The Grimsby Telegraph hits back today, at yesterday’s reports from the ‘Torygraph’ about life on the East Marsh.

The Grimsby Telegraph reports:

“I WOULDN’T want to live anywhere else.”

That was the defiant response from East Marsh councillor Steve Beasant after the ward was ranked bottom of a national newspaper’s online table of the best places to live in England and Wales.

The area ranked 7,137th out of 7,137 places in the Daily Telegraph feature, well behind Immingham in 5,426th, Sidney Sussex in 5,504th, and Freshney in 4,427th.

The South ward, including Nunsthorpe, ranked 6,477th, and the West Marsh was ranked 6,684th.

There was better news for the Waltham area, which ranked 1,735th, and parts of the Wolds ward, which ranked 800th.

The best place to live was named as Test Valley in Hampshire.

The Daily Telegraph has ranked the areas using economic, health, and crime statistics – but these figures do not tell the whole story according to Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Beasant.

“I’m very positive about this area – it has not improved dramatically overnight but I think the green shoots are there,” he said.

“I love living on the East Marsh and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. I do report problems like fly-tipping, but I’m sure you get that in Kensington, Chelsea, and everywhere else.

“We have got a lot of assets here in the East Marsh; you’ve only got to have a look around. How many people can say they have docks on their doorstep, transport links, and things like the Central Hall?

“I know people knock us but we will stand up and fight back because as far as I’m concerned the vast majority of the people of the East Marsh are good, honest, salt of the earth people.”

Following the storm created by the Daily Telegraph article, Steve appeared on Radio Humberside at 7.20am today; and then at 9.30am he recorded a TV interview for Estuary TV:

“People of the East Marsh are proud of the area where they live just like other people across the UK.

“And, it doesn’t matter if you live in Kensington and Chelsea, Nottingham, Hull, Grimsby or Cleethorpes – you still have crime, noisy neighbours, fly tipping and rogue landlords in Kensington and Chelsea. Problems are not just associated with the East Marsh, the area is a GREAT place to live – the residents are ‘good honest salt of the earth people’!

“We have many assets in our local community and that includes the local people themselves who work very hard assisting many of the fantastic voluntary organisations.

“You only have to look around the area, and there is ‘loads’ going on: the Oasis Community Garden; the Children’s Centre Community Garden; Harlech Way Community Garden; The Warehouse; the Central Hall; the Rock Foundation is expanding across our area; and there is much more going on – it is all great news!

“Some years back, Grimsby Docks was on its last legs but thanks to massive investment in the renewable energy sector the Docks is now a thriving area. If the Daily Telegraph repeated their article in 10 years’ time, they would come up with a different picture – they would see an area at the forefront in leading world in renewable energy.

“Ten years hence, Grimsby Docks would be providing many jobs for local young people and the economy would be sustainable, stronger and fairer.

“It would be good news for the East Marsh, it is time to stop all this bad press about our local area – the national press should stop pulling us down. The residents of the East Marsh are positive about the future. It is time for the ‘Torygraph’ and the other media outlets to be binned – once and for all!”

Later at 12.00-noon, Steve along with fellow local resident recorded an interview for BBC Look North, he added:

“We are here in the Harlech Way Community Garden, one of a number of Community Gardens across the East Marsh and they are all fantastic – much better than any garden belonging to a millionaire in Kensington and Chelsea.

“Indeed, the local residents living around here have all of the best local amenities – this is just a great place to live.

“I this that this story from the ‘Torygraph’ is a nonsense story – they have nothing to print at this moment in time – the House of Commons is shut down, due to summer recess and there is NO Whitehall gossip. The problem is the media correspondents are just looking for a story and it happen to be about the East Marsh.”