| | BBC News reports that a study by The Royal Society for Public Health - which assessed 70 areas in the UK according to the types of businesses found there - has found that high streets in the north of England and the Midlands were more likely to have a higher concentration of 'unhealthy' businesses.
A league table of the "unhealthiest High Streets" has named Preston as the UK's worst offender.
Bookmakers, loan shops, tanning salons and fast-food outlets were viewed as having a "negative impact" on public health, while leisure centres and health services were deemed positive.
Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, was named as having the "healthiest" High Street.
The society has called for a limit of 5% of each "unhealthy" type of business on a High Street to avoid saturation.
Britain's "unhealthiest High Streets" ranked
1. Preston
2. Middlesbrough
3. Coventry
4. Blackpool
5. Northampton
6. Wolverhampton
7. Grimsby
8. Huddersfield
9. Stoke-on-Trent
10. Eastbourne
Source: Royal Society for Public Health
Businesses were scored by more than 2,000 members of the public, and by public health and local government experts, on the extent to which they encouraged healthy choices, promoted social interaction, provided access to health advice and promoted positive mental wellbeing.
The league table was drawn up based on scores and the prevalence of each type of businesses in each High Street.
The research found that towns and cities in the north of England and the Midlands were more likely to have higher concentrations of businesses which were deemed potentially harmful to the public's health.
Britain's "healthiest High Streets" ranked
1. Shrewsbury
2. Ayr
3. Salisbury
4. Perth
5. Hereford
6. Carlisle
7. Cambridge
8. Cheltenham
9. York
10. Bristol
Source: Royal Society for Public Health
The organisation's chief executive Shirley Cramer said the table was by no means a reflection on whether each area was generally healthy or unhealthy, but it highlighted some trends.
"Our research does find higher concentrations of unhealthy businesses exist in places which already experience high levels of deprivation and premature mortality," she said. |