BATTLING through declining high street trends, a global pandemic, and now a cost of living crisis, it is a struggle for many Bradshawgate businesses just to survive at present.
With big name brands leaving the town centre and residents often choosing to shop at retail parks or neighbouring towns and cities, footfall has dramatically dwindled in Leigh and business owners are relying more and more on regular customers to remain open.
Wigan Council's £11.4m Levelling Up bid, which consisted of proposals to revamp Civic Square, improve town centre shop fronts, and refurbish Leigh Market, was an attempt to address this decline and provide a much-needed boost for the town.
However, as the bid was ultimately unsuccessful, local businesses are locked in a struggle until something is done to regenerate the dilapadated town centre.
READ > Plans for town's first train station in 60 years get one step closer
'Heartbreaking' state of the town centre
Opening the Lilac Lounge Cafe on Bradshawgate ten years ago, Tina Kaffie has witnessed the slow decline of the high street in Leigh.
"It's heartbreaking looking along Bradshawgate at the moment", she said.
"The town centre is so quiet and people are just not spending. So many businesses have already gone and I know at least ten businesses that are up for sale.
"I remember when Leigh used to be thriving and all the shops were full [...] but we won't have a high street if it carries on like this."
Challenges of the cost of living crisis
The most challenging thing that Tina has had to deal with since opening the cafe ten years ago has been the rising cost of living in recent months, which she says has been more difficult than the stop-start dilemmas of the pandemic.
After her electricity contract came to an end last year, her bill with a new provider has almost quadrupled in price; from around £200 to almost £800 per month.
The community cafe, which is well known for its hearty meals and breakfasts, has also seen a price increase of almost 100% in its food products compared to last year.
After paying back pandemic grants and navigating through the cost of living crisis, there are further concerns when the national minimum wage increases in April, which will cost Tina at least an extra £60 per week.
Tina added: "We are really struggling with the inflation and price increases at the moment, and have had to start opening later and closing earlier to manage with it.
"It's a lot more difficult to manage than it was during covid as people are looking after their money a lot more now.
"I'm just lucky that we have a lot of regular customers, as I don't think we would have survived without it."
READ > Cost of living crisis: 'Survival of the fittest' for Leigh town centre businesses
Other Bradshawgate businesses feeling the pinch
Sue Mann, manager of Dawsons bakery further down the road to the Lilac Lounge, has similar feelings about the difficulties facing the town centre.
Sue said: "The town centre is always quiet in January as people are saving a bit more money after Christmas, but it's not usually this quiet.
"We have a few regulars who pop in but apart from that, it's been really tough.
"We're just pinning our hopes on the Home Bargains reopening to bring more people in because the town centre is dead."
With everything becoming more expensive during the cost of living crisis, Dawsons have also had to adjust its business hours and won't be opening on Mondays in order to cut costs.
Remaining open as a fresh food business throughout the pandemic, the Buttery has managed to retain its regular client base at its Bradshawgate hub.
Similar to other traders, this stream of regulars has been enough to sustain the sandwich shop, despite the relatively low numbers of shoppers in the town centre.
With another business located on close by Union Street, manager Sharon Holland said: "We are lucky that we never closed during the pandemic as that kept people coming in or ordering from us.
"January is always dull and the cost of living crisis has affected us with price increases, but we've been doing very well in both shops to manage with this."
Levelling Up bid 'has to be for full £20m'
As business owners adapt to the seemingly never-ending crises, it is evident that extra support is necessary if the high street is to survive in Leigh.
While all residents agree that Leigh is in dire need of regeneration, many feel that the council's next bid for Levelling Up funding needs to be for the full £20m available to begin the process of truly transforming the town.
Tina added: "The Levelling Up bid has to be for £20m next time and the council has to listen to what people are saying in Leigh and what people want.
"The proposals that the council put forward would not have made a difference to me or a lot of other business owners.
"I'm the most positive person for Leigh and I wouldn't live anywhere else; there are a lot of great businesses here and there is still a great community, so there are lots of things that can be done.
"But we need proper regeneration and the ability for local people to help make the decisions for our own community."
READ > Wigan Council unsuccessful with Leigh Levelling Up bid, as Haigh Hall gets full £20m
Council to rebid for Levelling Up funding
Disappointed with the government's decision to reject the Levelling Up bid for Leigh, Wigan Council has confirmed that it will bid again in the next round of funding.
The council submitted its £11.4m bid as they felt its projects performed well against the government's "stringent criteria", as a whole bid can fail if one proposal is rejected.
Other plans to drive regeneration into Leigh town centre include the Strategic Regeneration Framework which looks to improve connectivity, attract investment, and create opportunities for local people and businesses.
A £5 million Believe in Leigh package has also been approved by the council, which has seen investment in Leigh Youth Hub, Pennington Flash, and Leigh Town Hall.
Statement from Wigan Council
Deputy Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor Keith Cunliffe said: “We want Leigh to be a vibrant and attractive place to live, with a reinvigorated town centre which is at the heart of the community.
“It’s a town with rich history and a positive future, which makes it a big part of our growth plans.
“However, like many towns across the country, Leigh has been affected as people choose to spend money online rather than at high street stores.
“This plan is essential to defining a new future for the town centre and helps us to demonstrate a long-term vision, which is essential when bidding for additional resources, such as the government’s Levelling Up Fund.
“We want to be ambitious for the future of Leigh and drive forward positive change and investment.”
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