The Bogside, Brandywell and Greater Bishop St. area has been characterised for decades by structural economic and social neglect. Redevelopment in the 1960's and 1970's seriously dislocated adjoining local neighbourhoods of a once cohesive area. The eruption of political conflict in the 6 Counties in 1968 heavily impacted upon the locality in terms of death, imprisonment and permanent disruption of family life.

The most recent Multiple Deprivation Measures, July 2001, found that the Brandywell ward suffered from the highest level of deprivation in the City and was the 6th worst in the north of Ireland.  All the wards covered in full or in part by the BBI were ranked in the highest 10% most deprived.  The main focus of the Deprivation Measures were Income, Employment, Health and Education.  In addition to the high levels of deprivation and poverty within the Brandywell the Deprivation Measures showed that the Brandywell had the 2nd highest level of child poverty in the north of Ireland.