The smell is much better now. It used to smell of Tyres from Pirelli, The beer from the breweries, bovril from whoever made that, and the robirch slaughterhouse, which was very close to the train station. Much of the above industries have changed or relocated now, so it is a lot cleaner :)
Plenty of pubs in and around Burton (at one time 365 in Burton alone allegedly). Some nice countryside and villages in the locality... Yoxall, Barton, Rolleston, Repton, Tutbury are some examples that spring to mind.Modern shopping centres and multiplex cinema, biggish library, sports centre and swimming pool close to the centre of town, and some scenic walks along the River Trent which runs through the town.
I grew up in that neighbourhood, so have fond memories, possibly biased :)