Llangefni is the County town of Anglesey; an important administrative centre with Anglesey Councils' offices dominating the town's employment base. Historically, Llangefni was a very busy market town with a cattle market operating every Wednesday and Thursday of every week. Following closure of the market in 1999 the town suffered greatly with trade diverted to other centres. The 5 acre cattle market site sold to Safeway in 2000 was eventually developed by ASDA in 2005 and the town has since benefited from the spin-off from car borne shopping at ASDA. Although there is pedestrian linkage to the town centre from ASDA's carpark, with some 240 persons in a 6 hour period walking through the bridge link to Church Street independent retailers are yet to fully benefit from ASDA's increased popularity and rising weekly sales figures. ASDA are said to be looking at extending their car parking on the site they reserved for a PFS although this is to be confirmed.
In Llangefni's retail core, independent retailers are struggling to compete with ASDA and the other multiple retailers represented include Iceland (formerly Co Op) Lidl and recently a new Aldi.
The weekly market is run by Anglesey Council but unfortunately this is also in decline despite attempts to revive it by The Trading Standards Department who actually run Anglesey Councils weekly market despite also being the enforcer. Call me old fashioned but in my day this was regarded as a "conflict of interest!" Perhaps the market operation ought to be open for "tender" for a private companies to pitch for running the market?
BE Group provided Anglesey Council with a report on development options for the Councils' land in the industrial estate but this did not include reporting upon the existing retail provision within Llangefni and possible ways in which it might be improved.
Llangefni ought to re-position itself and perhaps rather than try to compete with other centres (as they are virtually all the same) try to provide a different offer. As County town Llangefni could try to offer a different retailing experience, with a multitude of traditional shops that could co-exist with multiple retailers if steps were taken to encourage this to happen. TIG's are available to landlords thereby allowing buildings to be completely externally refurbished (doors, windows, elevations and roof coverings) so this might be the first step to improve Llangefni's appearance.
Planning permission was recently allowed for a large regional shopping centre outside llanfairpwll providing in effect a new town centre core in a remote location of Llangefni. This might not see the light of day however llangefni must change for the better to negate any possible spend influence. Anglesey Council must therefore consider employing consultants such as DTZ Peida Consulting to examine by way of an independent report what options may be available for Llangefni's future role as County town in retail terms.
Llangefni's retail core is somewhat constrained and car parking provision is poor, this could be helped by building a multi-storey carpark adjacent to the town centre. The age old problem of car parking scarcity is coupled with a culture of Anglesey Council charging for parking in its' carparks whilst ASDA gets away with free car parking provision. ASDA's carpark is abused as a free shoppers' carpark (2 hours) but the flip side is pay and display at Council provided parking.
Am I missing something here or should Anglesey Council consider abolishing car parking charges which might encourage car-borne shoppers to shop Llangefni rather than other centres?
A mixed use development proposal by StMalo on the 9.2 acre Council-owned site of Ysgol y Bont / Ysgol y Graig might see a reversal of fortunes for Llangefni. The proposal included retail, restaurants, leisure uses and hotel plus surface level carparking. The Council had already moved Ysgol y Graig to Talwrn Road so a relocation of Ysgol y Bont (special needs) was necessary. lack of suitable relocation options meant The Council would not consider any proposals for the schools site thereby squandering a development opportunity that was entirely deliverable. Accordingly Anglesey Council may revisit this proposal once it realises the Llanfairpwll shopping centre permission may not be implemented in the short-medium term.
What next for Llangefni? Crucially a NNDR reduction would also be a benefit along with a bar on charity shops that are not exactly "retail drivers" providing a negative town centre image.
Noticeably there are no attractions for children or teenagers in the town centre that might otherwise keep them occupied or amused. Perhaps the Council ought to consider leasing "walk-in" premises in thetown core that provides computer teaching / computer games / computer club or other facility that stimulates the grey matter. This is especially important in localities where there is an under-privileged society such as The Pencraig estate.
We are aware that local supremo Bryan Owen is keen to expand Llangefni FC to provide additional uses and facilities for local people. Llangefni RFC off Galanhwfa Road provides an alternative to the beautiful game. There is a Cricket Ground off Penmynydd Road and Plas Arthur leisure centre has basic facilities. What additional facilities are required....are existing facilities used?
Your thoughts are invited on how to improve Llangefni...!
When I lived on Ynys Mon, Llangefni was always a thriving town with a popular market. The last time I visited the town it was going down market with lots of charity shops and many simply closed. It was a depressing sight. I was delighted to see individual creative enterprise in the opening of Da Da Da. This is what Llangefni needs. You can't compete with huge chains, it has got to be one-off specialist shops that offer something different if Llangefni is to survive as a retail centre. Shop owners who can speak Cymraig is surely a bonus.
Posted by: Gwyneth Lloyd | June 24, 2009 at 10:03 PM