CROSBY & LITHERLAND
4 December 2019
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INSIDE THIS WEEK:
A 50-YEAR-old woman died after she was struck by a car in Thornton. The incident happened at around 12.15am on Saturday, November 30 at the junction of Moor Lane and Edge Lane shortly after the woman had been dropped off by a hackney taxi. She was taken to hospital, where she later died of her injuries, and police say specially trained officers are now supporting her family. The driver of the vehicle, a blue Audi Q7, stopped at the scene and spoke with police. Social media users have commented on their sadness at the incident. One person said: “I saw that the road had been closed off as I was finishing work. This is so sad. My thoughts are with her family.” Another posted: “May she rest in peace. How awful for her family.” A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: “The woman’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers at this time. “Officers are appealing for any witnesses to the collision to come forward, and are particularly keen to speak to a black hackney taxi driver that is believed to have dropped the female off in the area, immediately prior to the collision.” Anyone with information is asked to contact @MerPolCC, 101 quoting ref. 19100700400 or the Roads Policing Unit on 0151 777 5747.
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Vol 26 l Issue 49
Woman dies after being struck by car at junction
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£12k raised for homeless man Jaffa!
ST MODWEN SELL UP Regeneration firm off-load Village shops to private investor Report by Tom Martin REGENERATION specialists St Modwen has sold its stores in Crosby Village to a private investor – three years after taking them over. The company confirmed on Thursday, November 28 that they had sold its ‘retail assets’ in Crosby, Doncaster and Kirkby for a combined £34million. However, the buyer remains a mystery and St Modwen has remained tight-lipped on their identity, claiming it is a ‘private investor’. They also refused to confirm how much of the £34m was made up of the Crosby sale, having originally bought 26 shops in 2016 for a reported £2.7m from Sainsbury’s. The Champion reported earlier this year how St Modwen made the surprise decision to put their Crosby stores on the market for £6.4m. It was seen as a shock move due to St Modwen only purchasing the stores three years earlier, and many had hoped there was a long-term strategy in place. Some criticised the company as they saw the decision as simply a way to “try and turn a quick profit”, and others are now worried the new owner will only see the Village as a “cash cow.” Steve Pritchard, of Pritchard’s Bookshop, said: “I am sorry to see St Modwen going as their regeneration has been very positive. “I am not sure the new absentee owners will have the interests of the people of Crosby at heart and will only use it as a cash cow.” A statement issued by St Modwen reads: “St Modwen has completed the sale of three retail assets in Doncaster, Crosby and Kirkby for a combined consideration of £34m, representing just over half of the company ’s remaining non-core retail portfolio as of
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Retail units refurbished by St Modwen in Crosby Village.
May 2019. “The assets were sold via three separate transactions. The aggregate consideration of £34m represents a discount of 9% compared to the May 2019 book value of the three assets. “These disposals follow the sale of £177m of noncore retail assets during 2018 at an average discount to book value of less than 1%. “As a result, St Modwen’s residual non-core retail assets now account for only 2% of its portfolio, down from 16% at the start of 2018.”
Since St Modwen took over the portfolio of shops in Crosby Village, they have refurbished the Glenn Buildings in the hope of attracting more businesses. Over the past few years, Peacocks clothes shop, Village Vets, Scouse Bird shop and Frankie's bar are just some of the stores which have moved into the Village. When the Crosby stores were put on the market, the then Sefton Central MP Bill Esterson spoke out about how he hoped the Village would become a “vibrant centre.”
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