'Thriving' high street in Merseyside town facing 'inevitable decline' MP says
People feel a Merseyside town's high street is going downhill because too many shops have closed, according to a local MP. Heswall, a town in west Wirral, currently has a population of around 29,000 and is one of the more affluent areas in Merseyside. Average house prices in the area are around £430,000 and in March, it had the highest prices for a terraced house in the whole of Wirral.
However Matthew Patrick, the MP for Wirral West, recently raised concerns about the town's high street following a number of businesses closing and the loss of Halifax, NatWest, Skipton, Barclays, and HSBC. This was after the issue was brought up by a number of people living in the area and Heswall councillor Kathy Hodson.
In the House of Commons on June 9, Mr Patrick said Heswall was 'a brilliant place to live,' but added: 'They deserve a thriving high street but unfortunately for too many years, beloved shops have closed and decline has felt inevitable.'
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He told the ECHO the decline of high streets across the country was previously treated as inevitable, adding: 'That attitude is clear to see in Heswall, a great area which deserves a thriving high street, but instead has seen some beloved shops and bank branches closed.'
The Labour MP said the government was now taking action, adding: 'I will do all I can to support the revival of Heswall high street, and continue to work with local councillors to ensure the community can be put in control of its future.'
On June 9, Mr Patrick asked what the government was doing to take back control of the high street 'so it can thrive once again".
Parliamentary Under-Secretary Alex Norris MP said the government understood challenges faced by communities like Heswall, in particular those on the coast.
He said 'We are driving power and funding out of Westminster to ensure no community is left behind.' Mr Norris also pointed to a recent announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves of £1.6bn in transport funding for the Liverpool City Region as well as £100m for the local bus network.
He added: 'I would encourage Wirral Council as with all local authorities to take advantage of the new powers the government has introduced to reoccupy empty shops which is such a blight on the high street.'
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