Sign up to our free newsletter for the top North Wales stories sent straight to your e-mail Sign up now! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

The people of Wrexham have been having their say on how they believe the town centre can regenerate its fortunes.

North Wales' largest town has come in for criticism in recent years, with closed down shops, images of zombified people apparently on the spice drug, with a council regeneration masterplan report describing it as "tired" and "unattractive" in 2016.

Recently Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) business leaders said there is cause to be optimistic with the Ty Pawb Arts centre opening, more events and shops starting to filter back into the empty Henblas Square shopping centre.

They said there is still work to be done.

North Wales Live asked readers what they felt the problems were and what could be done to rejuvenate Wrexham.

(Image: Hadyn Iball/Daily Post Wales)

What readers said

There were concerns over the town’s appearance, the ongoing issues with drugs around the town’s streets, with the question of Eagles Meadow splitting shopping from the traditional centre, raised again.

Suggestions included cheaper parking, a call for more independent and small shops, lower rents and rates to encourage businesses into the town.

Other ideas included more accommodation, festivals and entertainments, a review of parking prices and access issues and an appeal to establish a brand identity for Wrexham.

Ellie Rose Morgan said: “As a visitor to Wrexham, I find the place too bitty. There’s a shop here and a shop there and then a long walk to the big shops at Eagles Meadow. It looks outdated and dull. The problem with drugs and anti-social behaviour is a big worry."

She added: “Cheap rents and rates on the shops to attract the smaller traders. If people could go into town to get their meat, fruit and veg, the social aspect and community support would surely bring them in.”

Lowri Charlotte Haf Morgan Jones said: “We’re fine for bars. More little shops. Split one of the big empty department stores into little sections for local businesses. A bit like what Ty Pawb has done except more mixed local business.”

Paul Chesworth also backed the smaller shop direction. “If you get the right business in place people will use it,” he said: “Take ‘The Fat Boar’ for example. Wrexham has been crying out for a bar/restaurant like this for years.”

He added: “Encourage independent traders to set up shop. Coffee shops, independent restaurants... independents are the future of town centres as chain retail businesses will continue to suffer.”

Liz Rose said: “There needs to be much more accommodation and shops put back in especially by Eagles meadow. There should be more places for entertainment. There is so much empty space in the town just going to waste and all the shops that have closed, doesn’t look appealing.”

She added: “Most importantly the people who are on drugs/homeless need much more support in order to get off the streets. I used to live near the Wrexham area and it's shocking the amount of people suffering there.”

Local businessman Alun Hughes, who ran the popular Phase One record store and now Flim Music and Nostalgia, said many suggestions were unrealistic, such as moving all shops from Eagles Meadow back to the old town centre. Rates were set by the Valuation Office Agency in South Wales and rents by landlords or their agents, he said.

He believes the council should establish a brand identity for the town, examine issues including access, parking rates, a coach park and a modern shop mobility scheme and he backed priority being given to smaller enterprises in planning.

(Image: Google Maps)

"Shops in the future will be more service orientated," he said: "Small and local, and will offer a more experiential range of things.

"Proactivity is vital and planning needs to look at channelling available own revitalisation funds into unit reconfiguration, to make a generation of now obsolete monster sized shops suitable for the arts and crafts shops of the future."

You can have your say on this story by using the comments section below