At least 17 major shopping names have disappeared from Wrexham ’s heart over the last 10 years reflecting a decline in the big retail economy.
This week council chiefs backed a Masterplan to change the town centre’s fortunes saying Wrexham can no longer purely rely on the old model of retail shops to drive its fortunes.
In fact the blueprint suggested more of “Back to the Future” drive with part of the plan to encourage more niche shops back into the town centre, the style of which existed in the 80s and 90s before the main market was pulled down to be replaced by Henblas Square.
The Masterplan admitted Wrexham was looking “tired” and “unattractive” , had become “fragmented” by the building of retail parks on the periphery of the town including Eagles Meadow and Island Green and was now dominated by discount stores.
It said: “With the rise of changes in modern retail, the way people shop and wider economic changes mean that town centre regeneration needs a different model, future growth will come from a greater diversity of town centre uses.”
The focus will now be on improving public spaces, making the town centre greener, introducing more leisure, arts and culture, encouraging niche and high end shopping and increasing the number of restaurants.
Wrexham council leader Cllr Mark Pritchard said: "It is a mixed approach to regenerating the town centre."If we can attract 10 small shops or one big shop, we will do all we can to regenerate it."We are trying to create a community in the town centre and redevelop it and have the ambition to do this."
Here the Daily Post looks at a timeline of decline, showing the household brands that have closed in North Wales largest town during the last decade reflecting the impact of the recession and the rise of Internet shopping in Wrexham.
The shops lost to Wrexham in last 10 years
January 2006 - MVC
The music retailer was the first big name to go, quitting Henblas Square in 2006
February 2010 - Ethel Austin
The high street clothes ceased to trade at all in 2013, but had pulled out of Wrexham three years earlier. It was the first of a flurry of withdrawals in quick succession
February 2010 - Au Naturale
The household goods chain, which had an outlet in Henblas Square, was eventually bought out by B&M
June 2011 - Jane Norman
The women's fashion chain, which had a store in Eagles Meadow, went into administration with 1,600 jobs lost
August 2011 - TJ Hughes
One of the best known discount names on the High Street, TJ Hughes decided to pull out of its Henblas Square premises on the eve of its centenary
January 2012 - La Senza
The Wrexham branch of the lingerie store chain was closed, being one of its less well performing outlets, as part of a restructure
February 2012 - Past Times
Heritage and nostalgia retailers Past Times decided Wrexham wasn't what it used to be, and quit Eagles Meadow in 2012
June 2012 - JJB Sports
JJB Sports, one of the main players in the fiercely competitive sports and leisure wear market, decided to leave the Plas Coch retail park
July 2012 - Julian Graves
The health food chain decided Wrexham's economy wasn't healthy enough, and left the town centre in the middle of summer 2012
July 2013 - Internacionale
The value retailer decided there was little value to remaining in Henbas Square
January 2014 - Woolworth
Having once been one of the best-loved names on the High Street, Woolworths went into administration in 2009, but was bought up by Shop Direct group, which ran its store in Wrexham until giving up the ghost in 2014. The 'Woolies' name and website disappeared for good in 2015.
September 2014 - Phones4U
The phone giant decided to hang up on its Eagles Meadow store in September 2014
February 2015 - Bank
The fashion retailer Bank decided to make a full withdrawal from Wrexham just over a year ago
January 2016 - Blue Inc
With Wrexham clearly falling out of fashion with High Street names, fashionista store Blue Inc decided in January to leave the
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