Traders discuss the future of Birkenhead town centre and question council’s focus on building new Asda superstore

Mar 17 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

SLIPPING down the list of top shopping centres, hit by the recession and shoppers heading to Liverpool One – so what next for Birkenhead?

Speaking to town centre traders at a meeting last week, Wirral Council’s head of regeneration David Ball said Birkenhead was still a top priority for the council – but acknowledged it had suffered in recent years.

He said Birkenhead had been hit hard by the economic decline, competition from other shopping centres and the demise of the Town Centre Management scheme after funding ran out.

He urged shops to work with the council to tackle town centre problems – but faced criticism from traders who said they were angry at the focus on a new Asda superstore planned for the town centre.

Ida Arnone, of the Showboat Casino on Grange Road, said: “I haven’t spoken to any shopkeepers or people in the town centre who really want a supermarket in the middle of the town.

“Asda is going to be another concrete block in the middle of the town. Rents are so expensive and nobody comes up to this end any more unless they want to go to McDonalds or the pub.”

Graeme McKay, manager of Pykes the Jewellers, said Christmas shopping nights in Birkenhead were like a “wet October night”. He added: “My heart sank when I walked around Liverpool One. I thought ‘how are we supposed to fight this?’. We’re supposed to be in competition with these people.

“The Asda project has been going on since 1997. You say it hasn’t happened because of the recession but nothing was done before the recession. Something has to be done to keep Birkenhead afloat because it’s sinking fast.”

Derek Miller, manager of the Grange & Pyramids Shopping Centre, was more positive.

He said: “We still get 13million people a year shopping and 80,000 a week down Milton Pavement.

“The Liverpool One effect has slowed down and the large retailers are now focusing on Birkenhead.

“We’ve got Arcadia coming tomorrow to look at their prospects here.”

David Ball said: “Birkenhead is the area where we put most of our focus for retailing purposes and that has been the position for a number of years. Competition from outside places has had some effect on the town centre and Birkenhead is unfortunately slipping down the retail hierarchies quite quickly. That’s a major concern to the council.

“A little while ago we began to discuss a taskforce that enables us not just to raise issues but to do something about them. But the council cannot do this on its own. It relies on us all working together.”