Look local: Scunthorpe needs to catch up

Scunthorpe is known throughout the country as the Industrial Garden Town and it is easy to see why, given the town is the UK’s largest steel processing centre which employed more than 27,000 people at its industrial height. The rate of steel manufacturing has decreased dramatically over recent years yet any economic issues which have arose as a result have failed to dampen the spirits of the locals.

‘The people of Scunthorpe are very nice,’ says owner of Peebles and Wayte Ophthalmic Opticians Geof Wayte. ‘Even if they have a complaint, which isn’t very often, they’re very pleasant about it and don’t come across as aggressive in the slightest. I have been practising here for a long time and have loved every minute of it.’