Formby more like to see shoppers after lockdown as survey reveals what people think

People are far more likely to shop in Formby after the Covid-19 lockdown, according to a new local survey. 

The results will come as a relief to local shops, restaurants, hairdressers and other local businesses which will be desperate for support as the area moves from a national lockdown into less restrictive Tier 2 measures in the run-up to Christmas. 

The views were revealed through a survey of hundreds of local people by ImagineFormby, which is working hard to improve the area. 

The group has now been formalised as a Community Interest Company with Patricia Wordley, Kevin Haygarth and Blair Hilton as directors. Other members include Sean Brady, local film-maker Lynne Harwood and Danish designer Karsten Erikson. 

ImagineFormby Director Patricia Wordley, who owns Woodwards Wine Bar in Formby Village, said: “We had a much better response to the Formby Community Survey that we anticipated and received plenty of detailed comments and ideas to digest.

“We want to thank all those who completed the survey and those who told us they would be happy to be consulted further. We have reached out to them via email to share the results of the survey and outline the next stage.”

The survey revealed a fascinating insight into what people think about Formby. 

Local traders will be heartened to hear that shoppers recognise the need to shop local and eat local after the challenges of the past few months. 41.7% of respondents said they would be ‘more likely’ to shop in Formby once lockdown is lifted. 

People were generally happy with the general appearance of the village, although shop frontages (287 Yes, 211 No) saw the biggest split in opinion.
The comments suggested the concern was due to people wanting to see more retail units filled. 

Feedback included: “Too many tatty shop frontages… and frequently a large amount of litter”; “The empty shops look awful”; and “More independent shops, less charity!”

The empty units could point to an area of opportunity for new food outlets. 

When asked whether the variety of places to eat and drink in the village met their needs, 47.3% replied Yes with 41.1% saying No. 

Comments included: “Not enough variety for meals out, eg vegetarian”; “We need to have some more bars and eateries”; and “It would be great to have some more independent bars and coffee houses”. 

Most people (286) travel by car to the Village, with 259 walking and just 8 arriving by bus and 14 cycling in. Even so, 96 said access to public transport is good, with just 23 saying it wasn’t.

People love their shops in Formby. When asked what they value most about Formby Village, 249 put shops as their top answer, with 139 for restaurants, cafes and bars and 127 saying convenience. 

Low scoring was trees and landscaping (19), nightlife (8) and community events (8). 

Shopping was people’s top concern when asked what the biggest issues facing Formby are. 

The top four answers here were:
1 – Limited choice of retail outlets (144) 

2 – Empty shops (127)

3 – High rates and rents (125) 

4 – Too many charity shops (96)

One respondent said: “The number of empty shops and charity shops is a huge issue. It will surely get worse now with Covid and anyone who was struggling before will not be able to carry on. We have clearly got too many shops and some need to be turned into housing.”

This was backed up by another question ‘What are the main reasons why you visit Formby Village’ seeing shopping out in front with a score of 359, way ahead of banking and post office (48), dining (34) and to meet friends (33). 

Patricia Wordley said: “Some interesting themes came through; appearance wise, many respondents pointed to the empty shop units and multiple charity shops as being off-putting. Not enough variety of shops and bars / restaurants.

“Also, many people think a form of pedestrianisation of the village would improve it. Lots do appreciate the tree lined wide walk-ways and opportunities to socialise.

“It has taken us some time to analyse and consider the data. To move to the next stage, we sub-divided into themes:

• Environment and Appearance
• Arts, Culture and Heritage
• Local Business
• Youth and Community

“We have designed a follow-up survey that will probe into these specific themes.

“We are also in the process of forming groups for each theme and keen to encourage local volunteers to participate in the development of ideas and actions going forward.”

If you would like more details about the ImagineFormby Community Survey, or if you would like to help the group, please email: info@imagineformby.org

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