Knowsley’s town centres enjoyed a vibrant summer as thousands of residents and visitors took part in the programme of free family-friendly events throughout the school holidays.
Events took place across Prescot, Huyton, and Kirkby town centres, bringing communities together while helping to increase visitor numbers and support local businesses.
From live entertainment, music, characters, and children’s activities to themed trails and interactive experiences, the Summer Fun programme provided something for all ages and encouraged families to spend time in their local town centres.
The events proved popular with residents and businesses alike, with town centre footfall increasing on all days.
Visitor numbers
The Serious Nonsense Festival in Prescot on Saturday 22 August attracted thousands of visitors with a huge 113% increase in visitor numbers compared to previous weeks.
The Dinosaur Takeover day in Huyton Village Centre on Saturday 15 August saw an increase in footfall of around 31%. That equates to 3350 more visitors than the previous non-event day Saturdays.
And it has been a similar picture in Kirkby Town Centre, with events attracting hundreds more to the town centre than a typical Saturday. Event days have produced a 13% increase in footfall compared to Saturdays without events during the summer.
Local businesses reported seeing the benefits of the increased activity and visitor numbers throughout the summer.
Grace Anderson of Doogles in Prescot said: “The summer events in Prescot have been great for business. The extra footfall really helps local businesses. There has been a great atmosphere in Prescot, bringing families together and enjoying what Prescot has to offer.”
Anthony Privilege, Branch Manager at Hays Travel in Prescot Town Centre, said: “We love the Summer Fun events. They bring the community together, increase footfall and give the whole town centre a real feel-good atmosphere.”
Neil Wensley, Owner of Village Jewellers in Huyton Village, added: “It was great to see Knowsley Council supporting Huyton Village during the summer holidays. We found that the entertainment and events drew a lot of footfall into the village.
On top of that, the trails created directly brought people through our door. Overall, this helped with positive interactions in our store which in turn gave us a great trading month. Thanks to all that helped organise, support and give their time.”
Michael McIver, Travel Advisor at Perfect Getaways on St Chad’s Parade, said: “The family days have created a brilliant atmosphere in the town centre. You can see the investment that has gone into it with the quality of the costumes and everything. It’s attracted so many families.
“I don’t know if many town centres do this sort of thing anymore but it just brings everyone together. The Christmas lights switch on is the same, it attracts so many people.”
Cllr Tony Brennan, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said: “It has been fantastic to see so many people enjoying our town centres throughout the summer.
The Summer Fun programme forms part of our commitment to support our town centres by creating opportunities for residents to shop locally, spend time with friends and family, and discover what their local high streets have to offer.
The success of this year’s events highlights the important role that town centre activities play in boosting the local economy, increasing footfall and creating welcoming spaces for communities to come together.”
Here are some great photos from the Summer Fun events:
