Affluent UK town's 'thriving' high street suffers 'inevitable decline' after 5 banks shut

A local MP has said locals in a coastal town in Merseyside fear its high street is going downhill because too many shops have closed. Heswall, a town located on the Wirral Peninsula in northwest England, currently has around 29,000 people and is one of the most 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 the closure of several businesses as well as the loss of Halifax, NatWest, Skipton, Barclays and HSBC. The MP's concerns come 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," reported Liverpool Echo.

He told the local news site that 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: "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 the Government what it 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 the challenges faced by communities like Heswall, particularly those on the coast.

"We are driving power and funding out of Westminster to ensure no community is left behind," he said, also pointing to a recent announcement by Chancellor Rachel Reeves of £1.6 billion in transport funding for the Liverpool City Region as well as £100 million 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."