Clwyd West MS and Shadow Minister for North Wales, Darren Millar, has called for Cross Party engagement and discussion on town centres to ensure they are protected and are vibrant in the future.   

Calling for a Welsh Government Statement on the future of our High Streets in Wales in yesterday’s meeting of the Welsh Parliament, Darren said town centres are struggling and called for more to be done to help them.  

Speaking in the Business Statement, he said:

“Many town centres have been struggling in recent years. We know that the competition presented by online retailers and out-of-town developments, with their free parking opportunities, has made it tough doing business in our town centres. And, of course, the latest impact of the reduction in business rate relief is causing many businesses in Conwy and Denbighshire to get in touch to say that that could be make or break for them.

“I do think that we need to ensure that there's more discussion on the future of our town centres, how we can make sure that they are vibrant in the future, and I wonder whether we could have a statement so that we can have an engagement and a discussion on this on a Cross-Party basis to see what might be done to protect them.”

The Minister agreed to a Welsh Government Statement on the future of high streets in Wales.

Speaking after the meeting, Darren, who recently called for Conwy County Borough Council to convene a summit with businesses, elected representatives and other stakeholders to discuss the development of an action plan to turn around the fortunes of Colwyn Bay Town Centre, and met Abergele traders to discuss the challenges they are facing, added:

“Town centres in my constituency, and indeed across the whole of Wales, are experiencing difficult times and need our support. We cannot sit back and watch our town centres die, it is vital that we take action to help them revive.”