A Merseyside town centre has been described as 'dying' by those fighting to make a living there.
St Helens was once a town of booming industry, and a walk through the town centre would reflect this. Shoppers could be seen swarming the streets, as swathes of people would come into the town via bus and train to shop, eat and drink.
However, the last couple of decades has seen all of this change. As the high street slowly fizzled out, along with St Helens' perceived failure to modernise- the town centre once full of life, now more closely resembles a ghost town.
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The rapid decline of the area begs the question- could there be more to the downfall than simply a change in shopping habits? The ECHO spoke to shoppers and business owners in the area for their view.
Andi Mason, manager of How Nice is That boutique on Church Street, moved to St Helens from Huyton 23 years ago. She told the ECHO: "I'd say the town is dying, I really would. I think one of the major reasons why, people don't want to pay so much for parking to be able to use their town centre- there needs to be free parking like there is in so many other town centres- Warrington, Widnes.
"We're coming here five days a week, working to try and keep this town centre alive. To be fair to the council they say the parking charges go towards vital services but it just feels like they're sacrificing the future of the town for a 'quick buck'."
The council announced its much anticipated 'masterplan' last year, which will see the entire town centre overhauled. Andi added: "I know they're working on this masterplan but they're saying that will span the next twenty years, we don't have twenty years to struggle here."
A major blow to the town centre came in March 2019, when the popular Church Street Marks & Spencer store closed its doors for the final time. Andi added: "M&S leaving killed us, you'd get the more mature customers who would come in on the bus to go there, they'd have something to eat and drink in a local café, and have a browse around the shops. After they closed, that pull to the town centre was gone."
A spokesperson for St Helens Council said: “We know residents and businesses want to see free parking introduced in St Helens town centre but car parking charges, which are still among the lowest in the Liverpool City region, are an important source to help us achieve a balanced budget and protect essential services in the borough.
“We are actively working to deliver the recently adopted St Helens town centre masterplan and it is this transformation that will support local businesses well into the future. We recognise the need for quality car parking facilities in the town centre and we have made a commitment to provide high quality safe parking day and night as part of the detailed proposals. We will also continue to support town centre businesses through a range of other initiatives alongside some of our current parking concessions which include all day parking for only £1 on Saturdays, free parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays, and discounted six monthly or yearly permits.”
The ECHO spoke to some shoppers in the town, to see their view on why the area is struggling. Many cited anti social behaviour from teenagers is taking a toll on the town centre, with people opting to avoid the area altogether due to concerns for their safety.
Last month, the ECHO reported a delivery driver was subjected to a vicious attack from a group of teenagers outside Church Street's McDonald's, just a short distance from the bus station. Two teenagers were subsequently arrested following the attack.
Police have put several dispersal orders in place around the area in recent weeks and months, as well as increasing visible patrols as concerns for the safety of shoppers grow. Some people believe there can be no improvement in the town centre until these issues are tackled head on.
