New Ferry has had a shopping centre since the mid 1800’s when Liverpool merchants and their families began to settle in the area; with them came their servants and their families. A number of large factories also appeared around here, including, ‘Prices Candle works’, Lever Brothers Soap Factory and the local Brickyard. These factories employed large numbers of workers and they along with their families needed provisions and entertainment.
Over the years various businesses have come and gone, along with a variety of public houses and three picture houses.
Who remembers ‘Rostances’ in New Ferry? It was virtually a local institution, with various branches in Wirral including Birkenhead. Other once famous names operating here were ‘Okells’ and ‘Timpson shoe shop’. New Ferry even had its own indoor market, admittedly not on the scale of Birkenhead but a market nonetheless.
If you have any fond memories or photographs you‘d like to share of bygone businesses, send them to us at web@nfrag.org.uk
Even today, it fair to say that New Ferry has an excellent shopping centre that is almost self sufficient. Where else can you go to buy a complete outfit, shoes and accessories, at the same time as keeping those all important hair and beauty appointments?
Do you want to get the food shopping and perhaps some gifts? If you need furniture and carpets you can sort that out too. Then on for a quick coffee or perhaps a snack, even a full meal.
Perhaps one of the best things of all is plenty of free parking.
New Ferry still boasts some national retailers and supermarkets alongside several specialist shops.
Although the face of the shopping centre has changed over the years, there is still a thriving community here. We have a nationally award winning Farmers Market held here on the second Saturday of every month.
For businesses wishing to invest in an area, New Ferry is the place to go where they can stand alongside:
• Bakers, Barbers, a Bank, Building Supplies and Betting shops, and (unusually for such a small town as our’s) four Butchers;
• Café’s, Clothes, Carpets, Charity and Computer shops;
• Doctors, D.I.Y and Discount Shops;
• Electrical;
• Florist, Funeral, Furniture Shops;
• Greengrocers, General and Gift Shops;
• Hairdressers;
• Information (Citizens Advice Bureau and Connexions);
• Jewellers;
• Newsagents;
• Motor trade/accessories;
• Opticians, Off licences;
• Post Office, Printers, Pet Supplies and Public houses;
• Supermarkets, Solicitors, Shoes, Second-Hand and Specialist Sports Shops;
• Take away food shops;
• Vets.
