I visited Shildon after railway town was branded a 'dump'

These are the words of high street shop owner Kelly Burdess, who has based Kelly's Cards & Gifts in her little pocket of County Durham, the railway town of Shildon, for the last 15 years. 

Not everyone speaks as highly of Shildon as Kelly - with it recently being ranked the 'most dangerous' area of the region and was even controversially branded a ‘Turd Town’ this month.

And while some living in the rural town may agree it has its issues - such as drug problems, boarded up homes, and lack of shops - other residents argue it is the “community feel” that keeps generations of families in Shildon all of their lives. 

The Northern Echo reporter Alex O’Leary headed into the town this week to speak to people about what they thought - and found it was far from a ‘Turd Town’. 

On an unusually humid September day, I hopped in my car and drove through rural County Durham to reach Shildon.

Shildon (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

Hands up, I did have preconceptions; this was from a mixture of things, but most recently a YouTuber describing his fears about Shildon being a "warzone". 

But I was also aware of its rich history as a railway town. 

The wagon works - which opened in 1833 - served the iconic Stockton and Darlington Railway until its controversial closure over 40 years ago.  

I swung my car into a space behind Shildon Library and took a stroll through the town centre, greeting people along the way and popping into various businesses. 

Church Street, in Shildon (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Yes, there was an obvious feel of retail decline, with various shuttered shops and glimpses of businesses that once were - but this is a pattern seen across the UK, and is not unique.

But equally, there were glimmers of hope - and plenty of independent businesses making their mark. 

I popped into Thames Fruit & Veg and met Sandra Seal, who is the owner’s mother and volunteers at the shop. She said, while Shildon was “quiet”, the people were “lovely”. 

Sandra Seal, at Thames Fruit & Veg in Shildon (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The 77-year-old, who was chopping vegetables for the ease of some of her more elderly customers, said: “All the people come in and tell me all their stories. 

“I chop up all the food for the older people - I have one gentleman who comes in and he’s 102 years old, and another who comes in at 89 years old!”

Susan, who doesn’t get paid and simply does this out of the “goodness of her own heart”, added: “We just want a few more shops open here.” 

‘True community feel’

I later bumped into Katie Johnson, who was born and bred in Shildon and said she loved the town. 

Katie Johnson, who has lived in Shildon all her life, said she loved the town (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The 37-year-old said: “I love Shildon. I was brought up here - I just love the people, there’s a community feel.

“There are certain areas that are rundown… but I wouldn’t move out. It is not dangerous at all where I live, it’s just certain areas. I see myself living here all of my life!” 

Kellie Thompson, owner of the Xpress store on Cheapside, agreed, saying it has a true “community feel”. 

She said: “The high street is dying, but it is the same everywhere. But we love our customer base. Obviously, you get one or two… but a good 90% of our customers are lovely.”

Paula Ellison, Millie Thompson and Kellie Thompson (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Shop assistant Paula Ellison said it was “just the odd one” who causes issues, saying the store has “no problem” with the vast majority of customers. 

‘All you hear are sirens, motorbikes, and quad bikes’

While many were quick to defend their town, others labelled it a “dump” - picking up issues such as drugs, shoplifting, and vandalism. 

Earlier this year security services firm Churchill Support Services pinpointed Shildon as having the worst crime rate of 182.2 per 1000 people, and 1,758 individual offences.

Boarded up homes in Shildon (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

These included anti-social behaviour, violent crime, and shoplifting. 

“It’s a s**thole,” one woman who was enjoying a drink in The Red Lion argued. “There are too many homes boarded up, all empty and vacant.”

The 49-year-old continued: “There is a big drug problem - cannabis, cocaine…

“I’ve been here for nearly 50 years and when I was a kid, you used to be able to do things but there is nothing for the younger lot to do now.”

Her thoughts were shared by another 59-year-old, who argued that the place was a “dump” and that there was “nothing to do”. 

Several shops in Shildon were shuttered (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

“I think there is a big drug problem in the town and it can be very bad with shoplifting,” the woman said. 

“I am happy going out during the day but I wouldn’t walk the streets at night. You just don’t know everyone anymore.”

The grandmother-of-three added: “There are no banks and hardly any shops. It’s all hairdressers and nail bars.”

Shildon has recently followed a similar path to many UK high streets in the last decade - in simple terms, decline. 

The closure of HSBC in 2012 meant the town was left with no banks, and since then, big-name brands such as Costa have even decided to close up shop.

Then, in 2022, plans were green-lit to pull down the former  Sunnydale Campus of Greenfield Community College, which closed earlier in the year. The move meant pupils would now be based in Newton Aycliffe, leaving the town without a secondary school. 

Some residents can’t help but feel angry - and feel like Shildon is losing its identity. 

”It’s just not Shildon anymore,” John, 75, told me as he sat enjoying a drink with other residents and his pooch Fleur in The King William. 

John, 75, didn't feel very positive about Shildon (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

“There’s nothing here. They have built all of these new houses for families with kids but they knocked the secondary school down! We haven’t got a decent supermarket either.”

Christine Archibald, 74, also argued that the area is “not safe”. 

The great-grandmother said: “People are going around and stealing and whatever, as they do. Motorbikes are going up and down the street and they are wearing balaclavas and hoodies. 

“There’s a lot of good people here but you do get both the good and the bad. It could be improved a lot.”

One younger woman, who wished to remain anonymous, added that she “wouldn’t bring up a bairn” in the area because there is “nothing to do”. 

‘It has its problems - but it’s a friendly town’

While the town’s wagon works have been closed for decades, the area remains steeped in its railway heritage, with Shildon’s Locomotion Museum continuing to draw in thousands of visitors.

The Flying Scotsman at Locomotion, Shildon (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

In the 1950s, the works employed 2,800 men who repaired or modified 25,000 a year. 

And with a town so proud of its history, no wonder some residents were outraged at video creator TurdTowns’ comments. 

“I have lived here all of my life and I think that's a load of rubbish,” Raymond Fish, 78, told me on Church Street.

“Every town has its set of a***holes. Every town gets them. There’s not that many rough parts up here, it is just the odd street.”

His passion was clear - and was matched by a grandmother who branded the news as “disgusting”. 

The 59-year-old Tesco worker said: “It is not like that. It’s a friendly town. I come from Darlington and I would walk home from here in the dark but in Darlington, I wouldn’t.

“The town has its problems - but I wouldn’t say it’s bad.”

Shildon faces 'complex and deep-rooted challenges'

Andy Kerr, head of economic development at Durham County Council, said: “Like many former industrial areas, Shildon faces complex and deep-rooted challenges and we’re working with our partners in government and the community to enhance the town and help it realise its potential.

“We’ve recently invested in the £8million expansion of Locomotion, which now houses Europe’s largest undercover collection of historic rail vehicles and will be at the centre of the Stockton and Darlington Railway bicentenary celebrations in 2025.

“Our Towns and Villages Programme provides grants and support to businesses, while last financial year our local Area Action Partnership funded nearly £180,000 worth of projects, from environmental improvements to tackling anti-social behaviour and providing activities for families and young people.

“We’re working to raise private-rented housing standards through our selective licensing scheme and delivering a County Durham Inclusive Economic Strategy to support the creation of new jobs and help local people access them.

“We will continue to lobby for national funding to regenerate our towns, while seizing every opportunity we can to promote and attract investment to the county.”

Neighbourhood inspector Sarah Honeyman added: “Through our local policing team we work closely with the community, Shildon Town Council and other partner agencies to address any policing issues.

"We would encourage any residents to join us at the local PACT meetings which are held regularly. We're here to listen and help where we can.”

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So, after spending the afternoon in Shildon, what was the verdict? 

It was clear there was a mix of opinions, from some who argued the area was a “dump” to others who couldn’t be prouder of their home. 

I think it’s fair to say Shildon is far from a ‘Turd Town’; it might have some issues - what area doesn’t - but the “community feel” truly shines through the bad in this railway town.