This lovely long road is the perfect place to eat, shop and stroll
SUE HUNTINGTON
Owner of Sue Huntington
There is nothing like having your own business. I had worked in retail for almost 30 years when my husband said to me, ‘you give 110 per cent, why are you doing it for someone else?’ So we have been here for 26 years in August. I started as a small shop and have extended three times. We sell lovely casual clothing and then upstairs it is pure glamour, with mother-of-the-bride outfits and those for a day at the races. I love the buying; we forward purchase and when it arrives it feels like Christmas.
CRIS SLOCOMBE
Manager of Burnt Truffle
This was the first of Gary Usher’s Elite Bistro restaurants to be totally crowdfunded, which has been the model for the others going forward. We raised £100,000 over the course of a month, with people pledging money towards cookery masterclasses or a meal for two. Our chefs cook everything in-house using fresh ingredients, so it’s nice to be doing things the old way. The menu has a couple of signature dishes, which are reflected across each restaurant, but it’s always evolving.
DARRELL WHITTAKER
Owner of Homebird Interiors
It’s lovely being nestled in the heart of Heswall, where we’ve been welcoming customers for more than two years. We pride ourselves on offering an amazing retail experience in our warm and friendly lifestyle store, with a philosophy to inspire you to make your house a home. We have an extensive range of products, sourced from the UK and around the world, including contemporary furniture, sofas, lighting and accessories in all the latest styles and colours, as well as jewellery, including ChloBo.
JAMIE MCILHATTON & WARREN NORTON
Owners of Wylde Coffee
There’s been nothing fresh on the Wirral coffee scene for a while, and for us it’s about the appreciation of coffee for what it is. There are so many different origins and things we can do with the drink, and it’s that that we want to roll out around here. We love this place; a lot of people compliment us on the atmosphere. When somebody walks through that door, straight away we make eye contact with them. Our coffees are roasted in Liverpool, our menus are simple and seasonal to keep food waste to a minimum, and 90 per cent of our furniture here is second-hand.
HANNAH WHITBY
Owner of The Blind Pig
We were camping for my son’s seventh birthday when my husband said to me, ‘should we open our own bar?’ We’d worked in the industry our whole working lives and a classy cocktail bar was something I wanted to do. The Blind Pig got its name from a term used for a place to get an illicit drink in the days when alcohol was illegal, and it fits perfectly with our 1920s-inspired prohibition bar. We try to be as authentic as possible. We have 115 gins, including our own, which is distilled in Liverpool, a really good cocktail scene and some craft beers.
GEORGE CAIN
Fourth generation at Cain of Heswall
My great-grandfather and grandfather started this place in 1957 after both being reps on the road for men’s trade. Fifteen years ago we expanded into school uniforms and dance clothing, before five years ago opening a shoe shop, and now it’s about refreshing our look. We know quite a few of our customers and we give a really personal experience: we know the clothes that like them, suit them and the styles they’d like. We’re lucky enough to go to factories across the world to the makers of the suits we stock to get a glimpse of the whole process and bring that knowledge back to the customer.
