Parking charges will send everyone to Cheshire Oaks

PEOPLE living in a Merseyside town say they feel upcoming changes are “enough to send everyone running to Cheshire Oaks”.

- By EDWARD BARNES ECHO Correspondent

Cheshire Oaks retail park offers free and paid-for parking, 30 minutes' drive from West Kirby

A new report says the town risked losing what makes it special.

The report from the Wirral community organisation One West Kirby said the high street was becoming less diverse, with “a marked shift away from traditional retail towards services such as nail bars, barbers, and health providers.”

Between 2022 and 2025, vacant units have doubled and more businesses closed than reopened.

Iona Horsburgh, who wrote the report for One West Kirby, said there was a growing sense that West Kirby is being left behind but with the right moves, the town can thrive.

This is the second report done by the organisation on a three-yearly basis. It said the closure of 50 businesses “should serve as a clear warning” and “points to a fragile local economy.”

By far the biggest issue highlighted by businesses in the report is the upcoming parking charges on South Parade, the town’s waterfront.