Location

Widnes is located in the borough of Halton, just outside of Liverpool between Runcorn (Previous guide available), Speke (Guide coming soon!) and Warrington. 

There’s easy access to Liverpool and Manchester through the M62, you can drive to Liverpool city centre in 30 minutes and Manchester city centre in 45 minutes. 

Transport Links 

The M62 is on your doorstep meaning access to Liverpool and Manchester is extremely easy and the M56 provides easy access to Chester, North Wales and South Manchester. 

There are 2 train stations in Widnes, which link Liverpool-Manchester. This is on the Warrington Bank Quay line which connects to most major stations in the UK. Runcorn train station is also a short drive which gives access to London trains. 

There has recently been a new bridge (Mersey Gateway) built which connects Widnes with Runcorn. Halton residents have the benefit of a yearly pass allowing unlimited crossings on the toll bridges. 

Employment Options

Widnes is a traditional industrial town with a focus on the chemical industry. As a result, the local rugby league team gained the nickname ‘The Chemics’. There is still a heavy industrial presence in Widnes alongside which are the usual retail and hospitality employment options. Tesco has a regional distribution centre in West Bank, Widnes and employs hundreds of staff. 

Argos and Sainsburies have a call centre located in Widnes, then in the town centre, there is a retail park to go with the traditional high street. 

The next exit after Widnes on the M62 is where the huge Omega Business Park is located. 

https://millerdevelopments.co.uk/project/omega-business-park-warrington/

This contains warehouses for multiple businesses including Brakes, Hermes Parcelnet, Travis Perkins, Asda, the Hut Group, Plastic Omnium, Amazon, Dominoes, Royal Mail and the Delivery Group. 

Demographics & History 

Widnes Houses 60,000 residents so is similar in size to it’s Halton neighbour Runcorn. In a small town, there is a real mix of property types, ranging from traditional 2 bedroom terraces to farmhouses and high-end barn conversions. 

Widnes is home to a semi-pro Rugby league team, who play in the Championship, Widnes Vikings. At one time they were pretty good and won the prestigious World Club Challenge in 1989 beating Canberra 30-18. Not bad for a little working-class town in the north eh? 

https://rugby.widnes.tv/worldclub89.php

It’s also rumoured that Paul Simon wrote Homeward Bound while sitting at Widnes Station waiting for a train home. 

Homesure’s connection to the area 

If you’re considering Widnes for your next investment, get in touch. We’re invested in the area, our clients are too, and several members of the team grew up there, so we know the place like the back of our hands.