The benefit Independent Shops brings to Wrexham
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Spotted the following article on the IRC web-site which high-lights the need for Wrexham to reinvent its future based on attracting more Indie’s to set-up shop in Wrexham.
Maybe the focus of any future VVP grants WCBC receive off the Welsh Government ought to make this a priority.
Would welcome any suggestions on how to achieve this goal.
Cllr Phil Wynn
Shop Independent
Independent retailers are the lifeblood of the UK high streets, offering specialist products and service, knowledge and passion for retail and their community!
Shopping at an independent retailer supports local traders and in turn, the local economy, enabling local businesses to prosper and grow. Although each retailer is fully independent of every other, we all share a real love of retail and a passion to deliver a unique and individual shopping experience.
Did you know? for every £1 spent with a local, independent business, between 50p-70p circulates back into that local economy. Shopping online or in corporate, out of town retailers only generates around 5p back into the local community.
The Independent Retailers Confederation (IRC) brings together a variety of trade associations representing over 100,000 indie retailers throughout the UK – all of whom are committed to consumer choice, customer service and true value.Potted version or at length Phil?
(1). PLANNING: Kendal are building a range of units for Retail. They will be between 600 sq feet and 2000 square feet. Multiples like size. Keep the shops small, keep local businesses.
(2). CAR PARKING & ACCESS: Times have changed and Independent businesses are competing with Supermarkets, Eagles Meadow and the Multiples. Help the Independents by helping their Customers access the town.
(3). RATES: Persuade all of the national politicians to sort out the Rates question to reduce them OVERALL and also STRATEGICALLY. Small units and low rental units should not be Rated, EVEN when they occupy prime town centre sites.
(4). MARKETS: The prime incubators of local Retail business. Revolutionise the Markets so that they mimic Bury (or others).Ultimately, it is the pursuit of PROFIT that will stimulate Independent Investment in this town and the Council needs to try and create the conditions for enterprise to flourish and then get out of the way. Micro-managing might be appealing but let those who seek to run a business do what they do best and merely make it easy and convenient to do so.
“Shopping online … only generates around 5p back into the local community”
What about the local indie shops that have embraced the internet?! :)
As a second point, in terms of VVP how do you think that has gone so far in terms of making Wrexham a Vibrant and Viable Place?
Rob…if selling over the Internet helps Indie’s in Wrexham be profitable businesses then I’m all for that even if did result in only 5% of the turnover being recycled in Wrexham. I’m guessing the 5% quoted refers to the likes of Amazon so maybe not a direct comparison.
As regards the impact the current VVP has had on the vibrancy of our town-centre then I would say it is impossible to measure until the Arts Hub is opened along with the extra-care units on Grosvenor Rd. The other project relating to town is the Masterplan which has helped define potential uses for land within the town which will hopefully encourage the private sector to invest in Wrexham. Sadly that isn’t guaranteed hence we need the Summit which Nigel Lewis the chain of the Town-Centre Forum has instigated.
The area covered by the VVP does cover an area much wider than the town-centre ie Caia estate and the housing on the south west side of town. This is where VVP money has been spent on housing projects so I accept this would not be directly associated with delivering vibrancy in T-C.
Going forward if The Welsh Government run VVP2 then we need to influence the WG Minister to allow money to be spent on vibrancy projects such as helping ICEWALES to set an entrepreneurial melting pot located in the town. Other ideas I would like to see is WCBC buying a small number of empty stores to kick-start the Indie shop supply (bye the way this Nigel Lewis and Matt McAles idea). Other ideas include a big mobile screen in Queen Square.
To help the discussion it would be useful if other vibrancy proposals could be added. One thing we need to bear in mind is the Government will require matched funding from WCBC and other parties.
Phil
PS I agree with Alun let people get on with being entrepreneurs with the minimal of state interference.Phil could you be more precise over the VVP what is there to be seen for the millions pounds the Council have had so far — a Master Plan with no action or resource to deliver, a housing project for people with extra care needs – is unlikely to generate much footfall!!
An Arts Hub project that has more twists and turns in its development of drawn on paper would be an artistic master piece, and of course you have very carefully omitted to says that nearly £200k has been spent on a children’s nursery that lost over £50k in a year.
You may have a Party line as a Councillor to beef up VVP but until you can show the real difference it is going to make then I will remain sceptical.Council Watcher…I share your sentiments that when it comes to what impact the VVP has had on the town-centre then it is minimal. I hope the arts hub is a great success and will deliver different footfall into town. The extra-care unit may deliver potentially eighty or so elderly customers for the locality of that part of town, which is not anything to get excited about.
When the VVP was announced first time round Local Authorities were given a short window of opportunity to bid and they had to demonstrate matched funding. That matched funding has come by way of WCBC offering up empty properties and one of the social housing landlords investing in the extra-care unit.
What I’m interested in is encouraging the debate on what projects do we need to see for VVP2 bid, which resonate with Joe Public and can at the same time generate matched funding.
Out of interest do you have any projects you would like to see happen?
I’ll start a rolling list:
Large screen in Queen Square.
Empty shops such as Butons bought and sub-divided into units which would enable budding entrepreneurs to enter the retail trade (Nigel Lewis and Matt McAle’s idea)
Children’s play area along the lines of that which has been introduced on Eagles Meadow (Wrexham Forum idea)
Reopen parts of the town’s pedestrian zone to vehicles ( Rob Clarke in the Butchers Market)
Removing all commercial bins off the public highway (mine)
Coming up with a strategy which engages the town’s rough-sleepers and many HMO occupants , rather than leaving them to roam our town-centre thereby making an unattractive place to work,shop and play ( mine).
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