It has all the making of a quaint, lovely town, with its setting in the foothills of the Pennines, and the Huddersfield Narrow Canal flowing right through the centre.
But some residents say the heart of Stalybridge has become a 'ghost town', with overflowing bins, parking costs, and inadequate transport links and overflowing bins hurting local business and pride.
The Tameside town has a population of just over 26,000 - but there was little sign of them when the Local Democracy Reporting Service visited the centre this month. Join our WhatsApp Top Stories and Breaking News group by clicking this link. Although that day's icy weather may have deterred some from frequenting the local shops, many regulars said empty streets had become a normal sight.
The hub of the area cut a picturesque scene in the snow, but that vision fell apart when locals started to point out the overflowing bins that have become a regular eyesore.