Bold Street feels pinch as Liverpool One opens

Jun 11 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

Bold Street in Liverpool city centre _320

BOLD Street’s shops are suffering a downturn in trade following the opening of the first phase of the £1bn Liverpool One retail development.

According to some of the street’s retailers, their worst fears are coming true as Liverpool’s shoppers bypass Bold Street’s stores and head for Grosvenor’s Liverpool One development, opened two weeks ago.

Traders say they saw some uplift in trade in the first few days after Grosvenor opened on May 29, but that initial flurry has given way to a decline in sales.

Neville Boyars, owner of fancy dress shop Smiffy’s, said: “At the moment, with Liverpool One now open, Bold Street is becoming just a passing through zone and that’s going to be the same for any location in the town.

“We’ve spoken to Liverpool One and their viewpoint is that Liverpool One will regenerate the city – I just hope that’s the case.”

Dick Mawdsley, owner of Utility’s two Bold Street shops, said: “There was a surge in the first two days, and after that, a downturn. We just hope that this is not a long-term trend.

“But it has been acknowledged that something needs to be done or there will be a slow decline of independent retailers here. We need to get the message across that there is nothing like what we have to offer here anywhere else, and market the street more effectively.”

Alan Takacs, manager of Zen Furniture, said: “Liverpool One is new and people are going there at the moment.

“This street is more than a part of Liverpool, it’s the oldest part of the city and needs an injection of money.”

richarddown@dailypost.co.uk