NEXT year a £90m transformation of St Helens town centre is set to start which will see the biggest changes to the area in decades.
There can be no doubt the high streets of the town have faced their most testing times in a generation, with online shopping, edge-of-town retail parks, the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis adding to the challenges faced by traditional shopping areas.
The impending loss of Wilko is further evidence of this.
As the clock begins to tick down to the start of the redevelopment next year, we take a look back at images from the town centre's past.
While we have lost some landmarks, such as Helena House, the Fleece and the Savoy, much of the layout and skyscape of St Helens remains the same, even if many of the occupiers have departed.
If you have any memories of the town centre, or pictures you'd like to share you can email them to news@sthelensstar.co.uk or drop them in the contribution form on this story.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article