'It's an old town with old fashioned people. Everyone says they want change but for 100 years nothing has happened'

It's a sunny afternoon in Makerfield and the streets are bustling with people hauling shopping bags up and down Gerard Street. One building that stands tall is the Greenway Shopping Centre. Built in 1885, the building enjoyed great success as one of the busiest pubs in Wigan - as the Gerard Arms.

It was then turned into a local mall which was home to small retail units and eateries on the first and ground floor. Now it's home to a beauty salon, e-cig shop and upstairs are the traditional stores of cafes, bakeries and card shops. However, at just gone 2pm on a Friday afternoon and only two shops are open on the first floor of the building.

READ MORE: The latest average cost to buy a home in every Greater Manchester postcode area "This place used to be fantastic when we had the market at the back. This used to be the place to go, you couldn't get in," said James Swallow, the owner a wool shop and haberdashery found in Greensway. The 54-year-old, says the closed shutters and empty units are a symptom of the closure of the once thriving Ashton Market which operated behind Greensway for 100 years, giving a reason for locals to venture into town and bringing a substantial amount of footfall for local business until it was closed in 2017.

The entrance to the Greensway Shopping Centre "It's something the people around here really want back and the town wants back." He continued. "There was a few other stalls that moved in here when the market closed and we dragged a few people in and.