On a grey Tuesday morning, St Helens town centre is quiet as market day unfolds. Among the few shoppers, Janet Wylde, 79, and her sister Sandra Hilton, 75, express deep dissatisfaction. “It’s awful,” says Janet. “There’s no joy coming here – we look at the markets because there’s no shops.” The sisters, who meet weekly, believe the town, once a thriving industrial hub, has been neglected.
St Helens grew on coal mining, pharmaceuticals, and glass manufacturing, notably Pilkington, founded in 1826. Pilkington remains the largest employer but is now a subsidiary of a Japanese firm. The town centre is marked by empty units, takeaways, and vape shops, a pattern seen in many post-industrial towns. Sandra describes the scene as “horrendous,” and Janet feels Liverpool receives more investment, leaving St Helens forgotten.
Change is underway: much of the town centre is a building site for a new market hall, hotel, homes, and shops, alongside a £35m transport interchange. But market trader Paul Donovan, 61, is sceptical. “It needs people… and more shops. All the big shops have gone to the retail park,” he says. “Each time the town has gone boom, onto the floor.”
St Helens has deep Labour ties, having been controlled by the party for decades, currently holding 28 of 48 council seats. However, Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, sees an opportunity. Speaking to the BBC in nearby Southport, Farage predicted a changed local government map after 7 May. He told the Daily Mail that Reform could win in dissatisfied “red wall” areas like St Helens, where Boris Johnson never gained traction in 2019.
On the ground, Labour mood is despondent. Reform poses a new threat, unburdened by the Conservative name, which carries negative connotations locally. Voters like Janet and Sandra feel abandoned, and the upcoming borough council elections may signal a shift in this traditional Labour stronghold.
