IN the world of bad smells, some may be inconvenienced on a daily basis by the pong of chemicals, waste or rotting fish – but for those living in the worst places for odours, the ten smelliest locations in the UK has been revealed…and two places in the North East have made the cut.

On a day-to-day basis, the stench spectrum might start at dog foul on pavements for some UK residents—a minor yet unwelcome inconvenience.

But at the other end of the spectrum, cleaning chemicals, sewage plants, and commercial waste present more severe health risks than naturally pesky pongs. 

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It might not be the most welcoming report by locations around the UK, but by undertaking odour complaints from residents across the UK, service provider Direct365 have been able to create the national smell and odour report.

By analysing more than 12,500 complaints across council areas in England, the group has revealed the locations with the most smell issues. 

So bad are some of these smells that many of us have made formal complaints to their respective councils, hoping to remove them from our communities.

The Northern Echo: Two locations in the North East managed to make the top ten list. Picture: GOOGLE.Two locations in the North East managed to make the top ten list. Picture: GOOGLE.

Despite the South Yorkshire location of Barnsley taking top spot for the smelliest place in the UK, Gateshead in the North East was ranked second – having generated a whopping 809 smell complaints across 2020/21.

The two locations were joined by Birmingham, Hounslow and Sheffield in the top five, before the list finds another North East location – South Tyneside – at number eight.

With 206 odour complaints, South Tyneside was categorised above Kirklees and Tameside to complete the top ten.   

Out of the 12,501 complaints analysed in this report, more than half came from domestic sources alone—6,694 complaints in total. 

The remaining figures make up 3,473 business-related odour complaints and 2,334 that were unspecified. 

The Northern Echo: Gateshead and South Tyneside ranked as two of the smelliest places in the UK. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO.Gateshead and South Tyneside ranked as two of the smelliest places in the UK. Picture: NORTHERN ECHO. (Image: PA MEDIA)

Karl Bantleman, head of digital at Direct365, said: “Businesses and Councils have a responsibility to keep their business practices in alignment with maintaining low levels of pollution and smells.

“The maintenance of the public health of our neighbourhoods is imperative, especially if any of these smells have to potential to be detrimental to public health.

“However, this also boils down to efforts from the public too and must keep their local public areas hygienic and safe.

“Therefore, good waste storage and disposal are vital to ensuring nuisance smells are kept to a minimum and the surrounding environment is more pleasant.”

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