DESPITE the doom mongers, there’s a number of bars, pubs and restaurants that do very well in St Helens despite the challenges.

It isn’t all dead like some claim.

Part of the problem is that people want the ‘good old days’ of cheap drinks, pub crawls and crowds.

That’s well and truly over.

The other issue - shopping - is that people’s habits have changed.

There’s only so much competing against online shopping and supermarkets businesses can take.

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