Liverpool Council has launched an investigation after residents became fed up with constant issues
Cars parked around Best Foods Mega.(Pic Andrew Teebay).(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Inconsiderate parking, rubbish dumping, and the “smell of fish and death” are driving residents mad in one part of Liverpool as officials have launched a wide-ranging investigation into a convenience store. Frustrated families have told the ECHO how they are living in a “forced situation” as problem parkers and planning issues blight their community in Kensington in Liverpool.
Since 2008, the former Pythian pub building on Farnworth Street has served residents as a convenience store, previously as a Best One, now under the guise of Best Foods Mega. However, the change from popular area pub to shop has proven an uneasy one for locals, with households claiming the change has brought with it major parking issues in the residential street.
Further complaints about operations of the business, which includes a fishmonger and hot food takeaway – have prompted an investigation by Liverpool Council. A manager from Best Foods Mega said some issues were those they were “dealing with” and were aware of the city’s assessment of the business.
Among those left frustrated is Andrew Rowe, with his parents’ home situated along from the shop. In a bid to get action from Liverpool Council, he set about emailing officials every week including leader Cllr Liam Robinson – the ward member for Kensington and Fairfield – showing photos of the cramped road with multiple vehicles parked in loading bays and on the pavement.
Mr Rowe, who has sent almost a year’s worth of correspondence to the Cunard Building, said issues began in 2022, telling the ECHO: “I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t as bad as it is now.” Problems included the smell emanating from the fishmonger and takeaway, with Mr Rowe likening the scent to “death and fish at night”.
He added: “In my job, I’ve smelt death and a couple of times it was exactly the same.” Residents have called living in the area as “the worst street in the city”.
Mr Rowe said: “People are living in this forced situation, the thing we struggle against is that it’s so popular. It doesn’t serve a purpose for us here as a community.”
Cars parked around Best Foods Mega.(Pic Andrew Teebay).(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
The popularity of the shop has also led to parking issues outside the shop, despite the business putting up signs encouraging people not to leave their cars in an anti-social fashion. Mr Rowe said his family had sometimes struggled to get out of their front gate, such was the number of cars left in the road.
He said: “There’s disgraceful mess left by customers after they’ve eaten at the takeaway, which they treat as a street vendor. This is a residential street, not a high street or public restaurant.”
Concerns were also felt nearby by other neighbours. Roy Linney, who lives opposite the shop with his wife, Mo, said: “It’s constant, seven days a week, from 8am we hear noise, things being loaded right into the night, it’s full on.”
Mr Linney said he felt frustrated at the lack of action from Liverpool Council, adding: “Everything feels totally drawn out. The way rubbish has been dumped we’ve seen a big increase in rats, flies and mess like that.”
In December last year, a planning application was rejected for a three-story extension to the building to incorporate nine flats as well as amendments to the building. According to a design and access statement attached to the application, the business sought to “modernise to accommodate a variety of retail units, including a takeaway restaurant, fishmonger, butcher, clothing store, and jewellery shop, each with ample stockroom storage within the commercial unit.”
Wheelie bins used to stop people parking on Farnworth Street.(Pic Andrew Teebay).(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
It said the proposed works would “have a positive impact on the local community and economy. By revitalising the commercial scene and providing essential amenities, we will attract new businesses and customers to the area, boosting foot traffic and revitalizing the local commercial scene”.
This was rejected by city planners who said the development would be “excessive and harmful to the residential amenity and character of the areas due to the associated deliveries, customer visits and comings and goings linked to the nine residential flats”. A spokesperson for the city council said it continues to monitor and address concerns regarding the operations of a business on Farnworth Street, Kensington, through its enforcement task group.
The authority said representatives from its planning, environmental health, highways and parking services teams are “actively engaged in assessing and responding to issues raised by residents”. Among these include the failed planning application, resident complaints about a hot food counter and use of the building, and an illegal structure within a council-owned alleyway.
Weekly site monitoring has been undertaken, with city council officials reaching out to shop staff to discuss operational impacts on the surrounding area. The spokesperson said: “To ensure swift and robust action, enforcement measures are being applied where necessary.
Parking issues around Farnworth Street(Image: Copyright Unknown)
“Highways has issued a notice regarding the unauthorised alleyway structure; Environmental Health continues to monitor activities at the fishmongers for any potential nuisance issues such as smells, noise, and waste; and Parking Services is visiting the location to enforce regulations.” In the last year, nine penalty charge notices have been issued around the business, while planning officers have begun a review of developments on site “following concerns that unauthorised work has begun upstairs”.
The spokesperson said it was “important to maintain an open dialogue with both residents and local businesses”. The statement added: “Residents are encouraged to continue to report any concerns through official channels as this will ensure proper case documentation and further enforcement where appropriate.
“Liverpool Council remains dedicated to upholding planning and environmental standards while ensuring that any actions taken are fair and proportionate. Multiple teams from the council will continue to work collaboratively to address any ongoing concerns regarding this business and the surrounding area.”
When approached by the ECHO, a manager at the business, who gave his name as Thavam, said “some issues we are dealing with” and regarding issues around nuisance and problem parking, told us: “We are telling people not to park there.”
The ECHO made further multiple attempts to contact the business owner, but no reply was forthcoming ahead of publication.