{"id":88937,"date":"2025-08-24T05:50:25","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T05:50:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/88937\/"},"modified":"2025-08-24T05:50:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-24T05:50:25","slug":"the-uk-ghost-town-with-the-most-empty-shops-given-huge-1bn-facelift-uk-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/88937\/","title":{"rendered":"The UK \u2018ghost town\u2019 with the most empty shops given huge \u00a31bn facelift | UK | News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Almost 15 years ago, Stockport<\/a> held an unenviable record: that of the large town in the UK with the highest number of empty shops. Today, that bleak image seems almost unimaginable, with years of targeted investment and regeneration<\/a> projects having transformed its town centre into a thriving hub of commerce<\/a>, culture, and community \u2014 earning it the unlikely nickname of the “new Berlin”.<\/p>\n

James Baygoff, a lifelong resident of Edgeley, recalls the stark contrast. He said: “My dad would have come here 20 years ago and called it a ghost town<\/a>. Now, if we drag him to a Foodie Friday, he can\u2019t believe his eyes. It\u2019s unrecognisable from what it used to be.” Foodie Friday, launched a decade ago by the Barratt family, has become a key driver of Stockport\u2019s revival. The monthly event draws thousands to its 25 outdoor food stalls, creating a bustling atmosphere that rivals the busiest nights in town.<\/p>\n

Speaking to the BBC<\/a>, John Barratt, who helped launch the initiative, said: “It\u2019s busier for pubs and venues than New Year\u2019s Eve.”<\/p>\n

The town\u2019s resurgence has been underpinned by larger-scale investments. Stockport is currently undergoing a \u00a31 billion regeneration programme – the largest of its kind in the UK – led by the borough\u2019s pioneering mayoral development corporation.<\/p>\n

The scheme has attracted \u00a3600 million in private investment, delivered 1,200 new homes, 170,000 sq ft of Grade A office space, and established a new transport interchange.<\/p>\n

Edgeley Park, home of Stockport County Football Club, has received a \u00a350 million expansion, and a further 1,300 town centre homes were approved last week.<\/p>\n

Council leader Mark Roberts credits the project\u2019s success to cross-party collaboration. He said: “We may disagree on many things, but when it comes to Stockport\u2019s regeneration, we all have a shared approach.”<\/p>\n

The town\u2019s growing appeal is evident in its transport links and commuter potential. A new tram extension and proximity to Manchester Piccadilly – just a seven-minute train ride away – are attracting young professionals.<\/p>\n

Anya, a recent homebuyer, explained: “There is a wave of optimism in Stockport.”<\/p>\n

From abandoned shops and empty streets to bustling markets and thriving nightlife, Stockport\u2019s journey is a testament to long-term vision, community effort, and investment.<\/p>\n

The ghost town of yesterday has become a blueprint for urban regeneration, proving that even the most neglected towns can be revitalised with determination and planning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Almost 15 years ago, Stockport held an unenviable record: that of the large town in the UK with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88938,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[84,8790,44503,59,1086,44500,44501,44502,56,54,55,44504],"class_list":["post-88937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-cities","tag-foodie-friday","tag-gb","tag-investing","tag-stockport-county-fc","tag-stockport-regeneration","tag-u00a31-billion-investment","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-urban-revitalisation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88937\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}