Shoppers 'put off city by crime and transport'

Plans worth £20m to revive the fortunes of Wrexham city centre have been outlined after claims that crime and poor transport links lead residents to spend huge sums elsewhere.

In September 2023, it was named one of 55 towns and cities selected to take part in the Long-Term Plan for Towns scheme scheme, announced by the then Conservative UK government.

It means the city could receive up to £20m over the next 10 years to help deliver improvements.

A report by members of the Wrexham City Board, which includes community and business leaders, details how they intend to boost the area's economy.

The 10-year plan will serve as a business case to secure government investment, with the initial tranche to be spent over the next three years.

It said a range of issues was causing people to spend tens of millions of pounds in nearby towns and shopping centres instead of their own city.

"The city centre faces numerous challenges," it said.

"Some relate to the prevailing general decline experienced by most town and city centres throughout the UK, and others are specific to Wrexham.

"Although £101m is spent annually by residents in Wrexham city centre, with an additional £6m spent by workers and £6m by tourists (totalling £113m), there is significant leakage of spend from the local population.

"Those living in Wrexham spend more (£137m) in Cheshire Oaks, Broughton and Oswestry, which are all out of county. They also spend £72m online."

It added: "Out-of-town shopping and leisure destinations are also having an impact, £41m is spent in Plas Coch, which acts to intercept visitors before they reach the centre of the city.

"Wrexham's numerous out-of-town retail parks are favoured due to their convenience and are often the default choice of many time-poor households."

The report also highlighted high crime rates as one of the main problems needing to be addressed.

Figures show the city's crime rate is nearly double the Welsh average at 181 incidents per 1,000 of the population.

The report said: "Available data and engagement activity undertaken by the Wrexham City Board indicates that safety is recognised as an issue of greater concern in Wrexham than many other parts of Wales.

"In 2023, the recorded crime rate was higher than the Wales average both across Wrexham county borough and more significantly in the city centre area."

While the report said all crime has fallen in the city centre police "beat area" in the past three years, it is still "a hotspot for both crime and anti-social behaviour”.

Transport and parking issues are also reported to have made residents spend elsewhere.

The document said public transport needed improvement, and driving should be made "less appealing to promote sustainability”.

The document shows improvements to walking and cycle routes will be made, as well as enhancing local bus services and investing in smart parking sensors.

Senior councillors will be asked to approve the plan for submission to the UK government before the 1 August deadline.