Walton residents breathed a sigh of relief earlier this year as County Road’s drawn-out roadworks finally came to an end, but many felt that issues still needed addressing.
In April, a major resurfacing project of the thoroughfare was completed after months of delays following the collapse of the original contractor. The scheme first hit trouble in the summer of 2021 when VIAM, formerly trading as Kings, fell into administration.
Large sections of the road were torn up and left incomplete at the time of the collapse. Many drivers noted the damage that was caused to cars, with pedestrians also fearing for their safety.
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The road was left in its dilapidated state for more than six months as it awaited major repairs from new contractors Huyton Asphalt. People told the ECHO how the road surface had come to symbolise the “neglect” the once “bustling” L4 high street now endures.
They also spoke about how they felt a growth in outside investors and absent landlords had "hollowed out" once tight knit communities. Many said the turnover in residents was so high that new bonds were not able to form.
While the completion of the £7m A59 scheme in April reduced the headache of travelling to and from the area, County Road was hit with a number of other blows throughout the year. In February, the area’s only fully fledged supermarket, Jack's, announced it would be leaving the area.
Over the years changing from a Kwik-Save to a Tesco and then Jack’s, the opening of the store was initially met with some hostility, with people telling the ECHO how they felt they were being downgraded through the years - only to be abandoned altogether. But the thinning of resources in an area at the heart of the most deprived constituency in England came as another blow after a cruel decade of austerity - topped off by the pandemic.
For food poverty campaigner Dave Kelly, chair of Fans Supporting Foodbanks who previously worked for Everton’s charity arm Everton in the Community, told the ECHO how County Road was one of a number of ‘food deserts’ appearing across the city. A food desert is somewhere there is “very little or no choice or an alternative selection for quality foods,” according to Kelly.
The Jack's store closed in the summer and is yet to reopen as another venture. However, Home Bargains has submitted a planning application to take over the site, with the brand already operating a smaller premises further along County Road.
Works had been underway to reopen Spellow Library as a new community hub. £600,000 has been put into its refurbishment and was meant to open in August 2022, but this too has been delayed. County ward Cllr Roy Gladden said there are hopes the library can reopen early in the new year.
Even with the road fixed, Country Road has found itself battling against the worsening cost of living crisis. Fans Supporting Food banks, in conjunction with Everton in the Community, set up a mobile pantry in June which quickly became the busiest of the six sites operating across the city. Hosted every Thursday at the Blue Base on Walton Road, members will pay £3.50 and receive items totalling around £30.
Ryan O’Hanlon, Blue Family Coordinator at Everton FC, told the ECHO in July: “It's great that we're here but also it's horrible that we are. If we weren't here though, what would these people be doing? This can be a stop gap for some people, for others, they'll be here every week. As long as the need is here, we'll be here.
“We're not going anywhere any time soon. But this is the only industry in the world that wants to get rid of its own jobs.”
In an update in December, Everton in the Community said the scheme had supported 8,000 people in its first six months and was the fourth largest initiative of its kind in the UK. Speaking in July, Ryan O'Hanlon believed the closure of Jack’s on County Road could be one reason for the high membership in its early phase - which has only continued to grow as the year has drawn to a close.
For Cllr Roy Gladden, there is hope that County Road is now starting to turn a corner. He points to the success of the alleyway scheme which has cut down on refuse dumped behind houses, the first of which was trailed in the L4 area.
The completion of the road, refurbishment of Spellow Library and community centre and grant funding for businesses - of which £100,000 was awarded- are signs of significant progress amid the challenges County Road has faced. He also confirmed that the road’s 25 ft Christmas tree will now be a permanent fixture each year, with lights also marking the festive season along the road.
Cllr Gladden said: "Everything we have done is to send out a message. We’re not finished. We’re just starting to turn the corner and so far far we’ve just been able to arrest it and stop it from deteriorating further.
“We’ve still got a lot more work to do. But we are moving in the right direction and certainly not finished.”
Cllr Gladden added that the Goodison Park Legacy project will be the next big change for the year. If the timescale is to stay on track, then Everton would leave their current home for Bramley Moore in the summer of 2024. Building on the work of Everton In The Community, the legacy project has the potential to include a health and well-being centre, education facilities, the expansion of the Everton Free School, along with a mix of 173 houses and apartments, among other infrastructural investment.
For Cllr Gladden, the legacy project has the potential to be the “next catalyst for the area.”
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