New aerial footage released on 4 February 2026 shows demolition at The Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, Merseyside, is largely complete. The video gives residents a clear look at how the site is being cleared to make way for a new town square and community space.
The footage shows that the Palatine Block and the shop canopies along Stanley Road have been mostly removed. This work is part of a plan by Sefton Council to transform the 1960s-era Strand into a modern hub with improved access to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.
The project is backed by a £20 million Levelling Up Fund award from government and additional local funding. Local partners include the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (a reported £7.1m grant) and Sefton Council/local capital for the first phase. According to The Guide Liverpool, the main construction phase — which includes the new town square/Mons Square — is expected to begin in spring 2026.
The redevelopment aims to bring in more leisure, education and health services while retaining retail. Reporting in Place North West notes the council and partners are committing multimillion-pound enabling works to improve connectivity with nearby destinations such as the Salt and Tar events space.
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