Liverpool South Parkway opened in 2006 on the edge of Garston village, replacing the former Garston station.
The train station and bus interchange, which is used by thousands of commuters each day and connects South Liverpool with the wider North West and beyond, is about ten minutes on foot to St Mary’s Road - Garston's high street.
Yet, as you leave the station, there is little - if any - signage to point you in the direction of the street, which is home to many independent businesses.
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The lack of visibility afforded to Garston from a major train station within the suburb encapsulates a feeling held by several local business people - that the area has never been given the chance to shine.
With a high street full of independent businesses, a train station linking Garston to the rest of Liverpool and beyond, a working port that handles around 500,000 tonnes of cargo annually, the area is widely viewed as being brimming with potential.
Yet, many people living and working in the area feel like it has not been realised.
The ECHO went to Garston this week to speak to businesses to understand why.
'I do think it’s been neglected'
Jeanette Young is the owner of Cafe Cargo, which has been found on St Mary's Road for 16 years.
Since she opened the popular breakfast and lunch spot, Jeanette has noticed the area's progress, but feels as if Garston has never been given the chance to reach its full potential.
She told the ECHO : “The area has definitely improved. When we came 16 years ago, there were more shops closed than open - so it looked pretty grim.
“Over the years, it’s regenerated and it’s got so much better. Different types of shops have come up. It feels like more personalised and quirky shops have appeared.”
“However, I do feel like it has been neglected. The road surface and the pavements are awful - absolutely dreadful. They’ve never changed.
“ Garston could be so much better but I feel like it’s just left.
“Garston has never quite been tapped into and I think everyone feels like that, it’s just been left - when compared with other areas.”
Investment "could spruce the place up"
The sentiment is shared by Gerry Chiu, the owner of Studio8cakes on St Mary's Road, who believes Liverpool City Council could do more to promote Garston and improve its chances of success.
Gerry told the ECHO : “I feel like the council has neglected it. We have a lot of start-up businesses like myself, as it’s slightly cheaper rent than places like Allerton.
"It’s brilliant here, but the street is off-putting to potential clients. They feel like the area is a bit run down compared with neighbouring areas."
Gerry noted Garston 's feeling of community, while highlighting the fact that the enterprising spirit of its many independent business owners have made it a good place to work.
However, she thinks that more should be done for the area, and added: "The fact that money seems to be ploughed into other areas and it hasn’t been put forward here. It could spruce the place up.
"Just a little nudge with grants would help businesses have a nicer shop front and encourage people to come.
"There are buildings here that have been here for years. Some of them are empty now and nothing’s happened to them in the time that I’ve been here. I think that something could be done.
"There’s a lot going on in the area - new things being built, flats in the process of being built, so it’s definitely bringing more life to this part of the city."
'Welcome to Garston Village'
Garston Garden Centre has been a fixture on St Mary’s Road for 38 years, where owner Lillian Morrow works alongside manager William Worthington.
The two have seen many changes to the area over the past four decades, but feel as if it is now heading in the right direction.
Highlighting the opening of new businesses, William feels that Garston is on the road to recovery after various lockdowns, but agrees that more should be done to promote the area.
Suggesting improved signage to draw people into the area, William said: " If we could have a board at the end of the village, saying 'Welcome to Garston Village', things like that which will make people want to have a look.
"If people take that bypass (Garston Way, the A-road which runs alongside the village), they drive off and they’re out of Liverpool - they won’t see the Garston experience."
At South Parkway, William would like to see " a reminder that you’re heading into Garston village."
Gerry agrees, and said: "South Parkway has no signage that there’s a village full of shops down the road.
"The station could be less than a seven minute walk if you’re a slow walker. People just get on and off there and there’s nothing else.
"There are a lot of little hidden gems here and many different shops, so I think it could definitely do with a little pick me up."
Scope for improvements
Despite the business owners' belief that more can be done for the area, Garston has seen investment of private money in the past twelve months.
In 2021, Associated British Ports (ABP) invested more than £4.5m into the Port of Garston. Additionally, a new Lidl supermarket opened at the bottom of St Mary's Road in February.
The units now occupied by the discount German retailer used to house a Co-op and a Somerfield before that. However, it had spent plenty of time vacant before Lidl took it over.
Now open, the new store is said to have created around 40 jobs in the area.
The businesses that spoke to the ECHO do not fear the competition that the new supermarket may bring, they instead hope it will increase footfall on St Mary's Road and benefit them as a consequence.
Gerry has already seen it is bringing more traffic through the street, while William has noticed the increase in shoppers on the road and believes the injection of private money is a promising sign for future development.
Similarly, Jeanette cited a newly-opened cafe in the building next door as an example of healthy competition in Garston, which fulfils her wish for all empty units to be filled - to benefit the area as a whole.
She said: " Another cafe opened up next door, but we welcomed it, because it was an empty building and we wanted it used. There is enough scope here for competition - I think that competition is a good thing.
"I hated that shop next door being empty. At least now, they’re serving later than us and people are coming to the area for them. We welcome competition because we want the shops open."
What does the future hold?
Exactly what future development in Garston could look like remains unsure, but people in the area feel that the combination of community spirit and a thriving business scene give it the potential to thrive going forward.
Jeanette thinks that the missing piece might be an evening economy.
Comparing the area with locations like Lark Lane and Smithdown Road, which are awash with bars and nightlife spots, she said: "For couples and families, there aren’t a lot of places to go in Garston village.
"If you want to come in the evening and have a nice meal and a drink, there aren’t many options."
"I’ve noticed that there’s a lot more young families who have bought into the area - the house prices are a little bit cheaper than nearby. People are moving to the area who would use places like this."
However, Jeanette believes that investment should come from the council in order to allow Garston to improve - predominately to improve the state of the road and pavements.
She said: " I do feel like we’ve been forgotten about. The pavements are horrendous and the litter is just dreadful".
Liverpool City Council was contacted for comment.
When approached for comment about Garston's potential, Maria Eagle, the Labour MP for Garston and Halewood, told the ECHO: “After twelve years of Lib Dem / Tory cuts, there is undoubtedly untapped potential still to be unleashed in Garston.
"We do however have a thriving market day, new social housing being built under the bridge and Garston Hospital sits in the heart of our community.
"Our three Labour councillors are funding a Remote Youth Team and I’ve seen first-hand the fantastic work places like Garston Venny do in bringing the community together, building relationships that last a lifetime and gives local children somewhere to feel proud of.
“It’s important that whilst we don’t shy away from the challenges that our community faces, we shouldn’t talk down the people who support our community and help to make it what it is.”
With the future in mind, Gerry said: " Garston is growing - very slowly - there are improvements being made, but it seems to be from independents and individuals, rather than the council.
Jeanette said: " If Garston had the support that other areas do, we’d be flying. We’re holding back a bit because we’re not sure that people will travel here. The people here support you, it just needs a helping hand from those in charge."
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