How can Wrexham become a modern market town?

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  • #162181

    Wrexham ITK
    Participant
    #162182

    WreX-iT
    Participant

    They could turn Ty Pawb into a market and attract market traders while throwing out the arty farty elelment.
    Demolish the empty shop units off Lambpit street and make a vegetable market and once everyone on their 10 year contracts leaves Eagles Meadow, flatten it and hold an open market there every Monday.
    You could attract farmers and hold livestock auctions on the Mecca Bingo car park.

    Imagine attracting people into the town centre? That would be something!

    #162197

    Matt
    Participant

    Number 1 – instead of enforcing the importance of Ty Pawb as part of their Market strategy – they just need to stop pretending it is any kind of hybrid environment and just use that for the arts instead (okay so there are artsy stalls but I don’t think it fits in with a holistic market strategy for the overall town). That way they can just focus on using the space for art, music, dance, film and other popular culture instead. It was an unpopular venue, it’s here to stay so they need to make the best of it one way or another.

    Number 2 – Let’s stop pretending that Monday morning is a decent and popular time to hold a market in 2019 – the majority of people who would push through massive footfall and spending – the employed and families are all working or are in school. So it’s only really OAPs, house-wives (if that’s even such a thing), the unemployed and those with incredibly flexible hours and nothing better to do who will be going.

    Instead they should focus on setting up a weekly market either on Saturday or Sunday – I guarantee that would attract hundreds if not thousands more people in and traders selling a whole range of wares to match the numbers of people going. You only need to see how popular the one off special Markets are (Christmas etc…) and they are all at times when people can actually attend and not during working hours. The new market day they could then make public council car parks free of charge – this would drive in desperately needed footfall into actual town itself on the weekend rather than just into Tesco, Sainsbury’s and ASDA where the majority of cars/people seem to end up.

    Number 3 – have more super-themed markets dotted around the year and not just at Christmas – it doesn’t matter if it’s something like a Spring/Easter Market, Summer Fayre/Market, Autumn/Harvest Market, Christmas is covered – people just love these and the bringing in of funfair attractions like the carousel etc and other entertainment… will bring in lots of families.

    #162204

    Wrexham ITK
    Participant

    I don’t think they can scrap the art elements of Ty Pawb as the Council have conned the Welsh Arts Council out of millions for the refurbishment on the basis that it’s an Arts Hub. I think they’re already pushing their luck with the market stalls that have been retained.

    #162206

    Wrexham ITK
    Participant

    Agree with your points Matt. On the third one, I think that the ones they had at Xmas were a great success so it seems very sensible to expand this idea to other times of year.

    Another thing, and I know this gets boring, but I wish the Council would look at the bigger picture and be bold with their parking arrangements. They seem to look at the parking revenue in isolation and say “if we reduce fees then we lose revenue” – yes, but you need to draw customers in, which will draw in more businesses in, which increases business rates income and improves the whole feel of the town.

    I would get rid of parking charges altogether under, say, 2 hours (to avoid people working or living in the town abusing it) and, say, up to 4 hours at £1. All day £2.

    #162207

    Alunh
    Participant

    There are many ways in which Wrexham can be rebranded as a modern Market town:
    i. A modern Market town is about more than its Markets. The assumption is that a town makes a conscious effort to promote small, local and experiential retailing. This means every part of policy determination is aimed at producing small unit retailing and service provision and it means that things like Planning and business support are geared to that objective.
    ii. The Manchester Met have produced Reports like Markets Matter on this subject and for Wrexham to become a modern Market town the Council and the Community have to be on the same page on this subject. Judging by social media responses, the Community already are and the Council needs to move away from the delusional chasing of City status and, instead, chase the realistic and supported.
    iii. The Markets themselves leave much to be desired and whilst they may not be the shambles that they were a decade ago, they are not coherent. Ty Pawb was established as an Arts Hub/Market hybrid yet the totally logical thing to do with it was fuse Arts with a Crafts orientated market….the same as they do all across the globe. A Pottery with a potter onsite selling produce would have helped as would an Arts studio where Artists can produce for Market sales. If you replicate that logic across the Crafts, a dynamic Market could have been produced with a selling focus (not the farty stuff). Towns like Abergavenny locate their outdoor Market on a tangent to their indoor (to cross-fertilise) whilst room is made available internally for itinerant traders. We still have no Food Hall, yet Bury does. People love these. Additionally, where food is there has to be Car Parking and access. This is 2019 and people won’t walk with bags of food. Variable stall prices need to be developed because a balanced and varied Market finds it hard to attract niche trades if Rents are set at a homogeneous high price.
    iv. A Marketeer and a Marketer needs to be appointed to run the show.

    #162210

    jimbow
    Participant

    What is the definition of a Modern Market Town? To me Wrexham has become too spread out to be called a Market Town. I believe it is too late to bring about change in the town, because of the spread. Let us make the best of what we have at this moment in time.
    Markets as they once were, are finished. Specialist markets from time to time throughout the year can thrive, but a permanent market is not always sustainable.
    Wrexham have built up everything most people need on the outskirts, there is less need for people to come into the town centre.

    #162213

    DerekJackson
    Participant

    Why are people always referring to an old style of trading ‘markets’ for many people now is about online markets not market stalls?
    I had a friend who wanted to have one of the Ty Pawb units for a pottery business and it took nearly three months for the Council to get back and say if there was water and a three phase electrical supply available — as it took so long the opted for another location in an artisan centre.
    It will be interesting to see if the refurbished units in Henblas street get occupancy and if that can change the dynamics for that part of town and if that becomes a magnet area.

    #162250

    MP1953
    Participant

    WREX ITK wrote

    I would get rid of parking charges altogether under, say, 2 hours (to avoid people working or living in the town abusing it) and, say, up to 4 hours at £1. All day £2.

    Definitely sorted ….

    #162288

    WreX-iT
    Participant

    The town has had its day, let it die now.

    Unless they find a way to put all of the shops that are actually open in one area then people will not visit. It is very depressing passing closed shops.

    Mold seems to have it sussed. There are a few closed pubs but its not an eyesore.

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