Inside Britain’s unfriendliest town with Buzzballz at breakfast, teen raids on Greggs & brazen thieves as young as 10

WATCHING the busy commuters bustle by, an unwashed man polishes off his second 13.5 per cent BuzzBallz vodka cocktail of the morning – and it’s only 8.20am. A street away, a homeless lady cuddles a Paddington Bear toy as she sleeps among a three-metre pile of clothes and market traders brace themselves for another day combatting thieves as young as 10. A street drinker has already finished two BuzzBallz cocktails, a beverage beloved by Gen Zs, by 8.20am Credit: Josh Saunders Two teenagers gobble down a stolen lunch from Greggs Credit: John McLellan A homeless woman sleeps among this three-metre pile of clothes, cushions and towels Credit: Josh Saunders Barking (above) and Dagenham have been named the UK’s least friendly area Credit: John McLellan Welcome to the East London borough of Barking and Dagenham, which has just been named the ‘unfriendliest place’ in the UK, according to a Government community life survey of residents. It scored a measly eight out of 100 on the poll’s Connection Barometer – a collective total of ratings based on questions like belonging, loneliness, pride in the area and trust of fellow locals. The ‘most friendly’ spot, the Isles of Scilly, scored 99. Among the most damning responses was that just 21.1 per cent of locals trusted their neighbours and only 42.8 per cent were proud to live there – the average score was nearly 60 per cent. Surprisingly, during The Sun’s visit to Barking, locals seemed to agree with their new unsavoury title. Three described the area as “a s***hole” and one insisted the only route for redemption would be “to burn it down and start again”. Having already seen a street drinker downing beverages from 8am and several spots where homeless people sleep among mounds of clothing and broken down cardboard boxes, the town soon starts to come alive. But perhaps living up to the ‘unfriendly’ title, few shoppers in the market are willing to stop and talk. “I haven’t got time” and “I’m in a rush” are among the excuses. Others pretend they haven’t heard my question and one woman yells “No” while rolling her eyes. Nearby a retired jeweller, 67, who didn’t want to be named, tensely grips her handbag with both hands as she warns: “Watch out, they will pinch anything.” She tries to race in and out of Barking as quickly as she can, claiming the area is blighted by gangs of pickpockets, who act in groups of 10. “I’ve been here for 28 years too long,” she adds. “It’s a s***hole. People are rude. If you smile at someone, they won’t smile back.” Zara Hussain, 31, who just gave birth a month ago, says her mum warned her about carrying a bag while going into town, fearing “a daylight robbery”. “If you look nice amongst s*** you’re going to get robbed,” she says. “It’s not that you’re asking for it but it happens.” The lifelong Barking resident claims her home has been burgled three times in the last 15 years. Even her Ring Doorbell, which films people, hasn’t deterred them. But defiantly, she adds: “We’re not leaving Barking because it’s our home. This is where my heart is. It’s rundown, it’s s*** but it’s home.” Zara believes the area is in dire need of gentrification and dreams of a Westfield-style shopping centre being built here. “People are pretty miserable here, given what’s happening in their financial situations there’s nothing for them to look forward to that’s free, other than the sun,” she adds. Mum-of-three Anne Read, 63, disagrees, believing more investment would only lead to “more vandalism” and trouble and wouldn’t reduce the problems. She says: “I live nearby and they painted an area up. It really did look nice. It lasted two weeks. There was graffiti and homeless drug addicts s***ting on the stairs. It was disgusting. “Barking is terrible, nothing will change, unless you burn it down and start again. The police sirens start from 6.30am, they are out before the birds.” Anne recalls the house of her neighbour, who died from cancer three years ago, being left vacant for a few weeks and one day she spotted an addict “smoking a crack pipe in her porch”. The area, she complains, is also blighted by “mad shoplifters” and so many pickpocket gangs that she refuses to visit the town centre without her niece. “It’s a s***hole now,” Anne says. “People aren’t friendly because they are scared to be. If they are, they will be mugged. It’s terrible.” She recalls once bending down to tie an old lady’s shoelaces for her, fearing she would fall over, only to be told by the pensioner: “Oh, I thought you were going to mug me.” Ann adds: “It’s so bad that my one son moved to Durham to get away from here, my daughter fled to Norfolk and my other son, in Dagenham, is desperate to leave too.” By 10am, four new street drinkers have emerged. Glugging Guinness, shots of spirits and Gen-Z favourite BuzzBallz cocktails, one yells “10 drinks… solid” before clinking cans with a pal. Now Barking’s market, which sells everything from electricals and perfumes to bargain bucket clothes for as little as a fiver, is brimming with shoppers. Learning against a hotel fire exit is a lady busily scratching her fourth scratchcard of the day and in the distance, weaving in and out of the crowds, are two teenage boys also hoping to get lucky. Walking with swagger, pace and purpose, they mutter to each other before darting into a Greggs bakery. Clinking the booze cans together, a gaggle of street drinkers cheers at 10am Credit: John McLellan Anne Read, 63, tells Sun reporter Josh Saunders, left, she is too scared to visit Barking alone Credit: John McLellan Four homeless people sleep on cardboard outside Barking’s police station Credit: Supplied Taka Chigodora, 56, feels safe here but says a family member was groomed by a drug gang Credit: John McLellan Seconds later they emerge, carrying a bounty of baguettes, chicken bites and fizzy drinks. With smirks on their faces, they race away and around the corner. There, one of them asks a takeaway food truck owner for a fork and then greedily scoffs down his stolen treats while stifling his laughter. “It happens all the time, young and old,” a Greggs worker tells us and claims they are regular shoplifters. But their raids may not last for long, as the employee says they have security cameras that automatically photographs thieves and sends the images to the police. According to CrimeRate, Baking and Dagenham had the worst crime rate for robbery in the whole of London in March last year, with 116 incidents reported. Back then it was also the Capital’s most dangerous area for violence and sexual offences, with 676 crimes. However in 2026, its crime rates have dropped, now 1.5 per cent lower than the London average. But those stats are of no comfort to mum-of-two Georgia Douglas, 30, who insists the area is “no longer safe for kids”. She believes their ‘unfriendly’ title is fair, due to strangers “reacting so aggressively” while passing one another in the street. “In my lifetime, it has gotten worse,” she says. “You have stabbings, gangs, paedophiles and women getting raped. You’ve got to protect your children.” Another passerby chimes in: “Here it’s full of pickpocketing, knifing, people killing one another left, right and centre. I try to get in and out as quickly as I can.” Georgia claims gangs are targeting 13 and 14 year olds and teaching them sneaky ploys to sell drugs on the street. “They come up to you and say, ‘Oh, I recognise you’ and they will ask, ‘Do you smoke weed?’” she adds. Taka Chigodora, 56, who moved here from Zimbabwe in 2004, knows this world personally because a teenage family member was lured into a gang. “A lot of people I know believe raising children in Barking and Dagenham is one of the worst things you can do,” the social worker says. “A female teenager I know got involved in gangs and ended up in prison. When young people grow up they want a sense of belonging and gangs offer that. “She got offered things that are not lawful. There was drug selling. When they are doing this they want to protect themselves so carry knives and weapons.” Zara Hussain, 31, says her home was robbed three times Credit: John McLellan Street drinkers glug down BuzzBallz, cans of Guinness and high strength lagers Yet, Taka insists he feels safe and before speaking to us was – perhaps boldly, considering the issues with thieves – waving his bank card around with his hand. Nearby Terry, 40, tells us: “There used to be a lot of crimes going on – drug use, selling drugs, people fighting – but it’s reducing, it’s getting calmer and more friendly.” However, he admits he “doesn’t hang around at night” because of the potential for trouble and lists one of the best things about the area as the transport links “to get out of here”. In spite of the ‘unfriendliness’ findings, the market traders seem to be a strong community – often watching over each other’s stalls and working together to chase down thieves. They are used to the panicked yells of “stop”, “he’s got it” or “someone’s taken” whatever item they have nicked. Most refused to be named, fearing reprisals. “This is one of the worst places in the country for stealing,” says one, who has spent 20 years tolling here. “You always see people running and it’s because they have stolen something from a trader.” He recalls one incident just last week, where a lady was unloading her stock. She turned around and in seconds an e-bike rider had raced up, snatched her bag and sped away. “That’s what we’re up against,” he says. “They see female traders as especially easy targets and aren’t afraid to pull out a knife. “Police try their best but by the time they get there, the thief is off. The advent of electric scooters and bikes has been major.” The Sun did see three separate police patrols during our visit – although two officers looked more intent on their Greggs’ sausage rolls than looking out for crime. Another market trader, 24, claims the thieves, who strike “every single day”, often work in gangs and are getting ever-younger. “You’ll be serving the adult and their kids are nicking,” he says. “They are teaching them this, some are as young as 10. “It’s terrible, they don’t care any more. No one has any money now, but a lot are stealing because they want to. “They are terrible. It’s a nightmare and it happens every day. You have a set few, who try it regularly. They are wrong’uns.” Things are so bad, he claims, that his uncle’s car was broken into for his disability parking permit. Now he uses a steering wheel lock, not only for the steering wheel but the Blue Badge too. Terry, 40 believes crime is reducing but refuses to come out at night Credit: John McLellan 'We take these concerns seriouslys,' says cops Acting Superintendent Mo Mahmood, of the Met Police, told us: “We take these concerns seriously and are committed to tackling the issues that matter most to local people.” They say better use of technology and improved information sharing continues to help them identify and bring repeat offenders to justice. Their neighbourhood policing teams “work closely” with the council, business and community partners to “maintain a visible presence, target persistent re-offenders and focus activity where it is most needed”. Act Supt Mahmood adds: “Our officers will continue to patrol key town centre locations, engage with businesses and residents and tackle antisocial behaviour.” The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council told us: “We recognise there are challenges in Barking and Dagenham, but we have a clear plan and we’re making strong progress to improve life for residents. “We are very proud of the strong sense of community that exists across Barking and Dagenham and do not believe the description of our borough as the ‘least friendly place to live’ reflects the reality of life here. “From delivering cleaner and safer streets, improving neighbourhoods, building new homes, supporting local businesses and investing in opportunities for young people, we’re focused on making our borough an even better place to live. “Through our It Starts Here campaign and wider work with residents, community groups and local partners, we are continuing to build on that progress and make Barking and Dagenham a place everyone is proud of.” “I mean, who nicks from the disabled?” he adds, shaking his head. Govin Rai, 24, who has run his father’s stall for 15 years, admits they are “fortunate to have a couple of workers to keep an eye out” for thieves but still stock goes missing. “We mostly go after thieves but it depends on how much you’re losing, how busy you are and what the risk of chasing them is,” he adds. “Is your life worth a fiver?” He believes social clubs or sports teams could curb youngsters’ bad behaviour and encourage more inclusion among adults in times when “everyone is glued to their phones”. Currently Barking and Dagenham is more deprived than 97 per cent of English local authorities, yet has spawned many talented people in the past. There have been Three Lions footballers Bobby Moore, Sir Alf Ramsey and John Terry, EastEnders’ hardman Ross Kemp, Shaun of the Dead’s Nick Frost and 1967 Eurovision Song Contest winner Sandie Shaw. But now, locals are desperate for change – more investment in services, increased police patrols and rejuvenation to its rundown sections. If that happens, it may finally put a smile back on the faces of residents from England’s “least friendly” borough.