Martin Hunt has owned Something Different Florist in Moreton for more than 20 years.
Over the past two decades, the shop has become part of the furniture on Pasture Road; an almost interminably long street which snakes through the heart of the village. On a drizzly Wednesday afternoon, the rainbow-hued bouquets and swathes of colourful ribbon inside the shop make a stark contrast to the overcast skies outside.
“Moreton’s a very close knit community,” Martin tells the ECHO as he bustles about behind the counter, “I’m a Moreton lad born and bred and I love it here.
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“We have a lot of new people coming into the area now. We do sometimes have issues with the youngsters growing up because there’s nothing else for them to do so they end up mucking about on the streets but that never lasts for long. It’s just a brilliant place”
Sandwiched between Wallasey and Meols, Moreton is a place steeped in history. Famed for its rich industrial past, the factories on Pasture Road have employed generations of families, but earlier this year, the village was dealt a huge blow when its historic chocolate factory closed its doors.
The factory had been an integral part of the community since 1954, when the site was formally opened by Mrs Joyce Cadbury. The plant was subsequently owned by Burton's Biscuit Company, before it was acquired by Barry Callebaut in 2018.
The Swiss firm announced in May it would cease operations owing to a significant decrease in volume at the site, resulting in the loss of 62 jobs.
“The factories are a shadow of their former selves,” Martin said. "A lot of people from Moreton would have gone to work in Cadbury’s as a bit of a rite of passage when they were younger.
"My wife and I both worked there. I worked the day shift and Dawn worked the night shift and we saved and saved to open up the shop. It was an institution so it’s a real shame that it’s gone.”
While one Moreton institution has closed its doors, another continues to thrive. Options for Hair, on Hoylake Road, is housed in a stunning Tudor-style building which was once home to a popular bar. The window is lavishly decked out in an autumnal display and inside it's alive with the sound of chatter and whirring hairdryers.
It's owned by Gaynor Mccarthy, who's been hairdressing since the age of 16. Now 60, she works in the salon alongside her daughter Nicole. Nicole, 21, said: “My mum's had the salon for 20 years but she’s always worked in the area.”
“This building used to be a big bar and we still try to keep the integrity of the place. Business dropped a bit after covid but it’s getting better and we’re usually packed. We are picking back up and getting back to normal again. I’m from Wallasey originally but Moreton is just great.”
22-year-old Catherine, who also works in the salon, has lived in Moreton her whole life.
“Its an amazing place,” she said. "It’s like a community. We’re like a little family here. It's just lovely round here.”
While places like Options for Hair are now firmly woven into the tapestry of Moreton, the last few years have seen a surge in new businesses looking to make their mark on the area. Among them is Jeanie Loves, an independent gift studio packed with handcrafted items and jewellery created exclusively by local artisans.
Inside, owner Jeanie Macleod sits painting as she chats with one of her regulars.
“I opened up in lockdown,” Jeanie told the ECHO. "I had nothing to do at the time so I started making jewellery and decided I needed a shop. From that, I progressed to selling everything else we do in here because there’s nothing like it in the area so I thought this is the place to be.
“So far, it’s been excellent. The locals are really supportive of small businesses here. Its one of the nicest places I’ve ever had a shop and I’ve had shops all over the Wirral.”
While business has been good to Jeanie so far, she is concerned about how the escalating cost-of-living crisis will affect business heading into the winter months. She said: “It is difficult sometimes but it's about finding a niche and trying to supply what people want. It's a case of constantly adapting to what people need.
"Here we make a lot of handmade things and customised things and we try and keep it so it's a good price and people come from all over the place now. “I don’t know what will happen with the electricity going up. I think we’ll have to gauge things after Christmas and have a bit of a review of things to see what’s what.
"People will always want gifts but they’ve got to be at the right price so we have to make sure we’re competitive."
Down the road, Deniz Sahin, owner of Elite restaurant, is already feeling the pinch of increasing costs. The Turkish and Mediterranean restaurant and bar only opened last year but Deniz is worried whether people will still choose to eat out as prices continue to rise.
He said: “It’s starting to get tough now with bills and stuff. We’re definitely feeling the effects of prices going up. Hopefully things are going to get better but it is looking a bit dodgy at the minute especially going into winter. Normally Christmas and New Year is our best time but we’re not really seeing that increase yet because people are saving money and sitting out home.
“We do definitely have regulars. Theres a lot of people who come in all the time. It's the sort of area where you know everyone and so you feel comfortable. Sometimes we shut at 10 and sit with the customers and have a meal or a drink with them.”
That sense of community has been palpable over the last few weeks, when local residents have gathered at the stunning mural of Queen Elizabeth II on Hoylake Road to pay their respects and leave tributes to the late monarch. Voluntary group, Moreton in Bloom, is now coordinating a lasting memorial to the Queen, using money raised by the community to create an orchard full of fruit trees on Pasture Road.
Alison White, secretary for Moreton in Bloom, said: "The news (of the Queen’s death) definitely touched a lot of people in the local community. We thought that the mural would attract a lot of cut flowers and we wanted to give the opportunity for the community to pay a longer lasting tribute.
“That's where we came up with the idea. We managed to raise over £500 in 24 hours with help from the local community, which'll go along way to buying the fruit trees and means for our community that people will be able to go in and pick the fruit for free.
Back at Something Different Florist, Martin bags up a potted flower for one of his 91-year-old regulars. As he counts out her change, the lady regales him with a story about when her family worked at the Cadbury’s factory before giving him an update on her great-grandchildren.
As she shuffles out of the shop, Martin nods and smiles. “That right there,” he says. “That’s Moreton.”
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