The manager of a pub near Goodison Park has raised concerns over the future of her business as Everton’s ground prepares to close for good.
Ahead of the last Merseyside Derby, Everton F.C. prepares to leave Goodison Park for Bramley-Moore Dock. But is the club’s move solely to blame, or have businesses failed to adapt to an inevitable change?
Some argue that a lack of diversification, not just the club’s departure, is the real issue. The Winslow Hotel, a historic Evertonian pub, has largely unused upper floors that could have been converted into flats, a hostel, or a B&B. Many takeaways in the area also haven’t embraced modern services like Uber Eats and Deliveroo, unlike their counterparts on County Road.
Beverly, manager of The Royal Oak, has worked in the pub trade for over 34 years and acknowledges the uncertainty ahead. “We’ll just have to play it by ear,” she said. Efforts to unite businesses and work with football clubs have been made, but she believes collaboration is lacking. “The pubs should work together, but they don’t.”
Did businesses fail to plan?
Everton’s move is not a sudden development.
The Goodison Legacy Project, a £100m mixed-use regeneration scheme, was first submitted for planning permission in April 2020, with completion targeted for 2028.
Once the stadium is demolished, the area will undergo a major transformation, with affordable housing, a health and medical centre, residential care, a new education hub, offices, retail spaces, and a park. However, this regeneration will take years to complete, leaving local businesses in limbo in the meantime.
However, not all businesses are as concerned. A worker at Food Republic, a local kebab shop, believes the impact will be minimal. “Everton aren’t as big as Liverpool, so we don’t rely on them as much. We get a lot of our business from delivery apps and the community.”
While some businesses are attempting to adapt; securing bus routes to BMD, offering cheaper prices, and creating outdoor drinking spaces, others have remained reliant on Everton’s presence. Some residents believe that while the club’s move is a challenge,
many businesses should have prepared sooner. “They’ve brought it on themselves a bit,” one local commenting in an Everton community chat. With Goodison set to be redeveloped into housing, there will still be local demand, and some businesses will survive. But for those unwilling or unable to evolve, Everton’s move may only be the final nail in the coffin, not the root cause of their struggles.
