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In 2011, Hoylake Village Life produced a draft Shopfront Design Guide. Click here to download this document and to let us know what you think.

To read three independent perspectives on shopfront security and its impact on the environment click here.

For comprehensive background information in support of our approach to shopfront security, in particular solid roller shutters, click here (large file).

What do you think of this?

Appealing, isn't it? A simple awning, clearly branded, and some foliage from a wysteria plant.

In towns where there is a coordinated effort to smarten up shopfronts, footfall increases. It is a more welcoming environment. These towns usually have a shopfront design guide, and it works! So we've produced one… click here to download it.

By contrast, Hoylake's Market Street suffers from a lack of coordination.

Signage

Signage of all styles, sizes, materials and colours compete for attention in Hoylake. We understand why – shopkeepers and businesses feel a need to grab attention to get people through the door.

But therein lies a problem when we look at the bigger picture. Rather than being appealing, Hoylake as a whole drives people away.  We are presenting a visual overload, known as visual clutter.

Less is more....

Night-time appearance

At night, solid roller grilles come down, with large, surface-mounted box housings. These can give the impression of a hostile place subject to antisocial behaviour, vandalism. The irony is that roller shutters generate an atmosphere that is more likely to attract antisocial behaviour... a vicious circle.

Security is, of course, important, but there are traditional 'open weave' or 'brick bond' shutters available that offer a more attractive alternative.  These allow light to show through, making window displays visible and encouraging  browsing after the shop has closed. Good for Hoylake... good for business. Click here to see an example.

Awnings

A Victorian 'box lot' awning of the type pictured is not particularly expensive - about £1,000 including installation. This compares favourably with a modern, UPVC type but is more in keeping with our Victorian and Edwardian heritage.

IN 2010 HVL applied for a grant to reinstate Hoylake's last original awning, with the justification that it could trigger a wider effort to improve the look of the high street, and thus contribute to economic regeneration. Unfortunately, we were not successful.

However, we are not going to gve up... and once this project is complete we will be negotiating with property owners and shops and applying for funding to install more of these awnings along Market Street.

Other factors

By considering the whole environment, choosing carefully the paint colours for window frames and doors, for example, a number of adjacent premises could agree to choose colours from a heritage paint pallet, uncovering and displaying original features, using open-weave shutters, and using simpler and professionally designed branding on signage, we can present Hoylake as a place that offers a welcoming, united shopping experience instead of a number of businesses competing with each other.

The plan

Can we develop a plan to make Market Street more appealing and easier to navigate? There are some lovely buildings (look up and see for yourself). Can we draw attention to these?

Improving Market Street will make Hoylake attractive to potential new businesses.  This is a key to Hoylake's revival.

Could there be an annual competition for the best shopfront; not just window display but the treatment of the fabric of the building, signage, security provision?

What are your thoughts? Does Market Street need smartening up? Are you a designer or retail specialist who can offer your expertise?

Click here to download a pdf 'panoramic image' file of a section of Market Street.

Could this project be one for a new Hoylake Town Team? What do you think?