Searching for the heart of Runcorn in a town divided between old and new

Рет қаралды 16,832

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 75

@jackiedavies6956 4 жыл бұрын

Open up the old canal routs and make the old town a centre for barge holiday makers that could bring in much needed revenue and put the town back on the travel map.

@localgov101 4 жыл бұрын

Who has been telling you that Runcorn is divided? Every time I've been to 'Shopping City + retail park' (which are right next to each other) there are clearly hundreds of people shopping there at any one time (thousands on the weekends). Whenever I go to the Old Town, I only ever see a handful of people walking around. Based on footfall, Runcorn seems to have decided where it's 'heart' is quite some time ago.

@Someone-fn2mg 3 жыл бұрын

I actually eat at TJs when I'm at the shopping city

@lizzy-ty4vf 3 жыл бұрын

Exactly

@pitfall5124 4 жыл бұрын

The market was sick I remember going to it with my nan and there was always a comic book guy who had a load of old Danny annuals

@jarrowmarrow 5 ай бұрын

It's been a hell hole since the Norman conquest. I can hear the complaints going back through the centuries. My grandfather and his father complained about runcorn.My mother left it and absconded to California back in the seventies. She went back twice in 50 years to visit dying relatives. The canals are picturesque and so is the Mersey estuary. Maybe bulldoze the rest and let it return to a wild state.

@yakacm 3 жыл бұрын

We used to live in the new bit right by Runcorn East, and I can honestly say we never had any reason to visit the old town, it took ages by bus, a taxi was a few bob. Runcorn East was like 5 minutes walk away from our house and Warrington was 1 stop down the line, quite often you were on the train for such a short time that the ticket fella didn't even get to you and you'd get the journey for free, which is obviously very naughty if you are doing it on purpose, but if there ain't no one there to take your money whatcha gonna do? I really enjoyed living in Runcorn, I sort had to move there cuz work moved there, and after years of living in Liverpool and making jokes about Runcorn wools, I really liked the place and have some lovely memories. We also went to the ASDA for our shop either walking there from Murdishaw or driving depending on whether we had a car or not, aye deffo a nice time in mine and my misuses lives, it was a pity we couldn't stay but shit happens as the kids says which meant we had to sell up and move to where we are now.

@grahams216 3 жыл бұрын

Runcorn born and bred over 50 years and I love it here. Sure its crying out for redevelopment and hopefully this station quarter thing will finally get things rolling. Widnes has so much more in terms of shopping etc but I still prefer Runcorn hands down. It's so central for everything...Liverpool, Manchester, motorway, rail and airport connections, interesting industrial architecture, iconic bridges, expansive estuary views, lovely Cheshire countryside on the doorstep and only a short drive from everything that Wales has to offer. Its so much more greener on this side of the Mersey as well....with trees, woodland and open spaces all over. Just a shame that there's nowhere for the young to go out to these days. Back in the 80's and 90's there was quite a nightlife around but now there's very little going on. Sure there's problems like many other northern towns but its all pretty quiet in the main and crime isn't that bad here is it? Most people are friendly and down to earth. The place is just crying out for development and hopefully this is on its way now. I am pleased to have always lived in Runcorn and this place suits me down to the ground. It can only get better with (hopefully) forthcoming investment and development but whatever the future brings and whilst I can get out around and about, I'm happy to stay put here in my home town...good old Runcorn 😁👍

@kevintraynor4508 10 ай бұрын

Hale village is nice , but the is on the other side of water😂

@6yjjk 3 жыл бұрын

I lived in Murdershaw for several years. It was lovely to have the fields and the canal right across the road, and a direct train to Manchester and the north Wales coast, but Runcorn itself was dead on its arse. The Old Town was wrist-slittingly depressing, and the Shopping City looked like a Council toilet turned inside-out but lacked the charm. I spent as little time as possible in both.

@NewOrderOfAlexandria 3 жыл бұрын

Too many chavs, thugs, druggies knocking about and no cops in sight. Nightlife is tragic, full of bully bouncers who pick on young lads and rude staff in their too tbh!

@charleslegendasbr 2 жыл бұрын

their so blessed. hope they have their stores. came here from Melanie C biography. it doesnt look dangerous as in 70's as she mentioned lol hope u all good. love from brazil. cant wait to tour visit ur wet streets

@spud74 3 жыл бұрын

It started to decline since they shut the old market down and “regenerated” the bus station and didn’t replace the things they lost. Money went to Widnes to fund their higher end retail park and the Old Town was left behind. The vacant buildings were filled with fast food outlets by the greedy council in order for them to gain a quick buck. When asked about why businesses were being set up in Widnes local MP’s replied “It’s for both Widnes & Runcorn residents…” Bollocks, Runcorn residents are the ones having to travel to find decent shops to buy stuff in. The Shopping City is losing retailers on the regular due to their greedy rent charges and will be completely shutdown in a few years, the retail park is just a huge discount place… absolute joke. If HBC could be arsed putting money into Runcorn Town Centre then it could be as nice as Stockton Heath, they just don’t want to spend.

@kevintraynor4508 10 ай бұрын

Went for a day out to Runcornhill , had to walk all way back to Widnes cause I was not sure wich bus to get back. And directions to Runcorn bus station was non existent

@Sashaowen6320 6 ай бұрын

Runcorn has a great bus service

@Sashaowen6320 6 ай бұрын

Google maps??

@pitfall5124 4 жыл бұрын

It's sadly true Runcorn is a dead town and now with the new toll bridge unless you live in Runcorn then you have to pay it and there really isn't anything to come to Runcorn for, the shops are crap and tones of them have closed over the last couple of years and for things like shopping there is Chester Liverpool and Widnes all near by with better shops no toll to pay to get in there. The city is super outdated cramped and honestly sometimes it's a pretty depressing place to live, but from what my nan and my mum told me from.when they were younger Runcorn was a really nice place, I'm just upset that where I live it pretty much being run into the ground

@localgov101 4 жыл бұрын

If you live in Widnes you don't have to pay the toll to drive to Runcorn. If you live in Warrington or south of the Mersey, you don't need to cross the toll bridge at all. The only people who would be paying a toll to cross to Runcorn are those from Liverpool or St Helens, and how many people from there were shopping in Runcorn in the first place? (I'll give you a clue... none). The shops in Runcorn are all in the 'budget' range. This means it's an excellent place to shop if you want to buy cheaper items, so-so for specialist items and useless for high-end purchases. This makes sense for Runcorn, because the other living costs here (rent, house prices etc.) are generally low compared to most other places in the UK. If you want to buy more expensive, high-end items in your local shops, there are plenty of more expensive towns around that can service that need, if you're happy to double all of your other living costs to live there.

@Someone-fn2mg 3 жыл бұрын

I live in Runcorn and I can say that I disagree entirely with what your saying . I know that it looked nicer back then but its still a nice place , you just aren't looking at the nice parts of Runcorn.

@Can_you_handl-this 28 күн бұрын

Oh i live in runcorn and i didnt know you could go through to widnes without paying. Please tell me your secret?

@Can_you_handl-this 28 күн бұрын

I just dont get why the money went to a town who all have about 15 toes and 20 fingers. Instead of a town that needs money. Crazy.

@djjoeykmusic 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for the update

@garyalbiston9305 Жыл бұрын

I used to live in Runcorn since I was 12 years old and it was the worst mistake I ever made and eventually I moved down South and turned my back on Runcorn ever since. As for the shopping City it is time to bull doze it down. The only time I do come to Runcorn is to visit my parents and Family members in Widnes where I am originally from and prefer to do my shopping . If I decided to move back to Cheshire. I would prefer to live in Widnes.

@Sashaowen6320 6 ай бұрын

Runcorns my home town,still here ,love the place and it's a developing town that's constantly changing. The shopping city has had many owners over the last 20 yrs most have ran out of money during their refurb. Recently tho it's changed for the better and to say it needs demolishing it bs.sorry just my opinion is from growing up here and now age 48 I have no plans to leave. Ive only ever left runcorn for two yrs in Liverpool at the age of 16 and got homesick for the place and have never left since.

@pauldrohan322 4 ай бұрын

That’s lovely, which parts of Runcorn would you recommend for someone looking to live quietly? Thanks!

@shrekyoffcial Жыл бұрын

Shocking that my mom died there ..

@Handlebar-MustDash 2 ай бұрын

Just imagine if the redevelopment done back in the 60's to 70's to Runcorn had done the common sense thing and concentrated on the existing town centre. The Shopping City was a dumb idea, it created 2 town centres which was always going to come at a cost to the old town. The relentless sprawling council estates originally built to look like Moonbase Alpha was utterly dumb. These architects likely lived in 5 bedroom country abodes reached in their higher tier cars whilst telling others to live in brutalist architecture and get the bus everywhere.

@Someone-fn2mg 3 жыл бұрын

I live there and I can tell you that I know exactly where that place is

@Someone-fn2mg 3 жыл бұрын

I go to those markets too

@lizzy-ty4vf 3 жыл бұрын

Same

@BarryFurey-ez3kc Жыл бұрын

Agree with the old fella needs investment Widnes seems to get everything

@carlmaster9690 3 жыл бұрын

I personally blame the 2008 Financial Crisis for Runcorn's chronic down fall. Unfortunately, unlike neighbouring Widnes and nearby Northwich, the town hasn't made a recovery and has continued to decline further. T I just hope the new station quarter brings back the businesses that once called Runcorn home.

@TheDavewatts 9 ай бұрын

The old Runcorn market was 💩. The only good thing about the old town was they did sell the best meat pies and frailers guitar shop

@telabib 3 жыл бұрын

Too many pizza shops.

@cteasdale1979 4 ай бұрын

Rucourn in Cheshire

@studor6515 Жыл бұрын

I come from Runcorn and was lucky enough to remember how it used to be before it was overtaken by the Liverpool overspill . The people who came here didnt even know the town existed, preferring to travel back to Liverpool for their shopping. It was divided by the shopping city and again when it became part of Halton when it was left to rot, council preferring to regenerate Widnes. It a crying shame what has happened to it and for the amount of people who actually live in Runcorn, there is nothing for them and that's why they have to travel to Warrington and Chester for their clothes.

@zenden6584 4 жыл бұрын

It’s all changing now with the 2billion regeneration project! And it s happening at the moment there has been huge changes over the last few months, it will be unrecognizable!