Paul Sivori, who runs Sivori’s cafe on Castle Street with son Alessio said: “Business is good, we have a lot of regular customers, but there’s not loads of footfall here.
“There’s not much reason for people to come here other than food.”
Paul, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It needs different types of shops and outlets.
“It’s all takeaways and nails here. A lot of people park here and go to Manchester.”
Upgrades to transport facilities and the construction of new flats have created a feeling that things are on the up in nearby Stockport town centre.
The town was recently named the best place to live in the northwest by the Sunday Times but areas around the borough are still facing problems.
Places such as Adswood are marked by pockets of deprivation, while the shopping centre in Edgeley is dwindling because shoppers are deprived of parking spaces by Manchester rail commuters needing a place to park.
Barry Pearce, the owner of Edgeley Sports & Fishing, said his customers often struggled to park near his shop.
“There’s a lot of parking but it’s cheaper than the train station. My customers struggle to find a parking space,” he said.
John Tweedie, owner of Tweedies – another shop that has been a part of Castle Street for decades – highlighted a further problem: “They need to stop turning properties into flats because by the time they’re done there won’t be any shops left here.”
