The recession leave its mark on shopping centre (From The Bolton News)

The recession leave its mark on shopping centre

8:44am Wednesday 24th June 2009

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WALKDEN town centre is among the worst hit in Britain in the wake of the recession, according to new research.

Retail research firm Experian, which has been tracking the health of the British high street since the 1970s, says 40 per cent of the shops in Walkden are empty.

The firm’s report, The Impact of the Recession on UK High Streets, blames the closure of big brand stores — such as Woolworths, Bay Trading Company, Original Shoe Co and Dolcis — for the ever-increasing number of empty units across the country.

The research provides the latest snapshot of the British high street and looks at changes over the past 12 months.

But despite the predictions that things could dip even further before showing real signs of improvement, local leaders are remaining upbeat.

Cllr Vincent Devine, who represents Walkden North on Salford City Council, said he hoped the new Tesco expansion in Bolton Road would lead to a revitalisation of the town centre.

He said: “Work has only just begun on the Tesco expansion and a scheme like that will hopefully bring other traders into the town.”

But he added: “I didn’t realise the number of empty units was that high and it is a worry for us.”

The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said there were signs of recovery but that it could be another year before any major benefits were seen.

Chris Fletcher, deputy chief executive, said: “When a small trader moves out you can walk past the unit without noticing it being empty but when it is a bigger name such as a Woolworths it is very noticeable.

“That can lead to a town, such as Walkden, falling into a vicious downward spiral and it becomes difficult to make an area look attractive to potential investors. That said, there are a lot of initiatives being looked at by national government and local authorities to try and address these issues and we would support that.”

andrew.greaves@thebolton news.co.uk

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