Jobs in St Helens | Pictures of St Helens

Where you work and the environment in which you make your living is a key factor that determines whether you take a particular job or not. But if your job involves moving to a new area, you need to be sure that it is right for you. So if St Helens has suddenly become a major consideration for you yet you have never heard of the place before now, what's so special about this northern town that is flanked by two of the biggest cities in the UK?

For starters, St Helens was the former capital of the global glass industry. It is now the fastest growing district in the North West . And its rugby team, the ‘Saints', are the most successful Super League team of all time and current World Champions. It is also the most car-friendly place in the North West , and home to the best small visitor attraction in England . And the town boasts one of the top ten blues and jazz venues in the UK .

Now it is easy to see why St Helens is fast-becoming one of the most popular towns in the thriving North West.

Getting around St Helens
Situated on the main A580 East Lancashire Road and at the centre of the region's motorway network, St Helens is one of the best connected towns in the country. And once you get into the town centre, there are a dozen or so car parks operated the council that have space for up to 2,300 cars along with a number of privately run car parks.

St Helens has an efficient bus network with regular services from across the region passing through the main bus station on Bickerstaffe Street , alongside the Hardshaw shopping centre and a few hundred yards away from the iconic Central Railway Station. From here, there are direct rail links with nearby Eccleston, Thatto Heath and Lea Green in addition to direct train to and from Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester .

Eating, drinking and shopping in St Helens
St Helens has gone through something of a renaissance over the last twenty years. And none more so than in its emergence as a leading cultural and entertainment location. Indeed, Manchester's dramatic regeneration and transformation since the IRA bomb, combined with Liverpool's cultural seal of approval as the 2008 European Capital of Culture have had an inevitable influence on St Helens which for its part, has been equally determined to carve out its own identity. And it has certainly achieved that.

The creation of a multi-award winning Cultural Quarter and artisitic street furniture form the perfect backdrop for the new-look arts and enteratinment venues in the area – The Citadel and Theatre Royal. The Citadel was voted by The Independent as one of the top ten jazz and blus venues in Britain , with theatre, dance, music and film events also on the agenda.

Elsewhere, the Godfrey Pilkington Art Gallery and the World of Glass museum both pay homage to the towns industrial heritage and are worth a visit if you have time on your hands. As is the North West Museum of Road Transport with the largest collection of old buses ion the country – especially if you have kids.

And St Helens' cultural renaissance has gone hand-in-hand with the regeneration of the shopping centre which has risen the ranks to break into the top 100 retail centres in the UK . And at the heart of the town's shopping offering is Church Square , St Helens largest indoor shopping centre, with 94 stores such as HMV, River Island , BHS and Top Shop. Whereas the Hardshaw Centre is home to the likes of Marks & Spencer and Argos .

Outside of town is Ravenhead Retail Park on the Linkway, where you will find all the usual suspects that typify out of town shopping areas, such as Next, Boots and a number of furniture, sports and electrical stores. While St Helens Retail Park may offer the same but, it also houses a number if independent and dicount stores.

When it comes to eating out, St Helens town centre is abound with restaurants that will appeal to all tatstes and budgets; from café bars and coffee shops to international and traditional British cuisine. Or if you are simply looking for a place to enjoy a few drinks, there are a number of traditional pubs with many serving real ale, modern bars and clubs in and around the town centre, with the biggest concentration of eating and drinking establishments on Bridge Street and Westfield Street .

St Helens ' excellent communication links almost prompt you to explore the local area, and there is a lot to do nearby with the likes of Knowsley Safari Park right on your doorstep. And if you enjoy the countryside air then Sankey Valley Country Park , Billinge Hill and Carrs Mill Dam are ideal retreats. While the magnificence of Knowsley Hall will impress you with its 2,500-acre scenic parkland that resembles a scene from Brideshead Revisited .

When it comes to sport, there can only be one: rugby league. St Helens is fanatcial about the game and with some justication because, the ‘Saints' are the most successful Super League team in history and have recently been crowned World Champions. Such a shame that the towns football team couldn't emulate their success. Instead, local football fans tend to be divided between supporting Liverpool FC or Manchester United, although the balance seems marginally weighted towards their Merseyside brethren.

Main residential areas
If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in St Helens.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around St Helens below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in St Helens or find out more information on the local area.