faces on Pregabalin. Whitley Bay is known to be 'Pregab City'. "The town looks great on paper, especially with all of the investment that got put into the seaside. "It sounds great when you talk about lovely beaches etc., but it's only that part. There is nothing spoken about regarding the town centre. You see homeless people and alcoholics all of the time. It's mainly young adults who are off their faces on Pregabalin. Whitley Bay is known to be 'Pregab City' Dave Kelly "I live opposite Spanish City and you get travellers coming down there. Just the other week the travellers cut the gates off a park but they just got moved on. "You get lots of p***heads in the centre, too. The other day we got a group who came along and took the leftover tobacco from ashtrays on the outside tables of pubs and were making roll-ups in front of everyone." In the 2024 survey from FurnitureBox of the happiest places to live in the UK, only Stratford-upon-Avon and Harrogate were ranked higher than Whitley Bay. The town was also named Best Place to Live in the North and Northeast in the 2023 Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide. The paper described the town's high street, Park View, as "one of the best independent shopping streets in the country, with its artisan bakery, brunch spots and microbrewery, as well as more traditional outlets such as the shoe-repairer and the butcher." What is Pregabalin? Pregabalin is a prescription-only medicine which has flooded the black market, selling for up to £5 a pill. The white or orange tablets induce feelings of euphoria and relaxation, but can be highly addictive and even deadly when consumed alongside other drugs, such as opioids. Dan Brocksopp works as a young persons team leader at PROPS, a recovery service which aims to improve the lives of families affected by alcohol and drug use in Newcastle and North Tyneside. He said: "Substance misuse, alcohol and drugs, is becoming an ever- increasing problem. With pregabalin, people who are using it should only be getting it through their GP or hospitals. "It's finding its way into the wrong hands, and then it's getting distributed through the local communities. "Not a lot of people know the risks associated with pregabs as they've bought it off the street. When a drug is prescribed, the doctor takes into account the patient's age and size and tolerance. "That obviously doesn't happen when it's taken illegally. "We are concerned that pregabs are becoming an ever-growing issue alongside other drugs including alcohol. "Pregabs are being intercepted as they travel through hospitals and GP surgeries. People are getting them prescribed and then selling them on to make a little bit of money. "They are mainly used to treat epilepsy, anxiety and nerve pain. If someone is presenting themselves to a GP with those conditions, they can be prescribed them. "With any drug there is a street value. People can make money from them. With epilepsy you'd have to be diagnosed, there would have to be proof of that. "But high levels of anxiety are hard to prove, so people are presenting with these issues, and realising they can get pregabs. They then distribute them and sell them. "Like any drug it Pregabs can suppress thoughts and feelings and reduce anxiety. It can also suppress physical pain, and that's what it is prescribed for in terms of nerve damage." Dan added: "Mixed with other drugs, pregabs become highly dangerous. "In terms of anti-social behaviour, what we do find is that people tend to act erratically when they are taking illicit substances. "When the effects of the drug wear off, it can increase insomnia, pain and anxiety. You might be in discomfort which could cause you to make decisions you otherwise wouldn't when out in the community. "Because pregabs are prescription-only drugs you can sell them for up to £5 tablet, and a lot more inside prisons. "But also vulnerable people who are actually prescribed pregabs for a genuine medical problem are exploited and the drugs are taken from these people to sell." 'Misspent millions' 17 Residents feel that even things like the state of the roads is ignored Credit: NNP 17 Locals claim drugs and alcohol are causing havoc for the town Credit: NNP One man, who wanted to remain anonymous, added: "Being named as one of the best places to live is a load of rubbish. It's definitely going downhill. "This place is all second-hand shops and all of the banks are closing down. "You see loads of homeless people unfortunately. "Even little things like the roads. If you look at them you will see lots of potholes. Being named as one of the best places to live is a load of rubbish. It's definitely going downhill Anonymous resident "They've spent millions on the seafront and the Spanish City, but the investment should have been spread. "That investment hasn't exactly brought lots of jobs here, only for council workers and contractors from down south. "If you look at South Shields, you can cycle from there to Newcastle on the new cycle paths they put in. "But you couldn't do that on this side of the river, and we're closer to the city than South Shields." Rising crime rates 17 Whitley Bay's North Parade area battles high crime rates Credit: NNP 17 The high street is struggling with many shops and hotels closed and boarded up Credit: NNP According to Street Check data, the crime rate in and around North Parade is classed as high, with 288 reported crimes per 1,000 people. The national average is 88. In Whitley Bay as a whole the figure is much lower, at 89 crimes per 1,000 people. Leslie, 70, who didn't want to give her surname, said: "There are a lot of druggies in the guesthouses. "They have changed a lot of the accommodation to halfway houses where the people are coming off drugs or drink. "But they're not clean because I know people who live on them. There are a lot of druggies in the guesthouses. They have changed a lot of the accommodation to halfway houses where the people are coming off drugs or drink Leslie "There's no way of policing people using drugs, so it's an issue. Who looks after these people?" She added: "There are nice parts. Park View, the high street, is good, but there are parts that let the place down. "Even the pavements are bad. I saw an old lady fall over the other day because it's all uneven and she stumbled and fell. "There needs to be better investment for things like that." Around the corner three young men in tracksuits holding a crate of lager are seen hurrying across the street and into a flat, locking the door behind them. Hotel hell 17 Brian tuned to begging after his benefits were stopped Credit: NNP Brian Place found himself begging on the streets after his benefits were stopped. The 45-year-old, who lives in a nearby residential home, said: "It is a bit bad around here. The people who get put in the hotels cause trouble. "It was voted as the best place to live but those people haven't seen the streets or the shopping bits. "I do think it has started to clam down with the drunks, but it has been bad." One woman walking her dog through the town who didn't want to be named added: "The people in the hotels gather in clusters. It was voted as the best place to live but those people haven't seen the streets or the shopping bits Brian Place "You often see them outside Home Bargains with the police outside. "We used to have lots of pubs and clubs, but at least they were making money. "We have the Dome, which do good meals, but it's very expensive. "The stuff they have spent the money on doesn't appeal to everyone. "If you walk along the streets you can tell where the nice stuff is, for the people with money. "Then you come into the centre and it's Home Bargains and charity shops." Tackling anti-social behaviour 17 Local police say they take all the crimes seriously and will respond Credit: NNP Northumbria Police's Chief Inspector David Morrison, of North Tyneside Area Command, said: "We take every crime reported to us seriously and carry out a number of initiatives across the year to ensure Whitley Bay remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone. "During the summer months this includes Operation Coastwatch, which involves extra patrols, preventative work on the transport network to disrupt and stop any disorder before it reaches communities, and beach wardens to monitor coastal activity. "In the first six months of this year alone we saw a 19 per cent fall in the number of reported anti-social behaviour incidents in the town, compared with the same period in 2024. "We are not complacent, however, and are aiming to build on these excellent results. "Alongside our partner organisations, including North Tyneside Council, we carry out regular high-visibility patrols to identify any issues and act upon them. "We remain absolutely committed to tackling all forms of criminality in the community and anyone living in the area who has concerns should contact us so that we take the appropriate action. "Anyone found responsible for criminal behaviour will be dealt with to the full extent of the law." Rejuvenation hopes 17 The town used to be popular for people to spend a day or night out Credit: NNP 17 Parts of the town have seen huge investment but other areas have been left behind Credit: NNP Peter Mennell, Director of Housing at North Tyneside Council, said: "Whitley Bay has undergone a major transformation in recent years, with significant investment from the Council and private sector partners helping to breathe new life into the town. "The seafront has been revitalised, local businesses are thriving, and the town consistently ranks among the best places to shop — a real sign of the pride and happiness people feel here. "In the first six months of this year, reports of anti-social behaviour in Whitley Bay have fallen by 19 per cent, reflecting the positive impact of regular patrols and joint initiatives such as Operation Coastwatch. "Our work with Northumbria Police and partners ensures a strong, visible presence throughout the town, and we're committed to building on this success. "Our Community Protection Team and Northumbria Police work closely with residents and businesses to keep Whitley Bay safe and welcoming. "We encourage people to come and talk to us at community consultations and events — because working together is how we'll continue to tackle any issues and make the town an even better place to live, work and visit."
Edinburgh Live
29-05-2025
- Climate
- Edinburgh Live
When to expect Edinburgh thunderstorms as rainy spell intensifies
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info With summer approaching many would be forgiven for thinking the sunny weather is due a prompt return. Sadly, forecasters at the BBC do not believe that is the case as the capital is set to be inundated with showers and overcast skies as we enter the beginning of June 2025. And that is not all, with meteorologists predicting thunderstorms for the city on Saturday June 7th. According to forecasts the thunder and lightning will kick off at around 2pm and will continue on until 5pm, so cancel your golfing plans if you have a round booked in for the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to hit 17C on Saturday 7. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Edinburgh residents will have to endure several days of on-off rain leading up to the thunderstorms as Thursday May 29 looks to be a washout with one brief reprieve from the rain expected between 8-11pm. Some good news for Friday May 30 as forecasters believe the day will remain mostly dry bar a brief shower in the early afternoon. Temperatures are expected to peak to at around 18C which will rise to 19C on Saturday 31. Families looking to enjoy their weekend would be well placed to plan for activities at cool indoor settings with rain falling consistently before a brief break around every two hours. June kicks off as May ended, as showers again plague the city throughout Sunday 1 but the weather's Jekyll and Hyde nature continues as Monday 2 is expected to be dry with temperatures peaking at 16C. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox From Tuesday 3 until Friday 6, the city is due for non-stop rain until a light break on Friday evening at around 8pm. Temperatures will remain at an average of 15/16C throughout this period. To see the forecast in full, click here.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rangers young defenseman is ‘built to adapt,' so could be key to offseason strategy
Forecasting what the New York Rangers defense corps will look like five months from now on opening night is not an exact science. There are some key decisions general manager Chris Drury and coach Mike Sullivan must make this offseason, most notably if the Rangers will re-sign or trade K'Andre Miller. On the surface, it's a fairly obvious choice. Miller is a minute-munching 25-year-old defenseman, who has played on their shutdown pair for five seasons. However, his play at both ends of the rink can be Jekyll and Hyde, with eye-popping big-time plays and heinously egregious mistakes and turnovers. Advertisement Miller is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, so he's likely looking to cash in on a long-term contract. However, Miller just had upper-body surgery and is coming off a wildly uneven season — one that mirrored the erratic play of his team. 'I think he is such an interesting case. It's so apparent his career has not gone as he's wanted it to,' Mollie Walker of the New York Post told Forever Blueshirts on the Rink Rap podcast. 'I feel like so much of his confidence stems from his offensive contributions and that's a part of his game that has not come through nearly as consistently as he thought it would or wants it to. 'The defensive mistakes are egregious. There were so many of them this season that it would be a disservice to the organization for them not to [look into getting] something for him. But it comes down to how they value him. He's always described as a unicorn to me because of his size and athleticism and his reach. You can't teach that, obviously. I do think you have to take the risk and see him in a new system .. but they've seen him in so many systems under how many different coaches at this point.' Walker is likely right that Sullivan will want to get his hands on Miller, coach him up, have him play in his system, instead of trading him and trying to find a suitable replacement. So, assuming the Rangers re-sign Miller, they could continue to play him on a shutdown pair with Will Borgen. In that scenario, the Rangers likely need a top-pair left-shot defenseman to partner with Adam Fox and replace Ryan Lindgren, and must sign one or trade for one. Advertisement Or the Rangers could move Miller up with Fox on the top pair, where he played his best hockey when given the opportunity this past season. That then leaves a hole on the left side of the second pair with Borgen. Carson Soucy has played that role with Borgen before with the Seattle Kraken. But Soucy has more the look of a third-pair defenseman these days than a 20-minute shutdown d-man. Does that mean the Rangers still need to go out and acquire a top-four defender? No necessarily. Like Miller filling the top-pair role next to Fox, the Rangers just might have their own internal candidate for this spot, as well. Advertisement 'I think they really didn't mind [Braden] Schneider on the left. I think they're very high on Braden Schneider,' Walked stated. Related: Trade or sign him? Rangers have massive K'Andre Miller decision to make Rangers must decide if K'Andre Miller, Braden Schneider are long-term answers on defense Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images Schneider is a right-shot defenseman, who's been a third-pair staple his first four seasons with the Rangers. He played some second-pair minutes in the past with Miller, mainly in 2023-24 when Jacob Trouba was injured. Schneider acquitted himself well with the harder minutes, and he and Miller even paired some during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Advertisement This past season, Schneider again bumped up at times to play on the second pair. But this time, he shifted to his off (left) side. That was when Miller paired with Fox early in the season with Lindgren out of the lineup injured. Schneider held his own on the left side, didn't look out of place at all. When Lindgren returned, Miller and Schneider returned to their usual roles. But the Rangers likely filed away that Schneider on the left side is a serious long-term option, especially since he's blocked moving up on the right side behind Fox and Borgen. 'That's Braden. Braden is built to adapt,' Walker stated. 'I see online a lot of people give him flack saying 'why are we so committed to Braden Schneider?' Braden Schneider will make lemonade from any type of lemons. He can make it work. Think about how many defensive partners he has had in his NHL career. That's not easy, especially for a defenseman who's still developing and learning in the NHL. It was like every other day it was another different guy he was skating with. So, you've got to recognize that. That versatility has a lot of value.' Advertisement Finding an affordable, solid right-shot defenseman to play on the third pair is easier than finding one who shoots left and can play up on a shutdown pairing. Dante Fabbro could be a nice fit in that third-line role, and should be an affordable UFA this summer. If not him, there are others. This isn't like paying older vets like Ivan Provorov or Vladislav Gavrikov to play on the second pair. Schneider turns 24 next season. And after Schneider had offseason shoulder surgery, he should return to his robust physical style that earned him the nickname 'Baby Trouba' early in his NHL career. It's not a slam-dunk play to move Miller up and Schneider up and over next season. Especially since Schneider has been very sheltered defensively by previous coaches Peter Laviolette and Gerard Gallant. Advertisement But there's no doubt this is an intriguing option for the Rangers to consider next season. Related Headlines
BBC News
13-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Much more like the Celtic we know'
We asked for your views on the thrashing of Kilmarnock that put Celtic on the brink of clinching the what some of you said:Benny: Much more like the Celtic we know in that superb first 45. Movement, passing, hunger and intensity were abundant as Killie were blown away in a fast and furious 25-minute quite reached the same levels in the second half, but overall got to be happy with the performance and quality of some of the goals. Greg Taylor was outstanding and will be a big miss if he does go at the end of the Brendan Rodgers got the changes spot on. First half we were unplayable. Great response to last week's blip. A message to Taylor: stay and challenge Kieran Tierney for the LB position! Now let's focus on the semi-final and keep the treble dream It's hard to know which Celtic team will turn up each week. This time, we were outstanding for 30 minutes and blew Kilmarnock away, game over. Reo Hatate is back on form. Excellent reaction to the last game following a stern word from Rodgers. Good to hear he will continue and build on this season. Inevitably, now the football of the A real Jekyll and Hyde performance. in the first half, we had pace, creativity, passion and goals and in the second half, we watched the ball being passed to death. It was dull and dreary. The two halves summed up our lack of consistency since January, when things work, brilliant, but when they don't, there's no Plan The stats speak for themselves. One of those days where anyone could score - and did! This match is what the players need to remember to avoid inconsistent Were we allowed to be brilliant because Kilmarnock were so bad? Had been saying Hatate needs to hit the target more, so well done to him. Arne Engels is class, his vision and timing bring a lot to the team.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
What to look out for in the Bundesliga this weekend
BERLIN (AP) — Things are looking rosy for Bayern Munich with an eight-point lead in the Bundesliga and comfortable three-goal advantage over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League. On the other hand, Bochum is fighting for survival before its German league visit to Munich on Saturday, hoping Bayern may be distracted by Tuesday's visit to Leverkusen for the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie. Leverkusen, which knows a Bayern collapse in the Bundesliga is very unlikely, hosts Werder Bremen as coach Xabi Alonso considers how to claw back three goals against Bayern on Tuesday. Key matchups — Bremen and Bochum desperately need wins. Bremen has lost its last five games straight and another could be the last for coach Ole Werner. Bochum has only one victory from its last seven games. — Borussia Dortmund hosts Augsburg on Saturday when the home fans won't know what to expect from their consistently inconsistent team. Dortmund's Jekyll and Hyde season was illustrated in one game on Tuesday as Niko Kovač's team dominated in the first half against Lille, then collapsed in the second. They drew 1-1. — Mainz visits Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday when it will hope to defend fourth place, the last for Champions League qualification. — Freiburg hosts Leipzig on Saturday with both hoping to capitalize on slip-ups from Mainz. Players to watch — Florian Wirtz had a frustrating game in Munich on Wednesday but Alonso may be tempted to rest his star player against Bremen. — Mainz forward Jonathan Burkardt scored the winner against Leipzig last weekend and his 14 league goals so far will keep him in Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann's plans. — Michael Olise is standing out among all of Bayern's new signings for making the greatest impact. The French winger scored in the last two league games, he was a constant thorn for Leverkusen's defenders on Wednesday and set up the opener for Harry Kane. Injury list — Bayern goalkeeper Manual Neuer was injured while celebrating a goal on Wednesday, meaning the 21-year-old Jonas Urbig is set to make his league debut for the Bavarian powerhouse against Bochum. Neuer tore a muscle fiber in his right calf, Bayern said on Thursday. Transfer news — Bayern expects to announce midfielder Joshua Kimmich's contract extension in the coming days. The saga became protracted last week when the board withdrew its previous offer to the player, but negotiations continued. What they're saying — 'Manu wanted to run – and then his calf went. He'd already said he was getting old.' – Kimmich on teammate Neuer's injury. Neuer is 38. ___ AP soccer: Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press
