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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Aaron Curran

Loving life in 'Parrbados' where 'everyone looks out for you'

People in one area of Merseyside claim that "everyone looks out for each other" despite the area's "bad reputation".

Parr is a small area to the east of St Helens town centre, and is officially home to around 12,000 people - including a number of local businesses. The area is sometimes referred to locally as "Parrbados", a tongue-in-cheek comparison to the island paradise of Barbados, due to the perceived "rough" image of Parr.

It has earned something of a difficult reputation over the years, with some associating the area with trouble - but people living and working in Parr said they love the local community.

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Brian Smith has owned his carpet shop, Carpet Corner, in the heart of Parr for more than 35 years, first opening up in 1986. The 64-year-old now shares the street with his sons, who own their own shop just feet from his own.

Brian, from Clock Face, told the ECHO: "I think the area gets an unfair name, I've had this shop for 37 years and we've never had any trouble, I have my regular customers and we look after each other. It really isn't as bad as people say.

Danielle Toone, 31, has owned her dog grooming salon in Parr for seven years (Liverpool Echo)

"There are parts of every area that aren't great, where I live has its own problems- Parr has had a bad reputation for years and I don't think it deserves it."

Just up the road from Brian's shop is Trim a Dog grooming salon, where Danielle Toone has been at the helm for seven years. Danielle, 31, also believes Parr is given an unfair rap.

She said: "I love having the shop here, the shop does well and the people are nice. We did have some trouble a few years ago where someone broke in but I think you get that sort of thing everywhere.

"I used to live above the shop, and I liked it. I think the best thing about it around here is the people, everyone looks out for each other."

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