'Stockport's Merseyway is back from the dead - this is what we want from it now'

On any given day there are hundreds of people milling around Stockport's Merseyway shopping centre and the surrounding streets.

The collection of more than 90 shops, cafes and eateries in one central location draws people young and old to the area, as well people from other parts of Greater Manchester.

People like to do a bit of shopping, stop for lunch, and say hello to the traders who many see more as friends than business owners.

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Others stop by on their way to the Underbanks, the town's trendy hangout place with bars, restaurants, and shops running along its historic cobbled streets.

But a few years ago things were very different, locals say, when there were worries about whether the Merseyway shopping centre had any future at all.

The rapid rise of online shopping left a big hole in high streets up and down the country.

And it is a problem that is still ongoing. According to research by accountancy firm PwC, nearly 7,000 shops left high streets around the country in the first six months of 2024 - around 38 each day and an increase from figures from the first six months of 2023.

Since Merseyway first opened in 1965, the area has experienced a mixed history.

It was refurbished in the 1990s when the covered section of the site was built, but after that the area fell into a period of decline.

The shopping centre suffered "from a lack of significant investment," Stockport council officials said, as the area looked "dated and tired", which was having "detrimental impact" on the town centre as a whole.

In 2009 the shopping centre fell into receivership, and former council chief executive Eamonn Boylan admitted it was "struggling" to adapt to changes in shopping habits.

Concerns were later raised about the state of the Merseyway car park, which had a growing list of repairs and was said by council officers to be contributing to the "continued decline" of the shopping centre.

An inspection in 2022 found that "limited investment" in the multi-storey car park at Merseyway was causing water to damage the concrete structure and leak into shops in the main building.

This followed the loss of large stores such as BHS which closed in 2016, as well as the Debenhams store based between Merseyway and Red Rock leisure complex in 2021, which left a mark on the town as the 90,000 sq ft building was left to fall into a state of dereliction, a grim warning of what could happen to any high street shop.

But Merserway found a way to survive, and shoppers say a good mix of new and independent stores opening is breathing new life into the area.

"I think it had died but it's now being resurrected," says John Whitehurst, a 67-year-old from Reddish who visits Merseyway weekly.

"People are not willing to spend heavily anymore, everyone wants a good deal and if they don't see it they will go somewhere else or online," he adds, gazing over his shoulder at the rows of shops down Merseyway.

Shopping centres need to offer more than just large chain stores to keep people coming back, he says.

"I'd like it to have more independent shops, but I know they struggle. It'd be nice to have something like an art gallery, too.

"I come once a week for general shopping, for books, to have a coffee. It's good for the soul just to have a walk through, and I'd say it's improving all the time, there are some nice shops coming here.

"But it needs a bigger variety, it all seems quite similar, it can be a bit dreary."

After Merseyway was bought by Stockport council in 2016, a redevelopment programme was set up, with the aim of turning the centre into more than just a place to visit shops.

A new Poundland and Starbucks recently opened in the town, and the former Debenhams store was taken over by Joseph James Furniture in February.

Merseyway is also set to get a new JD store on October 3, and there are plans in the pipeline for a new Tesco.

This is alongside places such as Stockroom, the £16-million creative arts space due to open in Merseyway next year, boasting a library, cafe, and event spaces, and the Merseyway Innovation Centre offering a place for co-working and offices.

But the thing that is really bringing people to the centre, shoppers say, is a growing number of independent outlets opening in the area.

One of those is Harmonize Your Soul, described by its owner Monet Samuels as a place for "holistic healing" - an ethical gift store with its own treatment space, health cafe, and shop.

The business landed in Merseyway 18 months ago and caters to a community who are interested in its selection of health and healing products.

The shopping centre is an ideal place, 32-year-old Ms Samuels said, because of the footfall and range of events taking place throughout the year.

She also feels indie stores have a role to play in the wider revival of Stockport town centre.

"Stockport's always been a bit drab and dark, so we wanted to bring a bit more positive energy," Ms Samuels said.

"I live in Stockport and have built a community around holistic healing. I think having a space here is really needed and it's not just another big chain."

The problem for independent businesses like hers, she said, is that while they attract new people to the shopping centre, they often struggle to survive.

It is an issue on the minds of many of the indie store owners in Merseyway, she said, adding that they are helping to offer something different in the town to other large shopping centres such as in Manchester city centre.

"Stockport's a big mixture of people young and old, this place [like many high streets] was dying but since they started bringing in more independent shops it's brought life back because people want to shop locally," she said.

"There should be some help for independent businesses, it would be a big help for us to allow us to stay here. I don't know if big chains are the answer, it takes away business from all the independents.

"It would be better to have more independents, people can go to these big chains anywhere. Stockport needs to think about what makes it different and sets it apart from Manchester and other places."

The sentiment was echoed by Steve Barry, the manager running Love Bling Accessories in Merseyway for the past 18 months.

"It's a good place, but we'd like a few more things to really help it, like benches for people to sit on. People want to look at more than just what's in the shops, I think we need more things like the food vans, and independents."

24-year-old Caitlin Homfray, from Ashton-under-Lyne, is a worker in one of the charity shops in Merseyway.

She said the other reason behind Merseyway's success is how close it is to Stockport's new transport interchange, and being just a short walk from the town's train station.

While it has a good mix of shops, she said there is also a place for more affordable items.

"A lot of people look down on them [charity shops], but with the cost of living it's so important to have a place to get affordable clothes, even if it's second hand. We get a lot of young people who buy from us.

"There's a lot of shops here that people like, such as Primark and HMV, it's not just charity shops it's very diverse. It's also very close to the Underbanks and the Market Hall."

But one of the problems in Merseyway, Ms Homfray said, is the regular anti-social behaviour that takes place.

"It's the same problem everywhere but there's still a lot of antisocial behaviour that goes on, especially in the holidays. We see sometimes people having fights and kids being unruly and it puts people off.

"We've not had it in this shop but we do see it around, and shoplifting too. But I'm not sure what can be done to improve that, it might need more police or security."

As reported by the M.E.N in August, Greater Manchester Police has launched a crackdown on anti-social behaviour and crime in Stockport town centre, dubbed Operation Rimini and resulting in scores of arrests, charges and banning orders.

Victoria Nichol, the centre manager at Merseyway, said efforts have been made to introduce a mix of things to do in the area aside from shopping, driven by the ever changing preferences of shoppers.

She points out that along with shops and cafes, the centre is also home to offices aimed at attracting new start ups, as well as The Landing – a growing space on the car park roof which is run by and supplies Stockport restaurant Where The Lights Gets In.

It is these types of changes which are helping the shopping centre to survive and continue attracting people to the area, she said.

Ms Nichol added: "These relationships [with businesses] are mutually beneficial and incredibly successful. We support them with space to develop and nurture their innovative projects and in return we yield the benefit of their fantastic creativity.

"We’re also incredibly excited about our new creative and cultural space, Stockroom, which will open next year.

"The Stockport community lies firmly at the heart of everything we do, from our Pop-up Shop which allows local businesses and brands to test their business on the high street short-term, to our free family-friendly events programme throughout the year and our community initiatives."

At Stockport town hall, Merseyway fits nicely into the wider regeneration plans taking place.

In the past few years this has seen new apartment blocks and offices open in the town centre, a new transport interchange, and refurbishment of Stockport's Hat Works Museum.

Put simply, the council wants to turn the town into one of the best places to live, work and spend time in the whole of Greater Manchester - an ambitious aim, but one backed up with a £1 billion investment.

Coun Colin MacAlister, Stockport's economy and regeneration chief, said the town's shopping centre is at the heart of these plans.

He added: "Merseyway is a fantastic example of what can be achieved not only with investment, but with vision and thinking outside of the box.

"With many department stores closing nationally, it's about more than just retail now, it’s about creating places that inspire creativity and innovation.

"New spaces like the Merseyway Innovation Centre and the upcoming Stockroom are great examples of our regeneration approach.

"These projects and upcoming events, such as Stockport Spectacular, bring the community together and make Stockport a place people want to visit, work, and live in.

"The fact that we're still attracting big-name retailers, even in challenging times, says a lot about the positive momentum here. Stockport has started to shine, and Merseyway is right at the heart of that."