Rainhill becoming a 'real destination' on the edge of St Helens

A historic village known for its advancement of the steam train with 'Stephenson's Rocket', Rainhill has traditionally been viewed as a commuter district for workers to travel into Liverpool, or St Helens and Widnes.

In more recent times, however, there has been a marked change in its reputation, as a wider variety of venues has made the village a more vibrant place to be, and encouraged more residents to stay local.

READ > Best of the village pubs celebrated for excelling with CAMRA awards

Ste Cooper, co-owner of Carouse on Station Street (Image: St Helens Star)

'People will spend money if they value the place they're visiting'

One of the venues that have helped Rainhill to turn a corner is Carouse, a family business that focuses on small plates, cocktails, and live entertainment.

Launching on Station Street in late 2021, co-owners Ste and Hannah Cooper said they have constantly had to adapt to changing circumstances in order to create a venue that people want to visit.

Ste, 33, said: "Our electricity bills are up 50 percent since we opened, and the price of beer and food has gone up 15 percent. But although the cost of living is having an impact on everyone, it doesn't mean that people don't want to spend money.

"People will spend money if they value the place they're visiting, so we've been trying our best to do things that excite people and encourage them to come here."

In addition to Carouse's popular food and drinks menu, the business offers live music every weekend as well as open mic and quiz nights throughout the week, to try and tempt more customers to the venue.

Part of the local 'Pub Watch' scheme to ensure that the village is a safe space to visit, Carouse has also joined forces with Acoustic Bar and Commerical Hotel to make Station Street pedestrianised at the weekend and provide an outside area for customers to enjoy.

Carouse focuses on small plates, cocktails, and live entertainment (Image: St Helens Star)

"There's a tight-knit community in Rainhill, 100%", Ste added.

"People really stick together here, and all the local businesses support one another too, which you can see with the Pub Watch scheme.

"There are loads of different places to visit in Rainhill now and we've noticed a lot more people staying local rather than getting the train to Liverpool.

"It seems that while other places may be struggling, Rainhill is faring really well and becoming a real destination."

Phil Heyes, who turned his hobby into a business with the Hop House (Image: St Helens Star)

Businesses attracting local customers and those from out of town 

Another business owner that had similar feelings to Ste is Phil Heyes, who launched his Dane Court craft beer shop 'The Hop House' around five years ago.

Converting the shop into a taproom due to popular demand, Phil's hobby-turned-business has also been forced to adapt after pandemic lockdowns and the sky-rocketing price of beer.

However, the former bathroom fitter said that these struggles have been offset by the up-and-coming atmosphere in Rainhill, which is seeing more residents staying local and attracting more visitors from out of town.

Inside the Hop House shop and taproom (Image: Hop House)

Phil said: "Rainhill has such good transport networks, with trains from Manchester and Liverpool and bus routes from St Helens and Widnes, so I've noticed a lot more people coming from out of town, as well as those who are staying local.

"Every place has its own little thing going on, so you can spend a day here and have a different experience each time."

Phil Speakman receiving the sixth CAMRA award for the Skew Bridge Alehouse (Image: St Helens CAMRA)

With customers visiting the Hop House for its wide selection of craft ales and beer-tasting events, many do so to spend a few hours at Dane Court which is now home to a number of top eating and drinking establishments.

As well as the Hop House, there is also the popular Caffe & Co, the community-driven Indian restaurant Blue Mango, the vibrant Wine Club, and the award-winning Skew Bridge Alehouse.

With the Skew Bridge being named in the CAMRA 'Good Beer Guide' for the past six years, owner Phil Speakman said that one of his proudest achievements is bringing a high-quality venue to Rainhill which has helped to transform the atmosphere of the once-dilapidated Dane Court.

Evan Hugheswood, one of the managers at the Cookhouse (Image: St Helens Star)

Rainhill is 'on the up'

Behind the bar at one of the larger venues in the village, Scott Greenall and Evan Hugheswood also agree that Rainhill is "on the up".

While the Cookhouse pub and restaurant is a chain rather than an independent business, it is still one that gets involved in numerous community events and supports the local pub watch scheme.

Due to its large premises and varied food and drink offers, Scott said this has helped the Cookhouse become one of the busiest venues in the village.

Scott said: "We work alongside all the other businesses and parish councillors to help out with community events, such as the Rainhill gala and Christmas light switch-ons.

"We also have our own family-friendly events and live singers on, and the community always shows up.

"I've definitely seen a lot more people staying local in Rainhill, and I think the fact that all the businesses bounce off one other helps that too."

The Cook House on Warrington Road (Image: St Helens Star)

Boxing gym highlights community-driven values

Another business that highlights the community-driven values of those in Rainhill is Forge Fitness, a boxing and martial arts gym a little further up Warrington Road.

Launched by Gary Crickson nine years ago, the private gym has become well-known across the borough for the numerous fitness fundraisers it commits to every year.

Raising money for children's wards, local foodbanks and hospices, and in-house defibrillators over the years, Gary said that he sees the gym as a very much community-orientated venue.

Gary Crickson inside the Forge Fitness boxing gym (Image: St Helens Star)

Gary said: "The charity work means a lot to me because I spent time in a children's ward when I was younger, and I feel it's my responsibility as a community gym to give something back.

"Local businesses always help us out with the fundraising, but we do focus on our private PT classes, as well as our boxing and kickboxing sessions.

"We've just formed another project called 'Phoenix' with some local businesses, which is another way to help the community with free training, yoga, and meditation classes.

"We like to offer a variety of things because what's the point in having a community gym if you're not going to give back to the community?".

A busy atmosphere at Dane Court (Image: Skew Bridge Ale House)

As high streets across the country struggle with shifting shopping habits, the pull of city centres, and the cost of living crisis, it seems that Rainhill is thriving in spite of this.

While a small village on the edge of the borough, its transport links help bring people to the area with ease, while its variety of venues encourages them to spend their time and money here.

And as local businesses support and bounce off each other rather than aggressively compete, a close-knit community and pride of place has been fostered in the village, making it feel like Rainhill is indeed on the up.