‘Dead' English ghost town that lost its Wetherspoons & McDonald's is turning its fortunes around with £15million revamp
A 'DEAD' English ghost town which lost its Wetherspoons and McDonald's has turned around its fortunes with a huge £15m revamp.
Some of the 64,000 locals living in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, have previously slammed their town for having "gone downhill rapidly" - but new investment aims to reverse this decline.
3
3
3
Kirklees Council has committed millions of pounds to update Dewsbury's market and to create a new park for residents.
Officials say the updated market would have a "more varied, day-to-night offering" with more spaces for eating, drinking, socialising and events.
On top of this, a new park would be constructed next to the market - offering the largest green space in the town with its own play area and seating.
Councillor Graham Turner said: "Once we unveiled our updated plans for Dewsbury Market, the adjoining park was very much the missing piece.
"These are both aspects of the town we know local people greatly care about, and they have a huge part to play in Dewsbury's future."
The Sun had reported in 2023 how locals in the town felt it had been ruined by drunks and people smoking cannabis - adding that it had lost several shops and pubs.
This included Dewbury's Wetherspoons, McDonald's, and Mecca Bingo hall.
But now, residents will likely feel hopeful that this new £15m investment could give the town a new lease of life.
Kirklees Council said the new park is intended to 'transition smoothly into the market's outdoor offering' before eventually merging with the indoor market.
Other improvement works can be found in the town, with the Dewsbury Arcade - which lies adjacent to the market - set to reopen next year, around the same time work on the market and park is due to begin.
Our posh village is now ghost town strewn with empty homes
Once all the respective work is complete, the number of trees in the town centre would greatly increase, Kirklees Council added.
Officials said that the area surrounding the connected park and market would also benefit as the nearby Foundry Street would be earmarked for greening and pedestrian-friendly plans.
Previously, residents had explained how they were sickened by the town's state.
Speaking in 2023, Matthew, 43, told YorkshireLive: "It's a bit grim. People tapping and drunks bothering people.
"And cannabis raids. It stinks and turns my stomach."
Domesday English town is transforming its seafront with splash park, pop-up markets & new walkways in £7.2m makeover
A DOMESDAY English town is transforming its seafront with a splash park, pop-up markets and new walkways in a £7.2m makeover.
It is hoped the improvements will attract more visitors to boost the town's economy.
Improvements to Littlehampton's seafront between East Beach, South Terrace and Windmill Road got underway in the autumn.
The town, seaside resort and civil parish sits in the Arun District of West Sussex.
The work is being funded by a £7 million levelling up fund from the government and it is hoped the improvements will attract more visitors to boost the town's economy.
The revamp includes new toilets and beach showers, improvements to the car park, including electric vehicle charging points, walkways and new sustainable planting.
A new water play area and a pop-up marketplace off Banjo Road with four fixed stalls will also come to the beach.
An activity hub is also planned to include a bouldering wall, beach volleyball, petanque and basketball courts.
Waterfalls, rock pools and water jets will be installed for the water play area.
There will also be social spaces throughout the development to include pergolas, picnic tables and benches, that will be shaded by new trees and plants.
Chris Butterworth, 60, added that the closure of his favourite local pubs and shops had left him " depressed", saying the town had "gone downhill rapidly".
Jo, 49, added: " It is run down and the shops are closed, with undesirable people.
"I would not walk through Dewsbury after dark. I would be too scared."
Elizabeth Cleal, 21, and her mum Sarah Jones, 42, both agreed the town was "dead", with shops shutting left, right, and centre.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
Premium Bonds prize checker: When is July's NS&I draw and how can I check if I've won?
Every month, savers have the chance to win big prizes as the Premium Bonds winning numbers are announced. There are now 24 million people taking part in the government-backed savings scheme, with more than £127bn banked. Premium bonds are an investment product from the National Savings and Investment (NS&I), which is owned by the government. Each month, millions of savers are entered into a prize draw to win cash prizes ranging from £25 to £1 million, with two millionaires made at every draw. Every £1 entered has a 22,000-to-one chance of winning. The minimum investment is £25, while the maximum is £50,000. These savings don't accrue interest as with regular bank accounts, but are put up against a random digital prize picker called 'Ernie' – the Electronic Random Number Indicator Equipment. The date of this month's draw is Wednesday 2 July. The results of this draw are available a day later and released by the NS&I here. What are the chances of winning? There are many premium bond winners every month, but the actual chance of winning remains fairly low. Most people will never win a prize, meaning their investment will stay the same. However, the scheme is also risk-free, meaning money won't be lost either. Analysis by money expert Martin Lewis found that the 'interest rate' on premium bonds accounts is 4 per cent when all winnings are considered – but notes most people won't see anything like this. Many savings accounts in the UK also offer a higher interest rate than this, which will be far more consistent. The distribution of prizes changes slightly every month. Here were the results in January 2025: £1 million x 2 £100,000 x 82 £50,000 x 163 £25,000 x 328 £10,000 x 818 £5,000 x 1,636 £1,000 x 17,163 £500 x 51,489 £100 x 1,987,844 £50 x 1,987,844 £25 x 1,803,871 How to check if you've won To check if you've won a prize on premium bonds, you can visit the NS&I checker on its website and enter your bond numbers. There is also an NS&I app which allows savers to check results on the go.
Telegraph
11 minutes ago
- Telegraph
House prices fall unexpectedly after Reeves's stamp duty tax raid
01 July 2025 7:49am 7:49AM Interest rate cuts will reignite house price growth, say economists Interest rate cuts will help house prices regain momentum next year, economists have said. Nationwide said the value of the average home fell for the third time in four months in June, while the annual rate of growth dropped to an 11-month low of 2.1pc. However, separate data from the Bank of England on Monday showed mortgage approvals increased by 2,400 to 63,000 in May. Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said: 'The first rise in the number of mortgage approvals in five months in May points to the annual growth rate of house prices rising back to around 3.5pc. 'That might not happen in time to meet our existing forecast that prices will rise by 3.5pc in the year to the fourth quarter of 2025. 'But our new forecast that Bank Rate will fall from 4.25pc now to 3pc next year (our previous forecast was for a fall to 3.5pc) suggests that housing activity and prices will regain more momentum next year.' 7:35AM Good morning Thanks for joining me. House prices dropped unexpectedly in June after Rachel Reeves refused to extend the stamp duty holiday. Here is what you need to know. 5 things to start your day Trump triggers dollar's worst start to year since 1973 | US president's tariff onslaught sent US assets plunging amid worries over the future of the world's largest economy 'No intention of coming back': The expats choosing proximity to Iran over a life in Britain | Conflict in the Middle East hangs over the calm in tax-free Dubai – but for many life goes on Families' disposable income slumps in blow to Labour | Prime Minister's pledge to raise living standards on shaky ground as inflation and tax rises hit households Ben Marlow: British manufacturing could disappear for good under Labour | A lethal cocktail of neglect, complacency and short-termism is devastating UK industry Adam Smith: Starmer has shredded Reeves's credibility – how long can she last? | Changing her fiscal rules would be a resigning matter for the Chancellor What happened overnight Asian shares are mostly higher after US stocks added to their records with the close of a second straight winning month. Japan's Nikkei 225 fell 1.2pc to 40,003.24 despite positive results of the central bank's quarterly Tankan survey of large manufacturers, which showed an better than expected improvement in business sentiment. The Shanghai Composite index added 0.2pc to 3,451.69 after China's official manufacturing purchasing managers index, or PMI, rose to a three-month high of 49.7 in June while the PMI for services and other non-manufacturing businesses also rose to a three-month high of 50.5. Hong Kong's stock market was closed on Tuesday. South Korea's Kospi Composite Index surged 1.5pc to 3,117.17 after the government reported that exports bounced back in June, helped by strong demand for semiconductors, ships and health products. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.1pc to 8,550.80. The PSEi in Manila, Philippines, rose 0.2pc. On Wall Street, US stocks rose modestly with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closing at record levels for a second session in a row, led by the tech sector. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6pc, to 44,094.77, the S&P 500 rose 0.5pc, to 6,204.95, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.5pc, to 20,369.73. In the bond market, the yield on 10-year US Treasury notes fell to 4.228pc from 4.290pc late on Sunday.
The Independent
14 minutes ago
- The Independent
Millions told to send in meter readings today to save money
Households have been urged to send in meter readings ahead of the energy price cap falling by 7% on Tuesday. The typical household bill for those who have still not signed up to a fixed tariff will drop by £129 to £1,720 per year when the regulator's new price cap – which sets the limit on how much firms can charge customers per unit of energy – comes into force. This is £660 (28%) lower than at the height of the energy crisis at the start of 2023 when the government implemented the energy price guarantee. However, prices remain elevated with the upcoming level £152 (10%) higher than the same period last year. The price cap does not limit total bills because householders still pay for the amount of energy they consume. While around 35% of domestic customers are now signed up to a fixed deal that they have actively sought out – and which is not governed by the price cap – approximately 22 million households in England, Wales, and Scotland are still on the energy price cap. It is these households that should read their meter by the end of the month to make sure they benefit fully from lower energy prices from July 1. Failing to do so leaves the risk of paying the higher pre-July 1 rate for energy used in the form of estimated bills. Research for the comparison site Uswitch suggests that a fifth of households (20%) without smart meters have not submitted their meter readings in the last three months, and 6% have not done so for a whole year. Uswitch calculated that homes on a standard price cap tariff with average usage are expected to spend £63 on energy in July compared with £113 in June, due to a combination of cheaper unit rates and lower usage over the summer. It urged households to sign up to a fixed deal while prices remain competitive, and said there were 10 fixed deals available which were cheaper than the July price cap – the cheapest offering savings of around £145 for the average household. Uswitch energy spokesman Ben Gallizzi said: 'Customers who don't have a smart meter should submit their readings before or on Tuesday 1 July, so their supplier has an updated – and accurate – view of their account. 'There's a lot of uncertainty about global energy costs at the moment, which has led industry experts to predict a rise in energy bills and in the price cap this autumn. 'But households can get ahead of this possible price hike by fixing at cheaper rates now. Currently, there are a range of fixed deals currently available that are around £145 cheaper than the July price cap for the average household. 'If you can switch to a deal cheaper than the July price cap, now is a good time to make the change. We urge customers to run an energy comparison as soon as possible.' Ofgem has also reminded households that they do not have to pay the price cap, saying 'there are better deals out there'. The fall in energy costs will come as a relief for households, who suffered through an 'awful April' of bill rises, including Ofgem's last 6.4% price cap increase. Under-pressure households have also been hit with the biggest increase to water bills since at least February 1988, alongside steep rises across bills for council tax, mobile and broadband tariffs, as well as road tax.
