{"id":900270,"date":"2026-04-17T08:26:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T08:26:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/900270\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T08:26:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T08:26:31","slug":"high-street-problems-and-intimidating-anti-social-behaviour-on-knowsley-peoples-minds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/900270\/","title":{"rendered":"High street problems and ‘intimidating’ anti-social behaviour on Knowsley people’s minds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Concerns about the fate of local high streets dominate conversations in Knowsley\"liverpoolecho\"<\/p>\n

04:00, 17 Apr 2026<\/p>\n

\"John<\/p>\n

John Dudley of Bexleys Craft Butchers would like to see measures to increase footfall in Huyton(Image: Emma Morgan)<\/p>\n

Declining footfall on local high streets, paired with concerns over the cost of living and anti-social behaviour, are sitting at the forefront of the minds of people across Knowsley<\/a> as they prepare to go to the polls next month.<\/p>\n

Knowsley is made up of 15 wards, with three councillors representing each. One third of councillors will be up for election on May 7, one in each ward. The council is currently dominated by Labour, which has 30 seats, the remaining seats being shared between the Greens with eight, the Liberal Democrats<\/a> with three and four Independent councillors.<\/p>\n

In the Huyton<\/a> branch of Bexleys Craft Butchers, senior manager John Dudley, 49, tells the LDRS that he thinks an increasingly quiet high street is the main issue for local businesses and the wider community, especially after larger retailers like Holland & Barrett, New Look and Boots moved over to out-of-town developments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat dilutes the footfall,\u201d he says, adding that he feels that difficulties finding a place to park also dissuade people from coming into the centre. \u201cIf you park on the road, you\u2019re liable to get a ticket.”<\/p>\n

Mr Dudley praises the sense of community in Huyton, but adds that parts of the village do \u201chave an issue with anti-social behaviour, like many town centres,\u201d and although it is \u201cshopkeepers that are dealing with the issue, I\u2019m sure people who are coming into the village don\u2019t want to see that. It\u2019s intimidating”.<\/p>\n

Knowsley Council<\/a> says it is doing all it can to help town centres thrive through events and support for businesses, as well as by working to tackle anti-social behaviour.<\/p>\n

\"Ahmed<\/p>\n

Ahmed Karatay said he was happy with the support offered by the council(Image: Emma Morgan)<\/p>\n

But anti-social behaviour has also been an issue for Ahmed Karatay, 41, who runs the La Vita restaurant and neighbouring caf\u00e9 Bella La Vita. He found recently that the premises of another restaurant he is set to open in Prescot<\/a>, Terra Toscana, had been vandalised.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are happy with the support the council has given us, they always check in on us”, he tells the LDRS, but adds that as a resident as well as a business owner, he would like to see more regular bin collections.<\/p>\n

There have been some new shop openings in Huyton, which is welcome, Carrie Lennon-Vaughan, jeweller at Golden Craft Jewellers, tells the ECHO, but it would be helpful for footfall if there were more pop-up markets and similar events.<\/p>\n

She said “there\u2019s been a bit of anti-social behaviour\u201d in an empty building on the street \u201cbut that\u2019s been dealt with really well”. She said: “The police or the council have boarded it up and that\u2019s stopped it.”<\/p>\n

She added: \u201cBut I will say things like parking are a massive problem. I\u2019m here one day a week and I can\u2019t find a single place to park.”<\/p>\n

She said that the spaces she once used have now been taken over by a private parking company. She added \u201cTo find somewhere to park is horrendous, and all that does is send people elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey really need to look at that, because the majority of the spaces taken up are by council workers. I get customers constantly saying \u2018I would have come here to get a battery, but I\u2019m not paying to come in to get one\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ms Lennon-Vaughan also speaks about business rates, which have been overhauled by central government this year, bringing an end to a previous 40% relief for retail, hospitality and leisure. Lower multipliers have been introduced for some businesses, but many firms have also seen their rateable value increase, potentially meaning higher bills.<\/p>\n

Ms Lennon-Vaughan added: \u201cIf you want to keep a village busy and you want to keep different shops open, you need to look at the reason why we can\u2019t afford to open up. That needs to be looked at before the high street doesn\u2019t exist anymore. Then what do we do? Sit at home, get fatter and shop online?\u201d<\/p>\n

Although business rate bills depend primarily on the multipliers set by central government, councils can sometimes offer discretionary reliefs if a firm significantly benefits the local community, for example.<\/p>\n

\"Carrie<\/p>\n

Carrie Lennon-Vaughan was happy with council measures to tackle anti-social behaviour(Image: Emma Morgan)<\/p>\n

Ms Lennon-Vaughan says she would also like to see more council-owned units in Huyton centre, adding: \u201cThe people who own these units don\u2019t live here, so if we have a problem we get no help at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deborah Martin, 50, the owner of Perfect Image Hair Salon, also calls for the council to offer local businesses more support with their business rates.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI\u2019ve been here nearly 20 years, I\u2019ve been here since this salon was built, and the footfall has gone. It\u2019s gone. We\u2019ve lost all these big brands from the high street, and nothing has really replaced them. I think we\u2019ve got one women\u2019s clothes shop left. This town used to be chocka.<\/p>\n

“Now, one of my clients said it reminds her of the 1930s Great Depression.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe local car park has been shut down, we\u2019ve had a lot of anti-social behaviour, but I think the big one for me this year is the increase in business rates. As a small business, how are people meant to cope?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve got to put your prices up to cope, and everyone is feeling the pinch with the cost of living and fuel prices going up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Huyton<\/p>\n

Huyton Village businesspeople spoke to the ECHO about local issues(Image: Emma Morgan)<\/p>\n

Responding to some of the concerns raised, a spokesperson for Knowsley Council said: \u201cCouncils do not set business rates, which are determined nationally by government, but they do have limited local powers to support businesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese include administering statutory reliefs, offering discretionary or hardship relief in specific circumstances and providing flexible payment arrangements to help with cashflow, all within tight legal and budget constraints.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond business rates, where the council is the landlord of the property, it has more direct influence to support our town centres through measures such as rent reviews, rent-free incentives to attract new businesses and support them while they get established, flexible lease terms or the use of vacant units \u2013 all of which help sustain businesses and support vibrant town centres even where national policy pressures and challenges of changing shopping habits remain.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a Knowsley resident, Ms Martin says that she would like to see more youth clubs and schemes to give young people purpose, so that they are not tempted into anti-social behaviour.<\/p>\n

She is bothered by \u201call the roadworks going on”. She said: “They\u2019ve been on Tarbock Island for I don\u2019t know how long, so that\u2019s putting increased time on people\u2019s journeys. The potholes are bad and there are rats everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of her customers, Angie, chimes in to say that the \u201crats have a party\u201d around the bins behind high street businesses.<\/p>\n

She says that the council has \u201cspent millions\u201d on moving over to a new system of food waste collections with new caddies, but she thinks they are \u201cjust attracting more rats\u201d.<\/p>\n

She also says that not enough is done about weeds along residential road and pavements, adding that she goes out to weed her street herself.<\/p>\n

\"Jake<\/p>\n

Jake Smith’s stall in Kirkby Market(Image: Emma Morgan)<\/p>\n

Over in Kirkby<\/a>, Jake Smith, 61, who runs a clothing stall in the market, echoes Huyton business owners in calling for more high-street retailers in the area, saying that he would like to see the town centre expanded and regenerated, and more events like artisan markets, coupled with effective advertising campaigns on social media.<\/p>\n

He adds that he is waiting to see what comes of the Kirkby town centre regeneration, whose initial plans include new retail units, a cinema and 700 new homes.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cTown centres are dying across the country and there are too many empty shops.” He added that he feels that larger retail parks get more support.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cThey promise more and more, but don\u2019t seem to deliver.”<\/p>\n

Kirkby is always last”, a group of friends chatting in the local Costa Coffee say. \u201cIt always plays second fiddle to Huyton.”<\/p>\n

Bobby, 61, who works at the Banana Bunch grocer\u2019s, which has been running for more than 30 years in Kirkby, says that he thinks with business rates and rent to contend with, costs grow to be \u201cnot viable for trading\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cBig businesses have gone, a couple that have been here for 30 years have gone.\u201d He added that the street \u201clooks derelict really, like most high streets”.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cEverything\u2019s expensive with this unusual, unstable world we\u2019re living in. The costs will have to go onto the customer, which you don\u2019t want to do.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrices have always fluctuated, but not any more, they\u2019ve just gone up and up. It\u2019s very hard to make a living.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ged<\/p>\n

Ged Lunt said he does not like to see young people in hoodies riding bikes along the high street at night(Image: Emma Morgan)<\/p>\n

Down the road in Prescot, Ged Lunt, 72, who runs Just Carpets, says that his main issue is the \u201cyoungsters on bikes in black hoodies going up and down the street”.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cIf you go out with your family for a meal, it\u2019s not that nice. I know young people have got to do something but they\u2019re not enhancing the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Knowsley Council spokesperson added: \u201cThe council is aware that shopping habits have changed, particularly during and after the pandemic, but it is doing all that it can to attract more businesses into the town centres as well as providing a programme of events throughout the year which includes Marvellous Markets touring the borough providing a food offer as well as hand-crafted gifts.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo support town centre businesses, Knowsley Council continues to offer free parking across all council-owned car parks \u2013 that\u2019s providing hundreds of free parking spaces across Huyton, Kirkby and Prescot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe council continues to work with partners to tackle issues impacting on local communities, including anti-social behaviour. This includes educating young people around the consequences of behaving anti-socially, directing them to diversionary activities through our \u2018Be The Change\u2019 approach to universal and targeted interventions, taking appropriate action under the powers available to the Community Safety team such as Acceptable Behaviour Agreements and monitoring the borough\u2019s extensive CCTV coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe council provides regular advice to help residents and businesses keep their homes and businesses pest free. In addition to what they can do \u2013 which includes storing and disposing of food properly and ensuring gardens aren\u2019t overgrown \u2013 the council also carries out regular activities including litter picking, street cleansing, clearing fly-tipping, and a programme of sewer baiting with United Utilities, with over 200 sewers baited in the last year.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The centre of Prescot was quiet as the ECHO spoke with local residents and businesspeople(Image: Emma Morgan)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe food waste recycling service only started this week, so there\u2019s no evidence that this is attracting rats. Food waste collections are being brought in across the whole country in line with new government legislation, and the caddies that have been supplied to Knowsley households all have \u2018lockable lids\u2019 which are designed to prevent rodents accessing them. In addition, food waste will now be collected more frequently \u2013 every week \u2013 compared to every fortnight when it was added to the general waste bin.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegarding Tarbock Island, this is a major improvement scheme for the Liverpool City Region that is taking place at Junction 6 of the M62. This work is part of a significant investment programme to improve the flow of traffic and journey times at this busy junction that forms a key part of the Liverpool City region\u2019s road infrastructure network.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll possible steps are being taken to minimise disruption and work is progressing to schedule. All works are due to be completed early next year.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Concerns about the fate of local high streets dominate conversations in Knowsley 04:00, 17 Apr 2026 John Dudley…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":900271,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8815],"tags":[748,188,393,4884,16552,21515,41030,179,11653,1693,12147,16,15],"class_list":["post-900270","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-liverpool","tag-britain","tag-crime","tag-england","tag-great-britain","tag-huyton","tag-kirkby","tag-knowsley-council","tag-liverpool","tag-premium","tag-prescot","tag-regeneration","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116419100369527951","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/900270","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=900270"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/900270\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/900271"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=900270"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=900270"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=900270"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}