Dundee fourth in ‘stress in the city’ rankings

DUNDEE has been ranked among the five moststressed cities in the UK in a recent survey.

The City of Discovery was ahead of Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh on the stress scale, ranking at number four — just three places behind London, which was declared the number one stress hot-spot.

T h e To t a l l y M o n e y. com study l ooked at 16 stress-inducing f actors across the country — such as finances, commute time, job opportunities and crime rates.

Joe Gardiner, the company’s head of brand and communications, said: “Poor access to credit and financial troubles are a big contributor when it comes to stress.

“We hope this research will help shine a light on the areas in which people can take control and reduce their stress levels.”

A summary published alongside the study added: “Scotland’s fourth largest city was once an industrial hub, famous for jam and jute production, but it’s now facing economic challenges.

“Dundee also has the fifth-highest number of unemployment benefit claimants, and these money struggles help to explain the city’s appearance in our top five.”

James Richmond, 27, a pet supplies shop owner from the west end, said: “I’m pretty stressed as I’ve just started a business — but that’s not because of Dundee. It’s actually a pretty relaxed city compared to other places.”

Andrew Spires, 52, a reader at Abertay University, said apart from a few minor irritations he felt pretty relaxed in Dundee. He said: “I used to live in Oxford, which was more stressful due to the high cost of living. I’ve been here 10 years and I like it.”