10 TownTown Centres Unique Places Centres Unique Places Bargoed Caerphilly Blackwood 9 9 Town Centres Unique Places 10 10 page Contents 1 Why are town centres unique places? 2 Background 5 Caerphilly 7 Blackwood 9 Bargoed 11 The Role Of TownTown Centres Unique Places Centres Town Centre Management 14 Funding Unique Places 14 Conclusion 15 Additional Information 9 Why are town centres unique places? Town centres are playing an increasingly important role as customers rediscover the true value of shopping locally. They are also helping people to establish a sense of place in uncertain times and providing a space where they can reconnect with their community. 1 Bargoed Blackwood Caerphilly Diverse The retail offer in town centres encourages people to visit on lifestyle has led to the is a broad one, mixing different days for a variety of emergence of a café culture. familiar high street names reasons. Services which are As coffee shops and cafés place with smaller independent available in town centres their tables and chairs out onto retailers. This combination include: Post Offices, Opticians, the pavements, towns have gives the customer a unique Pharmacies, Estate Agents, developed a more continental shopping experience. The Banks, Building Societies, atmosphere encouraging perception may be that town Dentists, Hairdressers and people to stay longer and centres are just about shops, Nail Bars. Town centres also socialise. Therefore, it is the but in reality, their appeal is have a long tradition of being sheer diversity of what town far wider. Service provision is places where people go to centres offer in a single equally as important as retail. meet up with friends in cafés location, which is their real Having access to a wide range and restaurants. The increasing strength and one of the secrets of services in one place popularity of a more European of their enduring appeal. What is their appeal and why should we regard town centres as unique places? 2 Town Centres - Unique Places Blackwood Bargoed Caerphilly A465(T) Rhymney Convenient Pontlottyn A470(T) A469 The recent emergence of A4048 New Tredegar retail parks, often located A467 away from the traditional centre of a town, has meant Markham that the role of the town centre Aberbargoed has now come under even Bargoed A472 greater scrutiny. Oakdale B4251 B4254 Nelson Blackwood Gelligaer Newbridge Today’s customer is seeking A472 A472 Pontllanfraith Ystrad better value from their Mynach shopping experience and A467 Abercarn the convenience of the town Llanbradach A470(T) Cwmfelinfach Crosskeys centres is becoming a strong A4048 Risca attraction, in comparison Bedwas to retail parks. Machen Caerphilly A467 A469 For many shoppers, a town A468 A468 centre with its multitude of shops and essential services 28 is still within walking distance 32 M4 of their home. In contrast to a CARDIFF NEWPORT retail park, that may be a car or bus journey away. © Crown copyright. CCBC, 100025372, 2009 3 Local To understand why town a community is told through difficult to define and virtually centres are unique you need a town centre’s architecture, impossible to replace. Town only to visit them and look public art and its landmarks. centres encourage a person to around at the buildings that These celebrate successes have a feeling of ownership make up their fabric. These and achievement, but also over where they live. They can tell of a rich local heritage that remember times of hardship also play a valuable part in link visitors with the town’s and even moments of loss. The contributing to the notion of a cultural as well as its historical emotions people feel by being place someone can recognise past. The evolving story of part of a community are very as home. Caerphilly Blackwood Bargoed In conclusion, town centres a connection between the This document begins with an are still at the heart of the many separate elements that overview of each of the three community and need always make up a community. principle towns in Caerphilly be regarded as such. County Borough and sets out It is these qualities, which make their individual strengths as They combine a diverse offer town centres unique places and investment opportunities for of shops and services, in a are the cornerstones on which retailers, service providers convenient location, providing their future needs to be built. and businesses. 4 Town Centres - Unique Places Caerphilly is the largest town in the County Borough and a sub-regional centre. The catchment area for the Whilst Cardiff Road is a more to the northern suburbs of town includes Senghenydd, traditional shopping area Cardiff allows the town to Abertridwr, Llanbradach, featuring many of Caerphilly’s market itself to a much wider Bedwas, Trethomas, Machen, independent retailers, inter- customer base, capitalising on Rudry, Waterloo and Draethen, spersed with familiar high street its proximity to the capital. The this area has a population of names including: Peacocks, unique character of this historic approximately 53,000. The Superdrug, Tesco and Iceland. town, makes it a real alternative town is a popular tourist desti- to the big city experience. nation, due to the presence of Future developments in the the second largest fortress in town centre are focussed on two The branding of ‘Relaxing Retail Europe located in the centre of sites: Firstly an area on the West Therapy’ has given the Town the town. side of Cardiff Road, secondly Centre a strong identity and a site in Park Lane, which over- defines the shopping experience The town has two shopping looks the castle and presents a it strives to deliver. In 2009 areas each providing a distinct prime town centre location. Caerphilly was awarded Fair- type of shopping offer. The trade Town Status in recogni- Castle Court Shopping Centre, Caerphilly town centre is built tion of the work done by local located directly opposite the around its majestic castle and is retailers, businesses, churches castle, is home to a wide variety surrounded by beautiful Welsh and voluntary groups to promote of multiple retailers including: countryside. Its close proximity the concept of Fairtrade. Morrisons, Argos, WH Smith, Boots and Costa Coffee. 5 Caerphilly Castle and Town Centre 6 Town Centres - Unique Places Blackwood is the second largest town in the County Borough area and is one of two sub-regional centres. The catchment area has a Within the last few years the from all over the surrounding population of approximately town has dramatically improved area. Together these projects 34,000 and includes Argoed, its transport infrastructure with define the town’s future, making Cefn Fforest, Penmaen, the construction of the Sirhowy it an attractive option for Pengam, Pontllanfraith and Enterprise Way and the iconic investors looking to locate in Ynysddu. There are a number Chartist Bridge. The new road the South East Wales valleys. of multiple retailers present now links the town centre with in the town including Argos, the Oakdale Business Park Private sector investment in two Peacocks, Boots, Iceland opening up the town to 5,000 new retail parks, located at and Superdrug. potential customers. either end of the town centre, creates new opportunities for Blackwood town centre offers Blackwood has long been retailers looking for a presence shoppers a wide choice of an interchange for bus routes in the South East Valleys area. independent retailers from all over the South East The northern Retail Park is interspersed with multiple valleys, the construction of the anchored by an ASDA retailers. The strength of its award winning Interchange superstore and the southern appeal is the range and Bus Station makes the town development by a Focus diversity of its retail offer. more accessible to people DIY store. 7 The Chartist Bridge and Statue 8 Town Centres - Unique Places Bargoed is the most northern of the six main retail centres in the County Borough and is located in the Rhymney Valley. It is the third largest town The new £25 million link road comprehensive public realm behind the sub-regional centres Angel Way was opened in scheme that will create an of Caerphilly and Blackwood 2009, linking the north and environment that enhances and is the largest of the four south of the Rhymney Valley. the pedestrian space. A district centres. The catchment This road significantly increases new retail plateau is under area for the town includes accessibility to the town and construction, which is situated Rhymney, Fochriw, Pontlottyn, provides an opportunity to directly alongside the existing Abertysswg, Deri, New attract well-known high street retail area. It will create a new Tredegar, Aberbargoed and names to improve the existing shopping centre at the heart Gilfach with a combined retail offer. of in the town centre. population of over 26,000. The Council has ambitious plans The Bargoed Big Idea website - Since the closure of the to continue the regeneration www.bargoedsbigidea.co.uk colliery in 1977, Bargoed of Bargoed. The construction is a stand-alone Internet site has been in a weak economic of a new bus station at the that acts as an information position. The town has a north of the town centre will point for the Greater Bargoed number of multiple retailers improve transport infrastructure Regeneration Scheme and including Peacocks, Dorothy and accessibility. This project as an interactive investment Perkins, Burtons and Spar. will be combined with a portfolio. 9 Regeneration Scheme: Phase 1 - Angel Way 10 Town Centres - Unique Places The Role Of Town Centre Management Through the process of Town in the towns will largely be These include a Town Centre Centre Management, Caerphilly driven by the vision and Management Group for each County Borough Council has aspirations of the local authority, of the three principle towns.