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Councillor Carl Marshall, who has represented Stanley on Durham County Council for 16 years, slammed The Telegraph's assessment of the town after it named it the seventh most ugly town in the country. Cllr Marshall, who is Labour leader on the council, criticised the paper for its negative view of Stanley. "Whenever a survey like this lands, I wonder what the point of it is," he said.
"In Stanley's case, it seems to be to put the boot into a place that's spent the last 14 years rolling with punches dealt by a Tory government austerity purge." He spoke of his pride in representing Stanley and highlighted the town's coal-rich history, independent traders, and community spirit. "Stanley has a proud history, providing coal to power the industrial revolution and heat homes across the UK.
We endured one of the worst mining disasters in the country’s history, but came back from it and prospered – looking after the families of those lost in the Louisa shaft." Most read Get the most out of your local news with The Northern Echo Subscribe now and enjoy access for the whole of 2025 for only £25 or enjoy your first six months for £6. Don’t miss out on our biggest sale of the year.
Cllr Marshall also pointed to the area's economic challenges, which he said were compounded by the rejection of several funding bids put to government before the 2021 local elections. "I’d like to extend an invitation to the people who conducted this survey - come to Stanley and I’ll give you a guided tour of the town, its beauty spots and introduce you to some of the most community spirited people they’ll ever meet.” Cllr Marshall acknowledged the challenges faced by Stanley but insisted that progress is being made.
He said: "Anyone in Stanley will be truthful and realistic about the challenges we face as a community, there are many, but we are making progress. "However, none of us will take criticism from a newspaper that only ever mentions our cities, towns, and villages to run them down." Despite receiving good scores for scenery, The Telegraph's travel writer Helen Pickles described the town as feeling "beleaguered by encircling roads and roundabouts".
Ms Pickles praised Stanley for its "enviable location" and views of fields, woodland, and Newcastle. However, she noted that, like many former mining towns in County Durham, the views do not compensate for the loss of its major economy. She said: "The main shopping strip, Front Street, is pedestrianised with trees and benches, and is a jumble of hairdressers, bargain shops, takeaways, and betting shops.
"The staff are cheery, although several shops are boarded up and most are unattractively hidden by metal roller-blinds when closed.".
