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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
John James & Graeme Murray

Inside Britain's 'slobbiest town' where only form of exercise is drinking

The "slobbiest' town'' in Britain has been crowned with Forbes claiming the only form of exercise there is drinking.

Chatham has a worse reputation than what you might think for its location as the "Garden of England".

Forbes Advisor gave it the charming accolade of the "slobbiest place in the UK" and said it was the "worst location" in the country for exercise lovers.

It has also been labelled the "dog s*** splattered patio of the Garden of England" by iLiveHere.

The Daily Star reported residents' views after the Kent town which received scathing criticism elsewhere.

He said: "I’ve lived in Chatham all my life, because I’m a moron.

A woman pushes a trolley past closed-down shops in Chatham town centre in Kent (Getty Images)

"Fortunately I’ve escaped to Chatham’s outer boundary, but the town centre’s foetid stench still wafts over my hovel when the wind direction is unkind.

"Chatham’s High Street has become its putrid nadir. Most chain shops have gone. Waterstones remains for irony's sake.

"The High Street inhabitants linger and pulsate, staggering along grease-stained streets in search of some sort of score."

John James visited the Medway town and said like many UK towns, Chatham's High Street has suffered in recent years and is home to many boarded-up shops.

A closed-down garage is pictured in the town which like many places had closed (Getty Images)

There were however a few gyms speckled about, which suggests not everyone here is afraid of a treadmill.

Even though the High Street has fallen on hard times, it is still a hub of activity with mothers rushing about, old people sitting in cafes and people drinking and smoking on the streets.

He spoke to an elderly couple enjoying a cup of coffee in a cafe.

Malcolm and his wife Leigh live told John they weren't proud of it.

Shopping districts had been in a state of decline for years even before the pandemic hit (Getty Images)

Malcolm said: "I don’t like it.

"Its reputation? Well s*** to put it mildly. We don’t like to come down here often, in fact, my wife Leigh hates coming down here.

"You can’t list the problems here, they’re everywhere. The ugly buildings, the people, the drinking, the drugs."

The residents were asked if they had seen anyone exercising.

Malcolm replied: "The only exercise they do round here is raising a can to their lips."

Due to competition from online retailers in bigger cities towns such as Chatham are struggling (Getty Images)

John met a Nigerian man called Femi, who had moved there and planned to spend the day taking photographs of the "beautiful town".

He explained: "I only moved here last month and no, I don’t exercise. I have heard it’s a very rough place.

"A lot of people are drinking, I have seen some shady places and dodgy dealings, I keep safe and avoid it."

John's exploration took him to High Street pub chain Wetherspoons.

And he discovered the popular choice of breakfast was a "Full English with a pint of San Miguel".

A customer heckled him at around 10.43am for drinking a Pepsi Max and shouted "Ginger? You, why are you drinking that instead of a proper drink?"

He eavesdropped on conversation and learnt that one of them knew someone who had been on the Jeremy Kyle Show to settle a dispute over a lawnmower.

Many places in the town have closed down or been boarded-up (Getty Images)

On the next table two tradesmen, who preferred to stay anonymous, provided him with more pleasant company.

He asked if it was true nobody in Chatham exercises.

One said: "Nah that's b***cks, there are loads of gym's here."

The other said: "It is a s***hole though."

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