LOCALS are concerned their once-thriving area is now becoming a ghost town.
Those living in Widnes, Cheshire, say there are no decent shops on the high street anymore as inflations drives owners out.
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According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), Widnes has the lowest average wage for the entire area.
It means residents don’t have the money to spend locally and stores are being forced to close down.
Local retail worker Jane Mottershead, 54, said the town is now full of charity shops and bookies.
She told CheshireLive: “There’s a big difference here.
“People seem to have less money to spend here.”
Her colleague Catharen McHardy, 33, said the amount of shops being closed down comes after the energy crisis and the lack of income.
She added: “There’s more houses being built, but there’s nothing to draw those people into the town centre.
“We need some decent shops, some big names.”
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Sarah Cook, 45, is a baker in the area said despite it becoming quieter, she loves living there.
She said everything is in walking distance and it’s ideal.
However, the town “has changed” massively in the last 10 years.
Furious locals in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, recently hit back at the council for ignoring their needs.
They said the once-thriving community is now barely scraping by.
And in Withernsea, East Yorkshire, locals are being forced out and are struggling to afford shoes for their kids.
