"I want a sign to show people they're entering the village", says William Worthington.
"It should say: 'Welcome to Garston Village - a place to shop and a place to be happy'", he adds. William is manager at Garston Garden Centre, which has been a fixture on high street St Mary's Road for 38 years.
Alongside the shop's owner Lillian Morrow, William has seen plenty of change in the south Liverpool suburb over the years. Broadly, they believe the area is heading in the right direction, but feel it needs further assistance to become the place they know it can be.
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The ECHO spoke to William on a drizzly Thursday morning, as few people made their way up and down St Mary's Road. It was just three days before Christmas and 'Bill and Lil', as their customers affectionately know them, were busy preparing orders.
William and Lillian were among those on St Mary's Road who spoke to the ECHO in March about the future for Garston. Themselves included, many said the high street had plenty of potential - with a broad collection of shops and cafes along it - it just required a helping hand to unlock it.
At that point, a Lidl had just opened on the road, in the unit formerly occupied by the Co-op and Somerfield before it. The unit was vacant for some time before Lidl's arrival and the German chain was said to have created 40 jobs in the area.
There was plenty of optimism surrounding the opening of the Lidl, which independent businesses on the road hoped would increase footfall and benefit them as a knock on effect. Nine months on, William believes it has, with caveats.
He said: “More footfall is coming in and more shops seem to be opening up. Unfortunately, it seems to be the same shops - beauty parlours and hair dressers.
"But in this day and age, most retail customers head to retail parks. Anything like that on this little high street won’t work."
William and Lillian mentioned that the Garston Way - the A road that runs alongside St Mary's Road - takes people straight onto Speke Road before they arrive at New Mersey Retail Park. In March, William said this means most people "don't see the Garston experience".
This is part of the reason why he feels increased visibility, provided by his proposed signs, could be a tonic. William is not alone in this view.
Businesses previously spoke to the ECHO about their frustrations that the nearby Liverpool South Parkway Station lacks signs ushering people into the village. William thinks letting people know they're in close proximity to a road full of independent businesses would be a welcome start to improve St Mary's Road's fortunes.
' We’re now a row of shops in the middle of two main supermarkets'
Gerry Chui, owner of Studio8 cakes, has also noticed a change in Garston since Lidl's arrival. However, she thinks it has not been beneficial for other businesses. From her cake shop, just spitting distance from the supermarket, she has noticed a downturn in footfall in recent months.
She told the ECHO : “It’s been quiet on the road. We’re still very busy because people know us from social media, but the road, I find, is a lot quieter, people aren’t passing by.
"The Lidl that opened up is a big factor that has changed things. There's an Asda at the other end of the street and we’re now a row of shops in the middle of two main supermarkets, it’s affected local businesses.
"People are just going to those car parks, buying their food and then they go home. They’re not popping into the shops like they would do.
"People hoped it would draw footfall onto the high street, but I think it’s done the opposite. It’s unfortunate."
The presence of the two supermarkets is not the only issue mentioned by Gerry. The cost of living crisis' devastating impact on independent businesses has been well publicised and Garston is not immune to that.
Both Gerry and William mentioned the pressure it has placed on their businesses. Gerry said: "Our stock prices have gone up dramatically. We’re hoping it’s going to be better next year, but it’s just that uncertainty of knowing whether things are going to be normal again."
William explained that the garden centre has wanted to absorb many of the increased costs, to stay on an "even keel" with their customers. However, they have been left with no choice but to charge "a little bit extra".
The impact of the ongoing crisis is laid bare across the road at Café Cargo. In March, owner Jeanette Young spoke to the ECHO about wanting to see as many units on St Mary's Road being taken, in order to benefit Garston as a whole.
Noting that a lot of young families had moved into the area, Jeanette said she thought an evening economy offer and renovation for the roads and buildings could be the key drivers to make the most of Garston.
However, a lot has changed since March. Café Cargo has joined a growing number of ventures that have not been able to make it past the brutal challenge posed by inflation and increased energy prices.
Last week, the café wrote on Instagram: "We’re sad to inform you but after 18 years we will be closing our cafe for good in the next couple of weeks due to the current cost of living rises and stock increases etc. We appreciate all your support over the years and thank you sincerely."
As the ECHO spoke to staff at the café, a regular walked in to have the news of the closure broken to her. Her disappointment was reflected in comments on Instagram from fellow Garston businesses and customers, who said the road will not be the same without the café.
'The Lark Lane factor'
Going forward, Gerry said Garston was in need of a "lick of paint". She added: " People don’t stop here for long, we just need something in the area to encourage people to come here. It is important to support local businesses."
She was disappointed that no decorations were on show just days before Christmas and felt it encapsulated the need for more care for Garston. William agrees that more should be done and he doesn't think increased signage will improve Garston on its own. Like Jeanette said in March, he thinks the area is in need of "some TLC".
He said: "It would attract more investment, more money would come back into the area. There’s an awful lot of private money coming into the area, but there’s also the old baths site (plans for apartments were approved in 2020).
"You’ve also got the old Empire Bingo which is beyond its sell-by date. If these kinds of places could be developed, it would make Garston a much more attractive place to come and shop."
William added: “I’d like to see Garston Village tidied up in 2023. It’s a little bit tatty on the edges, a lot of old buildings need to be demolished.
"We need that wow factor when you come into the village. I call it the ‘Lark Lane factor’.
"The roads could do with resurfacing and those little buildings down the bottom of the road have laid empty now for 20 years, if we brought them back into use, it would make the high street that bit more appealing."
Like in March, businesses working in Garston emphasise the potential of their area and what they think could be a bustling high street. They just want a helping hand.
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