New Brighton: How trendy independent scene brought forgotten seaside town back from the brink

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The Victoria Quarter has been revitalised with independent bars, eateries, shops and street art.

In it's heyday, New Brighton welcomed around five million day trippers on the ferry from Liverpool alone. But a steady decline resulted in businesses closing down and shops being boarded up.

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After witnessing the fall first hand, in 2018 Dan Davies got together with some friends, who were tired of seeing the area they grew up in go down hill, and decided to step in and intervene.

“We are right at the top of the Wirral peninsula, right on Liverpool Bay. You don’t pass through New Brighton, you have got to travel to New Brighton, so there has got to be a compelling reason to visit,” Dan told LiverpoolWorld.

His company, Rockpoint Leisure, work alongside the local community in developing seaside town’s Victoria Quarter, which is now bursting with independent bars, restaurants, music venues, record stores, vintage shops and even a vibrant street art trail.

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“The idea that we had, was ‘let's buy, rent or lease every boarded up place’, which included three banks, a pub, restaurant, three storey solicitors and a number of shops, and then find people who want to operate businesses,” Dan explained.

Victoria Road, New Brighton.Victoria Road, New Brighton.
Victoria Road, New Brighton. | Google Street View

By focussing on the neighbourhood’s independent credentials as an alternative to the seafront offer, the Victoria Quarter has become a destination within the town, where both residents and visitors can shop, eat and drink, as well as enjoy a range of events.

  • Watch the video for our full feature on the transformation of New Brighton into an trendy destination.

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