Ellesmere Port is the largest of the south Wirral towns and is trying to cast off the industrialised image created by having Shell oil and Vauxhall car plants in the vicinity. The town has grand origins as it was the celebrated engineer Thomas Telford who laid out Ellesmere’s intricate scheme of locks, docks and waterways that were to become integral to Shropshire Union and Manchester Ship canals.
The Boat Museum is the first of the new visitor attractions, which takes up 7 acres of the historic canal port and houses the world’s largest floating collection of inland waterway vessels. The Blue Planet Aquarium is also very popular and is aiming to be the biggest and best aquarium in the country where you can see tropical fish, rays, sharks and other marine life.
One of Ellesmere’s other claims to fame is the McArthur Glen Retail Park at Cheshire Oaks, which is adjacent to the Blue Planet Aquarium. There are about 140 stores selling heavily discounted high street surplus goods and in many cases you can get designer labels at up to 50% off. This is great if you are just after a classic pair of Armani jeans but no good if everything has to be 'this season'.
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