As another year draws to a close, we’ve been crunching the numbers here at West Kirby Today.
We’ve written around 150 stories over the last 12 months, and our website has been visited by 72,000 people.
These are the five stories that captured your interest the most, in ascending order.
5: Asylum families ‘too fearful’ to leave accommodation (4,017 views)
Our story from August about people staying at the former Holiday Inn in Hoylake being too scared to leave their accommodation due to protests outside comes in at number five.
The former King’s Gap hotel has been used by the Home Office to house those seeking what is known as ‘leave to remain’ since 2020, but a proposal to revert from families to males – revealed by local councillors – led to people on both sides of the debate gathering each evening outside the Kings Gap property.
Read it again here: https://westkirby.todaynews.co.uk/2025/08/01/news/asylum-families-in-hoylake-too-fearful-to-leave-accommodation-due-to-protests/
4: Grand Designs returns to West Kirby’s wooden-clad house (4,158 views)
Channel 4 series Grand Designs has returned to West Kirby in 2025 to catch up with a family who transformed their dormer bungalow into a wooden clad house.
Presenter Kevin McCloud originally followed Stuart and Rosie Treasurer in 2016 as they turned their home into a striking piece of modern architecture featuring a floating timber box, designed by Bromilow Architects.
Read it again here: https://westkirby.todaynews.co.uk/2025/11/16/news/grand-designs-returns-to-west-kirbys-wooden-clad-house/
3: Live music event returns to West Kirby (4,753 views)
The return of West Kirby Live after a six year gap was our third most popular read.
More than 80 acts performed at multiple venues across the town on indoor and outdoor stages in June, raising money for charity.
Read it again here: https://westkirby.todaynews.co.uk/2025/06/05/news/live-music-hits-west-kirby-this-weekend/
2: Leaf site to be redeveloped for retail and housing (5,881 views)
Our recent article about a planning application being submitted to convert the former Leaf restaurant in West Kirby into a retail unit, along with the construction of five properties on the site, comes in at number two.
An application by Beck Homes submitted to the council requests a change of use for the building, along with external alterations, amended access and parking, and the construction of five properties with parking and landscaping.
Read it again here: https://westkirby.todaynews.co.uk/2025/12/10/news/council/leaf-site-set-to-developed-for-retail-and-housing
1: Leaf announces closure (8,649 views)
Coming in at number one is our story from January about Leaf closing its doors.
The owner of the company, Natalie Haywood, told West Kirby Today it had been a “really tough decision” but that she couldn’t see a way back for the branch
Read it again here: https://westkirby.todaynews.co.uk/2025/01/02/food-and-drink/a-really-tough-decision-leaf-in-west-kirby-closes-down/