The 'tragic' demise of a once thriving Cheshire shopping centre 'We've seen it decline from what was a thriving 70s-style shopping precinct' - more at https://www.cheshire-live.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/tragic-demise-once-thriving-cheshire-25324074 Walking around Weaver Square in Northwich, past its many vacant units, you'd struggle to imagine it was once a hive of retail activity. Years ago, hundreds of shoppers would visit daily, drawn by big names like Woolworths and Argos. Fast-forward to the present day and it is scarcely recognisable. Half of the complex has been demolished, most of the units lie empty and the crowds have long disappeared elsewhere, as online shopping continues to eat away at the high street's fortunes. Northwich's Cllr Sam Naylor said: "It's been tragic. We've seen it decline from what was a thriving, 70s-style shopping precinct into a scene, not of dereliction, but something that smacks of a past era of post-war modern Britain." Following the recent and sad closure of the much-loved Seafarer, many residents questioned what was happening with the long-planned redevelopment of Weaver Square, which lies mere feet away from the chippy. Cheshire West and Chester Council acquired the lease of the site back in 2014, by which time many of the units already stood empty. The authority took it over after the previous owner of Weaver Square ceased trading in 2012. Since then, there have been a number of ideas about what do with the site. But the shopping centre continued to lie mostly-dormant, despite it being partly-demolished in 2019 amid promises of regeneration. Northwich would then be hit by misfortune after misfortune : the outdoor market was gutted by fire in early 2020; the Covid pandemic caused economic chaos across the world; the devastating flooding in 2021 left many businesses badly damaged; and the town's railway station collapsed in April last year.
