Just 15 years ago this northern town was a ghost town - struggling to survive in the shadow of nearby Manchester . Like many towns across the UK, Stockport had been heading downhill for years. Industry was in decline, investment drying up, flagship stores had closed their doors and moved away, and a famous high street was deserted. And it was voted the 12th worst place to live in the UK by the controversial book Crap Towns. It described the Merseyway shopping precinct as the “town's heart” -