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It is no secret seaside towns have struggled in recent years as they try to carve out a new identity after the Victorian glory days.

New Brighton is no exception.

The picturesque town in Wirral has a colourful history, from pirates and smuggling to its secret underground tunnels and much sought after holiday destination status in the 1800s.

New Brighton has had a pier and a tower. But after World War II its popularity as a resort began to decline.

The Tower Ballroom was a huge draw for people in the 50s and 60s. The Beatles even played there.

But after it was destroyed by fire in 1969, and the Ferry across the Mersey stopped sailing to the corner of the peninsula in 1971, New Brighton became yet another casualty of the seaside town curse.

There are still many of us who remember summers in the 80s and 90s - photos of us with ice creams and chips in our shell suits with an angry seagull in the background. But memories dwindled after the loss of the outdoor swimming in 1990 and the town struggled to survive.

It has now been 10 years since the government gave the green light for the redevelopment of New Brighton by ruling out a public inquiry.

There had been opposition to Neptune’s outline plans for the area, including issues around flooding and the impact on the scenery.

But in 2007, the local council and government recognised the potential of the plan put forward by Neptune, now Promenade Estates.

Promenade Estates’ managing director Danny Hynd said: “We’re very proud of what we delivered at New Brighton. It was a very challenging development and relied on our full range of regeneration skills to be completed successfully.”

It wasn’t plain sailing for the businesses which invested in New Brighton as Keith Pullinger, CEO of The Light cinemas, explained.

He said: “The cinema opened in November 2011 and was the first cinema for The Light in the UK. At the time that we committed to the site (in 2007), New Brighton felt like it had become almost a ghost town.

“Looking back, the first year of trading was difficult as the cinema sat in isolation, without supporting restaurant offers.”

And fears over the development’s proximity to the sea were realised in early 2014 when a storm hit the high tide and the shops and restaurants were flooded.

A spokesperson for Iceland said: “The store began trading on March 4, 2014, opening having been delayed by a severe storm which led to the premises being flooded by a high tide.

“Fortunately we were in the process of opening at the time and there was no stock or equipment in the building, so we suffered much less than neighbouring stores that were forced to close for several days.”

And there was also the closure of the casino which remains empty.

Bosses at Grosvenor G Casino decided to close the club after just three years in 2015 because they were losing money. This cost people jobs and there were fears that this may have been the tip of an iceberg for the regeneration project.

But Marine Point has come a long way from the dramatic flooding images and has created a destination and sense of community lacking in the early 2000s.

New Brighton: 10 years on - What do you think of the redevelopment? Let us know in the comment section below

New Brighton councillor Pat Hackett was there from the start of its redevelopment and now believes it is the jewel in Wirral's crown.

He said: “The development of New Brighton has been an undoubted success that is the jewel in the crown of Wirral’s regeneration to date and is now a popular destination with throngs of visitors hugging the pavements particularly during the summer months.

“It is a testimony to the efforts of all concerned that we have fulfilled the first phases of New Brighton’s economic renaissance and laid the foundation for future growth.

“As we look to the future to build on this success we continue to consult with all concerned through the New Brighton Coastal Community Team looking at innovative ways to attract more investment to ensure we have a New Brighton we can all be proud of fit for the 21st century.”

Keith Pullinger said: “Speaking to people in the area, it was clear that their remained a fondness for the resort it once was and it is part of Merseyside heritage.

“Once Prezzos came in and other followed, Marine Point started to become a destination and, we are pleased to say, the cinema admissions increased significantly, becoming the best performing cinema on The Wirral.

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“As a smaller company, we work hard at local engagement and try to be community-minded. We like to provide for all members of the community, for example, our dementia-friendly screenings are proving to be a big draw.

“New Brighton will always have a place in our hearts as the place that started it all. Without the endeavours of a dedicated and passionate group of people to strive for success, it is clear that the story would not be what it is now.”

Joe Morris, operations director at Home Bargains, said: “Our roots lie firmly in Merseyside and we were thrilled to be one of the first retailers to take up residency at Marine Point – the town has been transformed in recent years and we’re proud to be part of such a change.”

So what will the future hold for New Brighton?

The businesses that spoke to the ECHO were very positive about what lies ahead for the town, with many believing that the multi-million pound development has been the transformation it needed.

(Image: Liverpool Echo) (Image: Liverpool Echo) (Image: Liverpool Echo)

Cllr Hackett said: "Just like our forebears before us - whose imagination and vision achieved so much with the biggest tower in the country and the largest open air baths in Europe that generations of Merseysiders remember so fondly - so it is beholden on us to take that torch forward and ensure that the success we see to date is just seen as the foundations to drive forward to create a 21st century seaside resort that we can all be proud of.”