'Left behind': Shoppers agree with MP Nicola Richards on West Bromwich decline

On a rain soaked day, where shutters were pulled across many shop front and a lot of stalls were vacant on West Bromwich High Street, shoppers gave their opinions of Ms Richards' remarks in the House of Commons.

Lorraine Whitehouse, 69, from Tipton, said: "Yes I think the Government should do more to help places like West Bromwich and Sandwell with regeneration."

Her husband Fred, also 69, said: "They spent £3 million on The Public (the building in West Bromwich) and it isn't used. It is an absolute waste of money."

Strolling along the side of the street, sheltering from the downpour of rain under a long canopy, Andrew Compton pushed his two-year-old daughter, Nylah, in a push chair, joined by his partner Rachel Doughty, 28.

Andrew was wearing a jumper with a Union Jack flag on the front, in a symbol of patriotism, however he had little pride in the surroundings.

Mr Compton, 36, from Friar Park, said: "I think West Bromwich has been left behind, definitely. I think Government should do more for it.

"They should put more money into this part alongside Birmingham and the rest of it. I have known this since I was a kid. It has gone downhill. And Wednesbury as well as West Bromwich."

A woman who only wished to give her name as Mrs Perry, from Wednesbury, said: "It isn't like it used to be here. More help should be given to Sandwell."

However, not all the comments were doom and gloom.

Patrick Hill, a businessman based at New Square Shopping Centre, said: "I can understand what Nicola is saying. You go to some parts of West Bromwich, same as a lot of other parts of the country.

"If you walk through New Square and see how it is run, there is not a lot of shopping centres like this where they are not all boarded up. There is a waiting list because they do a good job.

"Whereas if you go to the High Street, where they are trying to regenerate it, and different parts of West Bromwich, I can understand it."