By Gemma Melling
Earlestown is in the middle of a major transformation. A £20m grant from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, together with £8m from St Helens Borough Council, is funding an ambitious regeneration of the historic market town.
And there’s so much to build on: Earlestown has a proud history as a market hub, a place where independent businesses and entrepreneurs can set up shop, combining to create a unique offering that has something distinctly different from a high street made entirely of chain stores.
Go shopping in Earlestown, and the chances are you’ll be shopping at an independent shop, salon or coffee shop, each one the product of hard work, determination and a dream from their owners or founders.
There’s just one problem right now (or a collection of the same problem): diversions, temporary lights, road closures, delays. All of which has had a significant impact on the numbers of people venturing into the town centre, and a stark knock-on effect on the brilliant local businesses located there.
So, is it still worth a trip into Earlestown right now? Yes. Let’s remember, negative news always travels the fastest. One person’s horror story about a traffic jam can put off hundreds of people from making that journey themselves. So I set out one morning to visit local businesses in Earlestown, and I can promise you: travelling in to town probably won’t take as long as you think, and there’s loads to discover when you get there.
What makes shopping in Earlestown worth it right now?
Andy Coan at Town Furnishings on Bridge Street sums it up: “People think there isn’t as much in Earlestown as there used to be, but the truth is you can get pretty much anything you want here, from furniture and carpets to your butcher, your baker and the gift shops.”
He’s got a point. In his shop alone, there’s enough to kit out your whole house, with sofas, dining sets, beds and more. Whilst the roadworks are ongoing, he says they’ve noticed fewer customers in the town, but their local reputation means people who need furniture and carpets are still willing to make the trip to see his latest stock.
Andy Coan at his shop, Town Furnishings, in Earlestown
“There are a lot of independent businesses here, and of course, if you don’t use us, you may lose us,” warns Linda Williams, of Gifts and Gadgets on Market Street.
Linda has been running Gifts and Gadgets for almost four years now, but her connection with the shop goes back far longer than that. Her mum used to work there, and when Linda spotted it up for sale on Facebook, it felt meant to be. She’s really proud of her “little shop”, which sells hand-blown glass, jewellery, candles and all kinds of lovely gifts, with a free gift-wrapping service, a buy-three-get-one-free offer on cards, and a warm welcome for dogs, doggy treats included.
As she chats to me about what brought her to be standing behind the counter of this shop, customers come and go. Many know Linda by name, and she asks after their family and friends. They say it’s a great little shop, and there’s always something “a little bit different” when they’re browsing for a special occasion.
Linda Williams, behind the counter of Gifts and Gadgets on Market Street
And Linda’s message for anyone pondering whether to make the trip into Earlestown whilst the roadworks are ongoing?
“Yes, please do pop into Earlestown and have a look at what there is, and maybe you’ll pick up something different rather than having to take the time to go outside of town,” she says.
A little slice of Greece, in Earlestown
A little further down Market Street I meet a relative newcomer to the town, Antzela Chysi. She and her family moved here from Greece, and her passion for her business, Aroma Coffee and Bakery, is clear, and infectious.
“We offer Italian espresso, fresh coffee every day, and Greek desserts, which we import from Greece or make here in the shop,” she tells me. “We do English breakfasts and lunches too.”
Antzela Chysi and her team ready to welcome customers to Aroma Coffee & Bakery in Earlestown
Antzela may only have been in Earlestown for a short while (Aroma opened just five months ago), but she already feels connected to the place, and hopes to play her part in its future. With a young family herself, she has ambitious plans to open a children’s play space next to Aroma, and to expand her range of fresh food, introducing even more authentic Greek dishes inspired by her homeland, where she also ran a coffee shop. Already Aroma has become a bit of a local hotspot thanks to their authentic Greek desserts, which are simply huge, with many customers packaging up the leftovers to take home, something which delights Antzela. “To be honest, I’m very proud of all my menu, and we’re going to add many, many, many more Greek foods,” she says with a smile.
“We are open as usual, we are not closed, and all the shops are open. If people can, they should come and visit us every day,” she says. “We cook everything fresh, every day, and we want to keep bringing more to the town.”
One thing nearly every business owner mentioned was the sense of community spirit in Earlestown. Margaret Holland from Celebrations on Bridge Street has been in business here for nearly 26 years, and says her customers and fellow business owners have become like a second family.
“The people here are so friendly, and they’ve been so supportive to me through some difficult times,” she says. “They’re just wonderful people.”
Celebrations prides itself on stocking “everything birthdays”, and if you’ve ever struggled to find exactly the right card for a loved one, give it a try.
“We have unusual titles you can’t get anywhere else, like to the dog, from the dog, from the cat, anything you can think of!” Margaret laughs. “I specialise in cards for children and for every kind of relation, and there’s a card at every price point, from 69p to £4.99, to suit everybody.”
Margaret Holland behind the counter of her shop, Celebrations, on Bridge Street, Earlestown
As well as shops selling gifts, niche rock memorabilia, pies, furniture and more, there are other brilliant independent businesses in Earlestown, including an opticians, hairdressers and beauty salons. A banking hub has recently opened, allowing you to carry out many of the over-the-counter transactions that you would previously have done at a bank branch.
Feeling hungry? There’s loads to choose from, including Pimblett’s Pies and Scott’s Deli, a firm favourite in the town, selling freshly made bakes and sandwiches that have sustained local workers for years. The team told me they’ve seen a real drop in customers since the regeneration works began, with breakfasts hardest hit, though catering orders are keeping them busy and lunchtimes are still ticking along. They’re keen to remind people that their freshly made food is very much still on offer.
Karly and Becky from Scott’s Deli on Bridge Street, Earlestown
But there’s something else that makes Earlestown even more special
And there’s even more to Earlestown than meets the eye. Sitting at its heart is the Food Share project, founded by local business owner Debbie Taylor, who also runs Es Paradis beauty and nail salon. The Food Share project promotes sustainable food, with a team of more than 30 volunteers collecting unsold food from local supermarkets twice a day and making it available to local families from the Food Share shop.
Customers can fill a bag of items for just £2 in the morning and £3 in the afternoon, sometimes containing produce with a retail value of around £66. It means less food waste from big local businesses, and offers a brilliant, affordable food option for local families, with no referral needed. Even better, all proceeds from the Food Share support another worthy cause, Domestic Abuse WA12, a charity set up by Debbie to support local victims of domestic abuse.
Since the regeneration works began in earnest, Debbie has been worried about the impact of the roadworks on people’s ability or willingness to pop into town and visit the Food Share, and like other businesses in town she worries about the impact of reduced footfall.
So she has been instrumental in getting local business owners in the town working together to demonstrate the value of shopping local and supporting the businesses through these works, which are due to run until early next year.
“Earlestown is fab for community spirit,” she tells me. “You get out of your car in the morning and five or six people say good morning. You know people by their first names. It’s lovely.”
Debbie Taylor at her salon, Es Paradis, in Earlestown.
Debbie herself has run Es Paradis, her beauty and nail salon, from the same spot in the heart of Earlestown since 2002, in a building older locals still fondly remember as Jack Carter’s bike shop. Alongside the full range of treatments, from nails and waxing to facials, massage and aesthetics, it is a training academy, where the next generation of beauty therapists earn the same qualifications they would at college. More than 20 years in, Debbie is as much a part of the town as the town is a part of her.
And having seen the value of collaborative work between businesses on Newton-le-Willows High Street, where the High Street Hive has organised events and cooperation between business owners, Debbie and her fellow business owners hope the same can be true of Earlestown, too.
“We’re having this regeneration, and hopefully the town will look beautiful when it’s finished, the shop fronts and everything should be done up in the end,” says Margaret at Celebrations. “There’s a lot of independent traders in this town, and we really, really need your support to get through this period where everything’s upside down, so that we’ll still all be here when the regeneration’s finished and everything’s looking really good. So please, come and shop in Earlestown.”
And the truth about the roadworks? Follow the diversion and you’ll be just fine. On my two most recent weekday morning trips into Earlestown, the first time, I did queue, probably for about three or four minutes. The second time, I breezed in at 8.30am with no issues whatsoever.
So next time you need a card, a coffee, a haircut, a gift, a pie, an eye test or a new sofa, why not make the short trip into town? Getting in probably won’t take as long as you fear, the welcome will be warm, and you might be surprised by just how much you find.
Earlestown is open, and it’s well worth it.
Thank you to all the brilliant local business owners who took the time to talk to me for this article.