It's a gorgeous mid-September day. The sun is blazing sunshine and the sky is clear. Stanley Square in Sale could give any European piazza a run for its money.
It's fair to say the future of the area is unclear. Some want a return to the 'old high street'. Others welcome doing things differently. Inside the covered shopping centre, function space Hiya is displaying the entries of the annual Sale Photography Competition. On the opposite wall is a small exhibition of the series Sale at Work, profiling locals and business owners.
"We've seen it go from charity shops and betting shops to independent businesses, bars and cafes, which is really nice. Even units like this one... they could be boarded up but instead they're a dedicated community space." "They need more actual shops, like clothes shops, and Wilko," one says. "I used to be able to get everything I needed from there. It was a real loss when that closed."
The 68-year old hasn't been to any of the restaurants. He says he misses the days when he could do all his shopping in the town centre rather than having to go further afield. Like Terrance, he wishes Sale would go back to the way it was - 'cheap shops that you wanted to go to'. "But they've kicked them out, because they want something posh there," he adds.
"I don’t feel there's anything for shopping now. Like a reasonably priced clothes shop – I have to go elsewhere for that now." "We were promised that this square would be a return of the old high street, but there's no deli, no butchers or fishmongers," she says. "I think management had the right intentions, but all they got were hospitality businesses."
Abby says she was surprised at the news Greens was closing. "I know the agents and landlords and if Simon had asked them for help, they would have," she adds. I just think there's too many food places and not enough people to fill them." "We know that many families and businesses are struggling with increasing costs. Locally support and advice is available to both residents and businesses who are finding times tough. We appreciate that the Stanley Square management proactively engages in supporting community activity in Sale town centre.