Here's some good news. Another empty premises is about to see life.
The Machine at the corner of Well Street and Wernfechan is literally going to be a corner shop. Expensive work is under way and we can expect it to be open perhaps before Christmas.
But, what about temporarily parked cars? They're already a nuisance during takeaway hours, with parking on double yellow lines and up the kerb onto the footway. This is on a junction, too.
If this side of town wants the convenience of a corner shop, residents have to travel. There's nothing there, in spite of the large estates at Bro Deb, Maes Cantaba and Erw Goch. This appears to be about to change.
Then there's the fact that only a minute further you've got the Co-op and 30 seconds further Tesco (with easier parking and no doubt cheaper prices). Both will offer stiff competition.
In 2013, Castle Bell newsagent tried to transform into a convenience store. It failed and Castle Bell has been struggling for an identity ever since. Admittedly, in terms of groceries, Castle Bell was nowhere near any significant residential areas but it does indicate that this sector is a difficult on in which to compete. There was also a sort-of convenience store there, though this too struggled for an identity. It was called Nature's Treasure/Number 32. 32 was odd, given that the premises are at 65 Well Street. It opened in 2015 but closed in 2017, with the stock and the proprietor moving to Duke Stores. We said at the time that it didn't really have a unique selling point or proposition.
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Shops