A significant transformation is underway in the Lancashire towns of Preston and St Helens, both formerly industrial powerhouses that had seen decades of decline. Regeneration projects are breathing new life into these areas, with Preston boasting a £45m leisure complex and a revamped museum, while St Helens focuses on preserving its glass-making heritage and redeveloping its town centre.
Preston: A City Reimagined
Preston, designated a city in 2002, has long been a centre of power and influence. It is the birthplace of Richard Arkwright, the father of the factory system, and home to the magnificent Centenary Mill chimney. The city's Harris museum and gallery reopened in September after a £19m refurbishment, offering art, local history, textiles, and more. The museum is a regional treasure, though it has been suggested that the Ashmolean and British Museum should return the Cuerdale hoard, the largest Viking hoard found in England, discovered near the River Ribble.
Notable landmarks include the brutalist bus station and Guild Hall, the monument to the 1842 martyrs, and the Victorian market hall. Winckley Square features Georgian terraces, and St Walburge's church boasts the tallest parish church spire in the UK, designed by Joseph Hansom. The city also has a strong football heritage: Preston North End was a founder member of the English Football League, and Deepdale is one of England's oldest grounds.
St Helens: Celebrating Glass-Making Heritage
St Helens, though administered as part of Merseyside, remains proudly in historic Lancashire. The town is undergoing significant redevelopment, with a new bus station, homes, offices, and green spaces planned. Conservation work is progressing at No 7 Cannington Shaw Bottle Shop, the sole survivor of the world's largest glass bottle production site. The circular redbrick building with a conical roof now hosts artisan craft markets on the first Saturday of each month.
John Tabern, director of the project, stated: "As an ex-glassman, it's extremely important to me. I'm proud of St Helens and want people to know its story. But we must monetise it with gigs and markets and all those things." Other notable buildings include the Gamble building, the Beecham's building with its clock tower, and Reflection Court, the former Pilkington's headquarters.
Cultural and Historical Highlights
Both towns offer unique attractions. In Preston, visitors can walk or cycle the 21-mile Guild Wheel, visit the Ribble Steam Railway and Museum, or explore the Black Horse pub with its rare ceramic bar. New food venues include Korean restaurant Kimji, Spanish dishes at Pintxos, and modern British at Aven. In St Helens, attractions include the World of Glass, The Book Stop community bookstore, and the Dream sculpture.
The towns also have deep historical roots. St Helens' Windleshaw Chantry dates from 1415, and beneath it lies the tomb of Jean Baptiste François Graux de la Bruyere, an immigrant from Picardy who brought glass-making to the town in the 18th century. The towns are increasingly embracing their heritage, with Preston being recognised as a model for local authority control and investment, sometimes called "Prestonism."
