It's 2009.This year analogue signals will cease from our local Winter Hill transmitter and everyone will require some sort of Digital signal source.This can be through Satellite,cable or freeview.
If you do not have satellite or cable you will need to acquire a freeview box for EVERY TV and one for your old vcr or dvdr(if it does not have a digital tuner built in-most of the early ones were analogue only)
If you live in Runcorn,Widnes or Warrington you probably have a 90% chance of freeview working off your current aerial without any problems.
Problem areas are few and far between-Parts of Beechwood in Runcorn and the areas around Halton Stadium in Widnes can be difficult.
One question I would ask is:Is your analogue channel 5 signal watchable?
If the answer to this is yes then you almost certainly do not need a new aerial and if you do need a need a new aerial then it doesn't need to be anything special,adequate aerials are available for less than £10 for most areas.
If you require freeview in any room I can check your aerial for you or for upstairs will connect an indoor aerial(perfectly adequate in all 1st floor rooms in my house) or an attic aerial if necessary.
Another point to note is that when the analogue signal is switched off the digital radiated power is to be increased greatly improving the situation for older aerials or poor signal areas.