Over FORTY empty shops lie deserted in our ‘dying' ghost town – tourists used to flock here but now it's unrecognisable

The Sun

20-07-2025

A POPULAR shopping centre is now a shadow of its former self – with more than 40 empty units sparking fears it has become a 'dying ghost town'.
Walsall, in the West Midlands, known historically for its leather and saddle trade, was once a thriving retail destination.
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But now, boarded-up shops, graffiti-covered storefronts, and shattered windows tell a different story.
Walsall, recently rated the second-worst place in England to start a business, has been left reeling by years of decline.
Around one in four residents are now economically inactive, and nearly a quarter of the town's 150 central retail units sit empty.
Local businessman Harcharan Pala, who runs Revolution Records, said: 'I've been here eight or nine years and we've seen the big shops like Debenhams and M&S disappear.
"The town is just desolate now, hardly anyone comes here.'
Walsall's fall from grace has been long and painful.
As big brands moved out, so did shoppers – many now heading to larger cities like Birmingham or retail parks in Cannock and Dudley instead.
'Without those big anchor shops drawing people in, there's no reason for people to come shopping here anymore,' Mr Pala added.
"The amount of empty shops is sad to see.'
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Despite the bleak picture, some still see potential.
Damian Chapman, 30, is opening a trading card game store – The Card Loft – on July 26.
'I'd seen all the negativity around the town centre but it didn't put me off because this is where I grew up,' he said.
'I think when you have something niche and unique too, people will travel to seek it out.'
Others are less hopeful. Window cleaner Paul Booth, 64, who's worked in Walsall for over four decades, said: 'There used to be a team of five of us.
"Now I can do it all on a Tuesday. It's just empty and dying a death.'
The decline, which many trace back to the 2008 recession, has eroded not just business, but community spirit.
'I used to know all the street cleaners, bin men, bus drivers,' Paul added.
'Now there's no sense of community at all.'
Resident Jonathan Lovell, 42, said: 'Walsall had one of the best night life scenes going in the Midlands... now it's just depressingly dead. I don't feel safe to go out.'
Others, like arcade boss Craig Marlow, blame the collapse of the market as the start of the downturn: 'Walsall is a really good community, but it's slowly dying because the destination is gone.'
Industry leaders say the problems in Walsall mirror those seen across the country.
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The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025."
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
"By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
Tom Ironside, of the British Retail Consortium, said: 'Vacant properties have become an all too familiar sight… It is essential that Government reforms help make investment more viable.'
Walsall Council insists change is coming.
A £1.5 billion regeneration programme is underway, aimed at reviving the local economy and attracting more visitors and businesses.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader of Walsall Council, said: 'People's shopping habits have changed, and our town centres need to diversify.
"The council is working to create an environment that attracts people into the town centre.'
But for many residents, time is running out.
Without urgent action, they fear the heart of Walsall could disappear for good.
Walsall's decline is part of a wider crisis hitting high streets across the UK.
Rising costs, changing shopping habits, and the shift to online retail have forced both big-name chains and independents to shut their doors in growing numbers.
The Original Factory Shop is closing several branches, while Poundland, New Look and River Island are all scaling back.
Even essential retailers like Asda and Morrisons have begun shutting stores, blaming high rents and falling demand.
Claire's is also facing major financial trouble, with dozens of closures possible.
The Centre for Retail Research predicts over 17,000 shop closures and more than 200,000 job losses this year alone.
Experts say the outdated business rates system is making it harder for retailers to survive, especially in already struggling towns.
The Sun has approached Walsall Council for comment.
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