Exciting times for retailers as shoppers return to city

As Welsh retailers get back to business, Swansea BID Chief Executive Russell Greenslade explains why our city centre is the hot ticket for savvy owners

IN the past year Swansea has routinely topped lists of the best places to start a business and with a billion pounds of investment going on to secure a modern, well-functioning, attractive city centre, it is easy to see why this is the case.

We have seen a slew of start-ups investing in Swansea City Centre across retail, beauty and the food and drink industry during lockdown.

The past year has, of course, been the most challenging year businesses in Swansea City Centre have ever seen. The effects of the pandemic will be felt for some time to come and it is important not to downplay the impact this has had upon our businesses.

However, it is very noticeable that businesses in the city centre have not only risen to the challenges of the pandemic – and we have been happy to support them in this – but there is a palpable sense of excitement about the next chapter for Swansea.

Swansea is going through a £1bn renaissance at the moment with the Copr Bay Development taking shape swiftly. The new arena is now hiring, and the golden bridge is spanning Oystermouth Road as a tangible, very visible sign of new things for the city centre.

There is also work going on apace on The Kingsway, in St David’s Square, in Wind Street and throughout the city centre. Of course, many people have not visited the city centre for some time, so they have yet to see the changes, but once you see it with your own eyes it is clear that Swansea city centre has a bright future ahead, with genuine investment being made to create a smart balance of retail, hospitality, residential and more, that will help secure a bright future for the city centre.

This is proving to be an attractive offer for retail investors.

We are seeing smart thinking and joined-up thinking from developers, Swansea Council and its planners, and other stakeholders, including Swansea BID, to make sure the city centre works as a machine for supporting business and consumers while ensuring Swansea is a great place to be.

For example, there are plans for a multi-purpose community hub in Oxford Street, which would go into the existing What! site, to offer a range of services, social activities, learning and support groups as well as flexible office space for third, public and private sector companies. This would support footflow in the area, which is so crucial for business.

Also, plans to move more public sector workers into the city centre will help support retail and hospitality. Meanwhile moves to make Wind Street more family friendly will help the city centre function better outside of the evening and night time.

We are seeing a host of eye-catching business refurbishments going ahead in the shops, clubs, restaurants and venues that Swansea people know and love. Many have invested hundreds of thousands of pounds to roll out the red carpet for returning visitors. New businesses have been opening throughout Swansea city centre, keen to be part of the next chapter in the city’s story. Taco Bell, Mazza Treatz, Lotus Nails, TS Nails, Glamdesire Spa, Tangled Parrot, Positano Express and others have all decided that Swansea city centre is a good investment for the future. And there are more in the pipeline.

Swansea BID was the first Business Improvement District established in Wales, covering Swansea city centre, and it has very much been a pathfinder. For our part, Swansea BID and its Big Heart of Swansea brand has never been busier. We have upscaled our communications to businesses in the city centre and we have been working to cut through some of the confusion that sometimes arises regarding the Government and Welsh Government grants and funding that are helping firms through this difficult time.

Our Bid-funded street cleansing team has been hard at work to make sure the city centre remains attractive, and the city centre Rangers that are part-funded by Swansea BID have stepped up their activities to make sure businesses that are not open are well-secured and protected and to make sure consumers feel confident when they are shopping in Swansea that they are safe and wellinformed about Covid-19 restrictions.

We have also supplied free risk assessments, PPE kits, floor and window stickers – all to help the businesses share clear messages so consumers know they are safe. The growing positivity around the regeneration is noticeable among the BID area businesses and I hope this snowballs. We are certainly seeing entrepreneurs making a choice to set up businesses here long-term, thanks to bodies like Creative Bubble, which BID part-funds with UWTSD. I’m sure this trend will continue as the city centre’s innovation hub is established on The Kingsway, with incubation and co-working spaces for small businesses in tech and creative industries. 2020 sees Swansea BID carry out our fourth ballot preparations for 2021 running parallel to our day-day operations. We can say wholeheartedly that we stand beside all Swansea city centre businesses amid difficult times – and, as a city centre business ourselves, we have never seen a more exciting time unfold for Swansea.

‘‘ It is very noticeable that businesses in the city centre have not only risen to the challenges of the pandemic – and we have been happy to support them in this – but there is a palpable sense of excitement about the next chapter for Swansea

- Swansea BID Chief Executive Russell Greenslade