At Gateshead, a crooked spire leads to complaints (6)
I believe the answer is:
gripes
'complaints' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'at gateshead a crooked spire' is the wordplay.
'at' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'gateshead' becomes 'g' (head letter of 'gates').
'a crooked' is an anagram indicator (a crooked or disrupted version of the letters).
'spire' with letters rearranged gives 'ripes'.
'g'+'ripes' is 'GRIPES'.
'leads to' is the link.
(Other definitions for gripes that I've seen before include "Grouses, beefs" , "Complaints" .)