A British town centre with only three shops left open has been dubbed the "worst high street in the UK" - but it's commutability and location are proving key to its regeneration.
The empty storefronts and graffitied walls of Waterlooville in Hampshire have earned it the nickname "ghost town". With just a trio of shops still standing - a barbers, a phone shop and a kebab shop - the street is desolate, rundown and almost empty having been likened to something out of a "zombie apocalypse", reports the Daily Star.
YouTuber JoeFish videoed himself exploring the town for his viewers as he explained that "shop after shop after shop" was closed and that anything left on the street was left in a "state of total disrepair". He continued: "We are literally seeing the death of the British high street before our eyes."
Shops are boarded up and walls are covered in graffiti (youtube/@JoeFish)Waterlooville gained its name from the famous battle of Waterloo, which took place in 1815, which saw 61,000 British troops lose their lives at the hands of Napoleon Bonaparte's army, but ultimately winning the battle and marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. It is believed that surviving foot soldiers stopped at a local pub in the town on their way back to London to celebrate their win and its name was born. But these victorious celebrations seem a far cry from the atmosphere of the street today.
The historical town is home to over 64,000 people, making it the largest town in South Hampshire but despite this, its high-street is on the brink of collapse. Empty shops covered in scaffolding, boarded up windows and the remnants of what once was a busy town, JoeFish described it as "rotting away". Even the shopping centre is bare and has sat unused for years now.
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The small shopping centre in the town has been boarded up and empty for years (youtube/@JoeFish)He warned that if rents remained high and the quality of interiors so poor, it would spell the "death of the British high street". He added: "Absolutely every unit is shut, boarded up, abandoned, I've truly never seen anything like this, ever." His video has now received over 300,000 views and 600 comments with viewers taking to the comments to share their thoughts on the dilapidated street.
One commenter tried to shed more light on the situation, explaining: "I live in Waterlooville and although it’s not great, that Wellington way shopping centre was earmarked for demolition hence why it’s empty. They planned for flats to be built by the planning was turned down. The owners are now spending millions restoring the units."
Local businesses that remain have shared their thoughts on the situation (youtube/@JoeFish)Others in the area attributed the "miserable shopping experience" to "vagrants" and criticized the "extortionate rent" for aspiring business owners. However, its doesn't look all bad for the town of Waterlooville. Hampshire Life magazine suggested it could be the perfect place to live if you're looking for a spot between the country and the coast. According to the magazine, a few of Waterlooville's merits include "access to country and coast, plus community and commutability, good schools, green spaces and good value family homes", as well as "ongoing development" in the area.
Joe Williams also sang the town's praises. Writing in The News, he said: "While the derelict shops and the concrete feel to the high street can be hard to overlook, there are number of great cafes and eateries that are worth visiting. There is no getting away from the fact that the high street needs improvement but there a number of brilliant independent businesses that could form the basis of a thriving local high street."
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