Born and bred in Huyton village, Fran Young has seen the start of the town's transformation first hand.
Starting her business from a now defunct stall on Huyton market 16 years ago, Fran later moved into a shop on Derby Road which she now runs with sister Louise Scales. Fran's shop Stitch Perfect, a clothing alterations business, was one of the first of 14 shop fronts to be refurbished as part of Knowsley Council's regeneration plan for Huyton village.
Like many local high streets across the country, Huyton has had to adapt in an increasingly difficult climate, with big retailers like Boots and New Look turning their back on the town. But eight new bars and restaurants have opened in the village in recent years as part of Knowsley Council's 10 year development plan.
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The ECHO visited the area this week to speak to businesses about the progress that's been made in transforming the town so far, and the challenges it faces as it tries to reinvent itself.
"Usually come five o'clock the village was deserted, now it's got more use"
Fran, 47, decided to move her alterations business to Derby Road after watching the stalls on Huyton market close around her. Fran described the village centre as "up and coming" and credits the renovated high street with its new bars and restaurants for an upturn in footfall.
Fran told the ECHO: "As it's grown with all the restaurants it's definitely bringing people in to us because they're sitting down, having a drink, having a meal and taking time in there now. It's definitely benefitted us."
Fran's sister Louise said: "Usually come five o'clock the village was deserted, now it's got more use."
As other shops have closed around her, Fran said her business has been able to survive because it provides a service that you can't buy online. Fran said if people can buy your products online instead "you're snookered", adding: "I think eventually the village is going to be restaurants and people who provide a service, so your hairdressers, barbers, cobblers."
Knowsley is considered the second most deprived council area in the country and has faced 25.4% in cuts since 2010/11. It was previously rejected for £20m of levelling up funding to help accelerate the council's development plan for Huyton village, despite being a Government ‘Priority 1’ area,
The council said it is in the process of sourcing funding elsewhere and remains committed to its plans for the area, which include the development of a commercial district in the town centre complete with hotel, offices, residential and co-working spaces set around a new ‘village green.’
"I think it proves the area did need some good food"
Eton Place was the village’s first restaurant and began the development of an evening economy in Huyton village. It has since been joined by the likes of Italian restaurant La Vita and Dani's - an American-style bar and grill.
Owner of La Vita, Ray Guy, remembers buying his school uniform at 77-79 Derby Road where he opened the Italian restaurant with business partner Ahmet Karatay 18 months ago. Ray told the ECHO: "We used to get our school uniform from here - it's got a little piece of my heart.
"I'm from Huyton myself so I've seen the village [change] for the last 30-35 years. It's becoming more modern now with a lot more bars and restaurants.
"When we opened the doors it's been busy since day one. I think it proves the area did need some good food."
Ahmet added: "We've been getting more people in the village from different areas as well - it's getting better."
Following the restaurant's success, Ahmet, 38, and his wife Nagihan Sezgin, 30, are now due to open Bella La Vita, an Italian bakery and patisserie next door in the coming weeks.
"We're like the forgotten relatives around the corner"
A short distance away from the revitalised Derby Road is a quiet Sherbourne Square. Ellen Cookson, 44, arranges a bouquet of fresh flowers as she stops to speak to the ECHO outside Rosie's Florist where she has worked for the last 20 years.
Ellen said the businesses on Derby Road "seem to get more attention" than those in the square. She said: "We're like the forgotten relatives around the corner.
"There isn't the footfall here. We're relying on what comes in over the internet or over the telephone, years ago it was footfall."
Salon owner Debbie Martin was also among those to express their concerns about big retailers like Boots and New Look moving out of the village in recent years. The 48-year-old said hard work, loyalty and expertise is what has kept her salon, Perfect Image, going for the last 17 years amid the nationwide decline of the high street.
Debbie said: "My customers have been coming to me for years. I think personally, Amazon has made a big difference.
"If I want anything I'll go on Amazon. It hasn't changed for us because it's a skill but for other shops people can just go on Amazon."
"I think they were trying to turn the village into a little Lark Lane of Knowsley"
Debbie said her salon has previously fallen victim to anti-social behaviour in the town, with youths vandalising her front window and causing £20,000 worth of damage.
She said: "I think they were trying to turn the village into a little Lark Lane of Knowsley. My concern with that is, of a night time, if you're going to have bars and restaurants you need good security in the village."
In response to the concerns around security, Knowsley Council said the CCTV network across the village centre has been extended with more cameras.
Debbie believes the village is in great need of public toilets and could benefit from flowers and plants to add colour to the area. She claims she has asked the council about this at previous meetings but has been told there is no money available.
The salon owner also questioned the council's decision to demolish its current council offices and build a new HQ as part of its development plans. She added: "I think that money could be better spent elsewhere."
A Knowsley Council spokesperson said: "The Council’s current HQ is spread over a number of inefficient buildings that are past their useful life and require significant investment. The rationalisation of these buildings is required to support the delivery of a new mixed-use commercial district with opportunities for a hotel, office space, a co-working centre (including the Council’s HQ) and residential accommodation."
The transformation of Huyton's high street is set to continue in the coming weeks with the launch of Make Huyton on Derby Road. The building, which was once home to the Mayfair cinema and more recently Boots, has been transformed into studios that artists and makers can rent, host workshops and connect with other creatives.
Make CIC is also set to open a second space just across the road at 22 Derby Road called Make on the Corner, that will "host classes, exhibitions, and space for the community to get creative."
Co-founder of Make CIC, Liam Kelly, 35, told the ECHO: "It's about bringing affordable work space to the high street.
"Huyton has got a lot enthusiastic people that live and work in the area and I think as more people work from home there's more people around the area looking for a place to get out of their house and be a part of something."
Ahead of opening to the public in June, Make Huyton is offering drop ins every Thursday between 11-3pm. Liam said the space, which will join Make's other sites in Birkenhead and Liverpool's North Docks, provides "an opportunity to bring different and new uses to the high street and increase footfall and improve the vitality in town."
He added: "It doesn't have to be all about consumerism. There's a national decline in shopping on the high street that's nothing to do with Huyton and everything to do with the way shopping happens in this country now.
"There's now a surplus of buildings on the high street which once were shops and never will be shops again. It's really exciting to be doing something fun and impactful in the town centre. People are rightly proud about the place they live."
What Knowsley Council had to say about its regeneration plans
A Knowsley Council spokesperson said “The Council has ambitious plans for Huyton Village Centre and some of these plans have already been completed, including 14 shop fronts that have received a contemporary makeover which has attracted more businesses into the village and supported the growth in the local food and beverage offer (eight new food and drink businesses have opened with plans for more to open); key sites have been primed for development including the former Fire Station site which is currently subject to an active planning application for 53 later living apartments; the CCTV network across the village centre has been extended with more cameras helping to ensure we have a safe and welcoming town centre 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; two lighting projects have been completed at Archway Road Bridge and St Michael’s Church and the Council has purchased the multi-storey car park and carried out maintenance repairs and installed lighting and CCTV to improve security at the site.
"Further plans over the coming weeks will include the re-opening of Lansdowne Way to reconnect the car park directly to the high street and a review of the site is being undertaken which will inform future development and investment opportunities. Car parking in all Council-owned car parks continues to be free of charge.
“Internal works at the former Boots store are well underway and we look forward to Make CIC opening their doors over the coming weeks, providing spaces for people to come together to make, learn, explore and share and supporting people to take their first step into making and selling outside of the home. Make CIC will also be delivering creative enterprise workshops from ‘Make on the Corner’ (22 Derby Road) supporting the creation and development of the creative industries sector.
"This is another key step in driving new footfall into the town centre and supporting the evolution of the high street. We must recognise that high streets and town centres nationally are changing.
"Many national retailers have decided that their premises on high streets across the country are no longer required as shopping patterns change. This is certainly not unique to Huyton.
"We know that many national retailers now also prefer larger out-of-town retail sites, but we do recognise that Huyton must have a balanced offer to cater for all resident’s needs and we continue to do what we can to attract and retain national as well as independent retailers.
"The Council continues to promote Huyton Village Centre to operators and letting agents as a prime location, but we have no direct control over where businesses choose to be located. The Council continues to work with the owner of Sherborne Square to develop a long-term vision for the site and encourage investment.
"Despite being in private ownership, the Council is doing all that we can. We have recently invested in shop front vinyls for vacant properties to promote the opportunity to potential businesses, carried out lighting repairs, installed new festive lighting and general maintenance to improve the look and feel of the square.
"The landlord is currently refurbishing the upper floors of the development to create office accommodation which will bring activity to the upper floors of the square. Whilst the Council was unsuccessful in securing Levelling Up Funding from the Government, it remains committed to progressing its development plans and is in the process of sourcing alternative funding.
"The Council’s current HQ is spread over a number of inefficient buildings that are past their useful life and require significant investment. The rationalisation of these buildings is required to support the delivery of a new mixed-use commercial district with opportunities for a hotel, office space, a co-working centre (including the Council’s HQ) and residential accommodation.
"Plans also include the creation of a Village Green, an improved station gateway area and high quality event spaces on Derby Road. The Council’s plans for Huyton Village Centre could bring 1,700 new jobs into Huyton along with a £50m annual boost to the local economy, which is great news for local businesses and residents.”
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