Hidden away in an article documenting the myths surrounding migrant workers, the Boston Standard made mention of a simple statistic that draws attention to the decline of Boston. Paying reference to the 2001 census The Boston Standard inform us:

"More than 30 per cent of the people leaving the county each year are aged between 16 and 24, and another 33 per cent are aged between 25 and 44"

Mirroring this statistic, the Boston Community Safety Partnership published in its Crime and Disorder Strategy 2005-2008:

"There is a higher proportion than the national average of older people (55-74 years) and a lower proportion of younger people (20-34 years)."

The implication is that youth and vivacity are steadily leaking from the local area, and this is only symptomatic of a much larger problem. It can be seen as a signal of the social and economic decay of 'rural' areas such as Boston. Boston itself offers very few prospects for the young, with little in the line of 'career choice' unless an individual wishes to cut and chop vegetables for life.

We will often hear of 'urban decay'; the degeneration of previously successful large towns and cities, but the social and physical decline of rural areas lacks any comparative terminology. Even more important than the lack of a snappy phrase is the deficiency of interest and analysis in the regeneration of rural areas.

On June the 12th 1987 Margaret Thatcher spoke of the "big job to do in some of those inner cities". I remember hearing those words while young and unemployed in Boston, and thinking "what about us?". Surely an MP originating from Lincolnshire could not ignore problems in the area? Unfortunately Bostonians still have to look in the history books for times of prosperity.

Even today we can see this lack of interest in Boston's degradation. Taking a walk down West Street; Boston's administrative centre, within a few strides of the Municipal Buildings we see sights unseen by 'inner city' dwellers since World War II. You can view buildings reduced to rubble piles and barriers of chipboard surrounding long demolished businesses. The former Regal Cinema site has been ignored to dust and the location opposite is nothing but a forgotten wasteland. Boston has become a depressed entity, lacking pride in its appearance with little care for its future life.

Boston exhibits another symptom of depression; that of "Fatigue and a loss of energy". In a survey by Sport England Boston is ranked lowest in the country in relation to physical sporting activity. This has caused Boston to be labelled Britain's laziest town by some elements of the media.

Laziness could be seen as contributing to Boston's traffic congestion problems. Surrounded by calls for a bypass, traffic surveys have proved that the majority of Boston traffic does not pass THROUGH Boston but instead originates and terminates in Boston. In simple explanation, the congestion is caused by Bostonians using their cars for short journeys that could easily be accomplished on foot. Traffic congestion is believed by some to reduce regional economic health due to the 'non productive' activity of driving. The laziness and lack of vitality in Boston is filling the streets with cars and fumes, and also having negative effects on the local economy.

The lack of care and activity on a local and national level causes places like Boston to sink into despair. Sometimes it seems like it is only the young that have enough awareness of the problem to do anything about it. Unfortunately their only choice is to leave for a better place - with no power to change the things they detest. The rest of the population is too apathetic to fix the cracks, to paint the walls, to clean the dirt. Physical and social decay have become acceptable through apathy, with a public and administration that just can't be bothered.