Let's Get things Going

 Press Release being distributed tomorrow

The challenge went out.  And Council Leader Chris Holley took it up and will be in the City Centre on Saturday 29^th October between 10.30 and 11.30 talking to shoppers and business-people on how they view Swansea City Centre.

Mike Leahy, working with Tourism Swansea Bay, has been putting up ideas to promote Swansea and to bring some life and activity that will encourage visitors and heighten their shopping experience on his blog at www.mikeleahy.com. He then went on to challenge the Leader to some face-to-face exchanges. He said “I love Swansea and the whole area. There is so much for the visitor but I feel there is plenty that can be done by the Council to make the city centre more inviting, to improve their shopping experience without having to spend much money”. He went on to say “There seem to be too many groups discussing these issues but not a lot of action. Committees talk, individuals take action”

He has now met with Council Leader Chris Holley who has agreed to do a walkabout in the City and find out the best and worse things perceived by both shoppers and the retailers who serve them. The three main questions they will be asking are “What do you think is the best Swansea offers?”, “What is the worst thing?”, and “What would you like to see or what do you think would be an improvement?”

Mike Leahy has now discussed some of his ideas with Cllr Leader Chris Holley and had a further meeting with Cllr Richard Lewis, the City Ambassador. It has now been agreed that three ideas would be taken up at this stage as local trader initiatives and these are appointing a Town Crier who would be out and about throughout the City at the weekends promoting events and local businesses which would be funded by local retailers: creating an Artists Quarter similar the Montremart in Paris: and finally improving the busking to as near a level as that seen in Covent Garden. The finer detail hasn’t been agreed yet but there has been considerable backing from local traders who feel that much can be done to make the City Centre a vibrant shopping destination. 

Let's not let the sun set on these ideas. Lets put them into action.