More events in pipeline to boost city centre

Swansea city centre leaders have praised a fun event held on the weekend to help increase footfall and boost trade and say more should be on their way soon.

A Wave and Swansea Sound promotional trailer and outdoor broadcast was set up to attract shoppers to the Plymouth Street, Nelson Street, Lower Oxford Street and arcades area of the city and to highlight the unique goods and services on offer there.

Live entertainment was arranged and a town crier was tasked with roving the area and encouraging visitors to pop into the range of independent stores in the area.

Promotional literature about Swansea city centre was distributed and shoppers made the most of a variety of discount vouchers redeemable at several stores in the vicinity.

The vouchers are valid until October 1 and many are still available by calling into the City Centre Management offices on Plymouth Street.

City Centre Manager Lisa Wells says feedback has been encouraging and this is why talks about several similar events in the near future are ongoing.

Lisa said: "This area of the city centre is bustling with independent traders that offer gifts and products that aren't usually available in the high street shops.

"They help to make Swansea a unique shopping experience but it's important we support them during these difficult economic times.

"The combination of the outdoor broadcast and live dance and music on the weekend means many shoppers will have ventured over to the area and will have discovered the range of cafes and shops located there.

"This can only augur well for the area and for the city centre as a whole as we look to attract more shoppers and further raise its profile as a safe and vibrant shopping experience that stands out from the crowd because of its individuality."

Dave Kenny, owner of The Party Shop on Shoppers Walk and chairman of Swansea BID, said: "Experience from the past has shown us that events of this nature typically tend to increase footfall in the area where they're held and we hope to see more promotional activities of this kind in future.

"They help to generate a great atmosphere and it's an incentive for shoppers to return."

Helen Dallin helped to organise some entertainment where over 40 children from The Sir Harry Seacombe Trust performed several classic songs from hit 1980s movie Footloose in advance of a series of concerts planned at the Grand Theatre.

She said: "The children and the audience that gathered really seemed to enjoy and there was quite a buzz in the city centre.

"A lot of interest was generated from the performance and we hope this will reflect in ticket sales."