Well-known traders take the plunge with new St Helens shop

Infinity Occasions is a joint venture by two ex-retailers from the Hardshaw Centre.

Up until late last year, Tracey Gerrard ran the Flower Barrow and Tracy Heaton managed the Sweet Kiosk in the shopping centre, which is due to be flattened in the coming years as part of town centre regeneration masterplan.

Relocation...

St Helens Council has been attempting to relocate businesses from the Hardshaw to Church Square shopping centre to consolidate the retail area.

And so the friends have joined forces to take a prime site on Church Street, in the former Thomas Cook unit, next to bakery chain Greggs.

They have set up Infinity Occasions to bring a wide range of services - including venue dressing, t-shirt printing, and artificial floral arrangements - and a traditional sweet store to the business.

The store has a prime site on Church Street (Image: St Helens Star)

The Star paid a visit to the store - which is a cascade of colour thanks to the ranges of artificial flowers and plentiful jars of sweets - to chat with the owners.

'Come and find us'

"We have lots of loyal customers - we know them all personally. But the message is we are here come and find us," says Tracy, 56, from Blackbrook, who was involved with the Sweet Kiosk for a decade.

Behind a counter, surrounded by jars packed with favourites like Uncle Joe's Mintballs, pear drops, Walkers' treacle and Everton mints, she adds: "A lot of them have been delighted when they've realised we are here.

"It was sad to leave the Hardshaw Centre, but we have a prime site on the high street here."

Co-owner, Tracey, 53, from Parr, admits the cost-of-living crisis on the back of the Covid pandemic has thrown up challenges for businesses and the town centre in general.

Pay us a visit: The duo inside the new store (Image: St Helens Star)

However, she is confident the occasions services they provide - ranging from decorations for gender reveals, to birthdays and funerals - will deliver success.

Tracey, who is joined in the store by Chantelle O'Neill, who works on the flowers and occasions side of the business, said: "It's sad to leave the Hardshaw Centre, we were like a family there - but we are hoping to recreate that here too."

The store opened before Christmas and enjoyed a busy period. They are now looking for a boost from Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

The decline of traditional town centres - a trend being felt by St Helens and many other places around the country - means a depressing narrative is often painted for the area.

However, there are hopes that consolidating the retail space will strengthen the town in the short term, while regeneration projects take place.

Church Square centre manager of Church Square, Steve Brogan said: “A lot is changing here at Church Square, we are central to the exciting town centre transformation plans, which is seeing our vacancies being filled and adding to the St Helens retail offering.

"We are really pleased with how well our recent addition Infinity Occasions are performing – they moved into the centre just before Christmas and have been well received by our shoppers.

"In keeping with all the other changes at the centre, the old Millets store has now changed to Go Outdoors also. We have so much going on at the centre currently and will soon be announcing more exciting additions in the coming months.”

Lots of changes ahead

Meanwhile, Councillor Richard McCauley, who is cabinet member for regeneration and planning at St Helens Borough Council added that people will "see a lot of change in the coming months" as part of plans to support businesses find new locations to make way for the regeneration plans.

Not all businesses from the Hardshaw Centre are being retained though. Waterfields will instead relocate to St Helens Retail Park while other businesses remain in negotiations about being moved elsewhere.