Locals in a formerly bustling high street claim their neighbourhood has transformed into a ‘dying ghost town’ – now featuring over FORTY vacant retail units. (Image: SWNS)
Locals in a formerly bustling high street claim their neighbourhood has transformed into a ‘dying ghost town’ – now featuring over FORTY vacant retail units. Walsall, previously the heart of Britain’s leather and saddle industry, was once a thriving commercial hub packed with numerous chain stores and independent retailers. However, stark photographs reveal how the market town has grown “desolate” in recent times, filled with shuttered and abandoned premises daubed with graffiti and featuring smashed windows.
The town was recently ranked as England’s second-worst location for launching a business and had previously recorded one of the nation’s highest vacant shop rates. Fresh data also showed the West Midlands settlement performed below par economically across almost all measures, with nearly one in four inhabitants being economically inactive. Residents dwelling in what ranks among the country’s most disadvantaged areas express concern about the prospects of this “forgotten” locality where there’s “no longer any sense of community”.
Exasperated business proprietors report struggling financially and believe insufficient action is being taken to rejuvenate the declining post-industrial settlement. Roughly 150 retail outlets span Walsall’s four primary shopping thoroughfares, meaning approximately one in four are presently thought to stand vacant. Local entrepreneur Harcharan Pala, who operates music shop Revolution Records, remarked: “I’ve been here eight or nine years and we’ve seen the big shops like Debenhams and M&S disappear.”
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‘It used to be a destination town, people went out of there way to come here, but that just doesn’t happen anymore.’ (Image: SWNS)
The town’s decline has left locals disheartened, with one resident lamenting: “The town is just desolate now, hardly anyone comes here. It used to be a destination town, people went out of there way to come here, but that just doesn’t happen anymore.” They continued to express concern over the lack of footfall: “Without those big anchor shops drawing people in, there’s no reason for people to come shopping here anymore. They go cities like Birmingham or Wolverhampton.”
The situation is further exacerbated by competition from nearby retail hubs: “Or even out of town retail parks in Cannock or Merry Hill in Dudley, we’ve just been left behind here. The amount of empty shops is sad to see.” High costs are deterring new businesses: “But there’s no incentive for small business owners as the rents and rates are too high. They need to come down to draw people back otherwise it will remain empty.”
One trader shared their struggles within the local market: “I’m attached to an indoor market and the number of traders had dropped 18 to seven. I’m thinking about moving online as it’s just very difficult to compete.” The changing retail landscape is evident: “People’s shopping habits have massively changed. Walsall has turned into a town of pound shops and charity shops.”
Despite the gloomy outlook, Damian Chapman, 30, is optimistic about his new venture, The Card Loft, set to open on July 26: “I’d seen all the negativity around the town centre but it didn’t put me off because this is where I grew up and came as a kid.” He reminisces and sees potential for growth: “There was a trading card game shop which closed down where I used to go after school and I think there is certainly still a demand for it.” Chapman has plans to contribute positively to the community: “We’ve got an upstairs we’re hoping to turn into a community space so the the younger generation have something to do in the six weeks holidays.”
“You don’t want to be dealing with collectibles on eBay and online, you want to be able to feel it, so that was the thinking about opening up the shop.” (Image: SWNS)
An entrepreneur expressed optimism about their unique business, remarking: “I think when you have something niche and unique too, people will travel to seek it out.” They elaborated on the importance of a physical presence, stating: “You don’t want to be dealing with collectibles on eBay and online, you want to be able to feel it, so that was the thinking about opening up the shop.”
Highlighting local activity, they added: “There’s still enough footfall with the college in the town too, it is actually surprisingly busy not just on weekends – it just needs more open shops for people to enjoy.” However, veteran window cleaner Paul Booth painted a bleaker picture of the town’s vitality, declaring it ‘dead’. His workload has dramatically decreased, as he explained: “He used to work six days a week but can now complete his rounds in just a day.”
Paul, from Cheslyn Hay, Staffs. , reminisced about the past: “There used to be a team of five of us who cleaned pretty much every business going in Walsall.” He lamented the change in routine: “We did all the shops, offices, pubs and banks and it would take us all week. Now I can do it all on a Tuesday.” Mourning the town’s transformation, he said: “I don’t even recognise the place anymore. It’s just empty and dying a death.” Reflecting on the downturn, Paul noted: “We first noticed it during the recession around 2008 and the town has just never recovered.”
He missed the camaraderie of the past: “I used to know all the street cleaners, bin men, bus drivers, you couldn’t go five steps without being stopped.” Bemoaning the loss of community spirit, he observed: “Now there’s no sense of community at all. Just cheap and nasty shops selling tacky plastic toys and mobile phone covers.” With a heavy heart, he concluded: “It’s sad to see what Walsall has become.”
Jonathan Lovell, 42, lamented the decline of his local area: “Walsall had one of the best night life scenes going in the Midlands on top of a thriving market and good shopping, now it’s just depressingly dead.” He reminisced about better times but expressed current concerns: “We grew up in the Wharf Bar, the atmosphere in the town was brilliant. But now I don’t feel safe to go out and I come out of my flat most mornings to find someone has urinated on my doorstep most days, it’s pretty grim.”
Craig Marlow, managing director of The Retro Realm, reflected on the town’s past glory: “It’s a destinational thing – Walsall used to have a really good market, it was known all over the country, it was so strong.” He shared his disappointment: “It makes me feel disheartened. Walsall is a really good community, but it’s slowly dying because the destination is gone.” Marlow observed a shift in consumer habits: “Everyone goes to Merry Hill or to Telford, everywhere except Walsall.” Tom Ironside, director of business and regulation at the British Retail Consortium, commented on the broader issue: “Vacant properties have become an all too familiar sight across the country in recent years.”
“Local initiatives to rejuvenate town centres and high streets are welcome however it is essential that wider steps are taken to support their transformation.” (Image: SWNS)
He called for comprehensive action: “Local initiatives to rejuvenate town centres and high streets are welcome however it is essential that wider steps are taken to support their transformation.” Ironside criticised the current fiscal system: “The current, outdated business rates system has deterred local investment and contributed to widespread store closures.” He emphasised the need for fair reforms: “It is essential that the Government’s reforms to rates leave no shop paying more.”
Ironside concluded with a hopeful note for revitalisation: “This would allow retailers to invest more in the communities they serve and help breathe life back into our high streets.” Walsall Council has announced a massive £1.5bn regeneration scheme set to revitalise the town and boost local enterprise. Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader of Walsall Council, acknowledged current economic challenges: “We know the economy is struggling.”
He also noted shifts in consumer behaviour: “People’s shopping habits have changed, and our town centres need to diversify.” Andrew highlighted the council’s strategy: “The council is working to create an environment that attracts people into the town centre so that local people will shop local and support local businesses.”