Should Wrexham Town Centre Have Extended Shopping Hours?

Proposals to reassess store opening hours in Wrexham Town Centre was subject to further debate today by local traders and councillors.

The concept of extending store opening hours in Wrexham was debated this morning by the Town Centre Forum, with members agreeing that the right approach needs to be taken with the idea.

Last December Wrexham.com ran a poll asking readers if they would support a regular night of late night shopping, of which 25% said they wouldn’t, 19% said they weren’t bothered and 56% were in favour of the proposals.

The idea to reassess opening hours in the town comes as a result of a recent study by Manchester University, which identified 25 key action points for the town centre – with increased opening hours one of the suggestions listed.

Currently late night opening hours in the town centre generally takes place nearer Christmas, however Eagles Meadow Manager Kevin Critchley pointed out that Eagles Meadow run late night shopping and have ‘established Thursday’ as the late opening trading period.

Mr Critchley added: “Thursday fits in nicely. On a Sunday we are open and it is noticeable that the retailers that are open are the national ones. What Wrexham doesn’t have is the rest of the retailing community trading.

“We know why and independents would have to be open seven days a week. Where there is an established trading business Sunday’s have grown to be the busiest day of the week, here Sunday is level with a Monday or less. The potential for Wrexham to grow in line on Sundays is huge, I think we are missing a trick by not taking advantage of Sunday trading that is growing.”

Sara, from Glow on Charles Street said: “We do a late night on a Thursday and it is very popular and strong, it always goes really well. We need to consider if we try to go forward with a project to give it a wider appeal, or we don’t do anything and we leave it as it is.”

The concept of extended opening hours one night a week in the town was welcomed by the Council Leader Mark Pritchard who also warned that traders would have to ‘start from day one on the right footing’ if the concept is to have a chance of success.

Cllr Pritchard said: “The issue with late night shopping is we need to stick with it and do a trial or a pilot. Wrexham Council would like to work alongside and see what we can do with parking. I’m not promising but it would be a magnet.

“I think late night shopping should be tried and see if you can bring life back on the town on that night. With a Thursday you would all have to sign up for it, if only little pockets do then it’s doomed to fail. It would have to include markets and independents.

The possibility of more stores open on a Sunday was also suggested, with 58% of those taking part in the Wrexham.com poll last month saying they would support more Sunday opening.

Chairman Nigel Lewis said: “There is a lot to gain on Sunday’s, however I think late night opening for independent traders will be better than trying to get them to open on a Sunday. It is no good having just 20% open, it needs to be marketed and is quite an extensive project.

“If it’s an opportunity to stop people clicking buy and get a few people less from Broughton in the evenings, then we have got to give it a try.”