Devastating explosion in March 2017 destroyed 10 businesses including Griffiths the Butcher and Chinese restaurant Lan’s House but a number remain and they are determined to get the area back on its feet

Traders in the New Ferry area of Wirral have produced a new business directory as part of their ongoing plans to rejuvenate the area after last year’s explosion.

The devastating explosion in March 2017 destroyed 10 businesses including Griffiths the Butcher and Chinese restaurant Lan’s House. The Business Directory, put together by traders who are unique to New Ferry, lists all their businesses and contact details.

It is available online by clicking here (categories on left hand column) with printed copies expected to be ready soon.

Plans are being put together to regenerate the town centre, and the Government has been asked to help, but it will still be time until any new shops and buildings begin to rise from the ground. 

New Ferry Town Team regeneration group has agreed to fund a printed version of the directory for local people to keep and refer to when they need local shops, suppliers and services.

Mark Anthony Craig, Chair of New Ferry Residents Association, who has researched the directory and runs the community website says: “New Ferry, like many older shopping centres across the country, is suffering from low levels of footfall. The explosion has made things here worse.

“We know that people like to go the larger shopping stores that surround us, but we urge everyone to help local businesses – many of them small local traders who live within our community – as it is very much a case of use them, or lose them.

“And that last thing anyone wants to see is a completely derelict and boarded up centre in the heart of this community.”

Anyone who runs their business in New Ferry (including those without a physical shop but whose address is in New Ferry or Port Sunlight) is invited to submit their details for inclusion in the directory to newferryonline@gmail.com

During 2017, Wirral Chamber of Commerce met with many businesses in New Ferry and offered them support through free membership of the chamber.