Town Centre Challenge

A meeting at Warrington Town Hall this afternoon.

I worry about Warrington Town Centre.

The shops look as if they are struggling big time. Lots of vacancies. The town has too much retail out of centre and the online challenge may be the final straw.

The place lacks any kind of coherence. And there isn’t much that is unique and distinctive to pull people in. Although the Museum is exceptional.

I’ve always thought the big public realm works put in years ago poor. Too jumbled, too many meaningless sculptural features, too much clutter and changes in levels. Little celebrating the town’s past. And all too serious in a bland way.

There don’t seem to be enough people around.

The River Mersey passes it by, and is all but invisible beneath a huge roundabout.

The list goes on. Although to be fair, lots of town centres are struggling in the same way, facing the same challenges.

It’s all a great shame,