City Status

[Liam]

I’m not sure why certain politicians think city status is the goose that laid the golden egg. Is it going to resolve the problems that small business owners and market holders face e.g. high business rates and high rents? I doubt it. Alun has summed up in his last paragraph the identity most people I speak to in the town are proud of and would like to see protected. Sadly our elected representatives don’t share that vision in my experience.

[ddraig]

@Liam 17178 wrote:

I’m not sure why certain politicians think city status is the goose that laid the golden egg. Is it going to resolve the problems that small business owners and market holders face e.g. high business rates and high rents? I doubt it. Alun has summed up in his last paragraph the identity most people I speak to in the town are proud of and would like to see protected. Sadly our elected representatives don’t share that vision in my experience.

Are they saying that it will?

[Liam]

@ddraig 17179 wrote:

Are they saying that it will?

No, but in my mind those are just some of the issues stopping Wrexham from being a vibrant town. People are largely proud of its identity as a market town. Unfortunately a mixture of the economic downturn and town planners trying to turn it into something it’s not have hurt that image.

[Sheefag]

Is the twin town still Hiroshima?

[wxm]

Yes, very difficult to list the pros and cons. Searching for various lists of the top ten market towns comes up with one example:

1. Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire
2. Ludlow, Shropshire
3. Morpeth, Northumberland
4. Harrogate, Yorkshire
5. Wilton, Wiltshire
6. Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
7. Nantwich, Cheshire
8. Chagford, Devon
9. Lewes, East Sussex
10. Market Harborough, Leicestershire

[zinger]

Shrewsbury is a market town. Have they ever applied for city status? We had it all. Industries, markets, heritage. Oswestry is proud to call itself a market town. The entrance to the town proudly states what it is.

[Alunh]

I do not agree with many aspects of the New Economics Foundation’s Clone Town studies (google Clone Town theory) but I do feel when I revisit the research that the concept of City Status is yet another move down a blind alley.

The NEF warned years ago about the growth of bland Clone towns and identified those towns which had averted Clone town status and how they had done it. They talked of ‘Local’ towns which had restricted the growth of Supermarket and out of town developments, preserved unique local facets of their towns, encouraged local Entrepreneurship and so on.

I tend to think of City status as a quest to further ignore those who warn of the Clone trap, who see many town developers as pack animals with no ability to think outside the box, and who are fixated with trying to become a Minnie-Me to Chester. Clearly Wrexham has many problems and the Indie sector and Markets are perhaps beyond creaking. City status isn’t a problem per se but those who seek it appear to think it will be a palliative for the many visible ailments. I would like to see the available budget for regeneration less about status and more about encouraging small scale, nuts and bolts, local enterprise. If this is retail, the arts or the night time economy, great. If this is SMEs on the Industrial estate, even better.

If someone said to me we can become a city, great, but let’s not consume hard earned income chasing what is a title and nothing else.

At this time of year I would recommend that the Wizard of Oz is distributed to all of the Councillors to remind them what the Wizard said to the Scarecrow in his quest for a brain

[Katia]

It isn’t so much that I strongly oppose city status for Wrexham – nor that I resent council or parliamentarians seeking enhanced status for representing a city rather than a town if thats the case. Nor even that I worry that everything will cost more, whether as an individual through Council Tax or for business people having higher costs to earn their living.

The simple reason I am against Wrexham chasing city status for a third time in recent years is that it will cost money better spent on continuing the perceived improved plans presently occupying the minds of our council.
I would prefer them to spend money attracting visitors to town with the parking incentives etc or any number of other things rather than spending a penny on chasing city status.
Actually, on that thought, yes, spend the money on keeping our public toilets open instead !

Slow news day for a Leader front page definitely.
A hotchpotch of statements cobbled together to suggest a new troika with renewed vigour chasing city status for Wrexham.

Not really the case as only Lord Elis-Thomas was freshly inspired, rather like a motivational speaker on a lifestyle coaching seminar.
Mr Lucas and Cllr Dutton’s views were nothing freshly aired.

Evidently Mr Lucas comments were from a previous meeting of WBP, his view reported previously on September 26 in The Leader, alongside the thoughts of Cllr Dutton.
The Leader – News from Wrexham & Flintshire – Let’s try again for city status for Wrexham, says councillor

Being as Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas was addressing the annual gathering of Wrexham Business Professionals, he probably considered this topic would be well received, just spooning his audience things that sound good but describing him as clutching at straws is being kind.
” I believe the key thing for North Wales is to work with the north of England because of the opportunities being offered by the lead Manchester is taking in the creation of a large city region there. When the high speed HS2 railway line comes we have to be ready. The corridor between Manchester and Dublin is where we belong and Wrexham is at the centre of that.
The future of Wrexham is without doubt to be a city – a rejuvenated manufacturing city and a developing services city. This is what Wrexham has meant to me over the years. “

His comments that Devolution was something people feared in 1999 but in 2014/15 is now accepted by the overwhelming majority of the people of Wales are absolute baloney !
Top politician Lord Elis Thomas backs city status for Wrexham « North Wales Extra North Wales Extra

Further to AlunH referencing The Wizard Of Oz, Christmas Day BBC1 has Frozen.

Given that in 2011 the council’s public consultation with 1500 responses came out two to one against the application being lodged.
For The First Time In Forever, perhaps Mr Lucas and Cllr Bob Dutton will actually listen to the people of Wrexham regarding chasing city status, and Let It Go !!!

[Born Acorn]

I’m guessing a lot of politicians like the idea since the “City of Wrexham” would be more likely to gain investment opportunity from the US and China and other foreign investors than the “town of Wrexham”.

But more likely is not a sure thing – it might not attract a single one.

[justjojo2011]

The question has to be, what can Wrexham gain from having city status? It hasn’t really done much good to Newport and to be honest, I blinked and missed St Asaph so what has improved in those 2 cities? I have heard that everything goes up in price when you’re a city, I wonder if there is any truth to this and if there is, will our own income go up to match the rise in everything else?

Will city status improve our tourism into the town? Will it bring in more varied shops to the town? Will it make a difference to parking issues?

I for one am very open minded on the issue but I’m not 100$ convinced being a city is what Wrexham needs right now. I feel perhaps there are other things that need to be improved first.

[Author]

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