Mini outbursts of discussion continue do their rounds on social media regarding the present state of our town in Denbigh. The temptation to bemoan the status quo is seldom far away as we seek to compare the past with the present. The world around us has changed radically since the second world war and it is often a great challenge for us all to keep abreast of that change.
Sixty years ago, it was still fairly normal to see a horse and trap coming to town. Such a sight today would bring the town to a standstill - if indeed there were any shoppers there. The way we communicated sixty years ago was mainly by word of mouth with the written word still being the domain of the pen in our hand. The way we shopped has changed radically too although not always as much as some people think.
In those days it was still fairly standard practice for a local shop to deliver their goods to households within a few miles of their premises. In recent years, the ubiquitous supermarkets have been quick to rekindle this practice and have benefited enormously as a result. Although local independent retailers are beginning to catch on, they still have to do more to regain custom from the almighty supermarket sector. Of the main supermarkets, it was Morrison's who were slowest to react to consumer demand for a delivered service.
Having since realised the folly of their ways, Morrison's has since found itself issuing profits warnings to it's all important share holders. As a consequence, they have now belatedly introduced a delivered service to try and compete with the rest of their sector and have also been forced in to reducing their prices. The latter has resulted from the success of continental discounters such as Lidl and Aldi.
If one company can be said to have contributed the most to the demise of the High Street in Denbigh, it is surely Morrison's. Ever since the local council made the ill fated and ill advised decision to dispense with the centuries old livestock market in favour of a supermarket, the High Street in Denbigh has been very much up against it. Part of the deal which saw Morrisons' predecessor Safeway arrive in Denbigh saw the erection of a new council building. Given that the council had managed perfectly well with their existing buildings for so many years, it is still a mystery to many local people why they saw fit to have a new building at all - let alone in such a domineering position. The car parking facility at this new building is predictably insufficient with the result that many employees based there are parking their cars over the road on the council housing estate. If proof were needed of the disconnect between the local council and the very people it purports to serve, look no further. Locals in the know with a modicum of common sense have always pointed to the gross waste of a new building at a time when the former North Wale Hospital had just become vacant after nearly 150 years' invaluable service to the people of North Wales. Equally, the locals themselves have been complicit in this power shift. We all have the right to choose where we spend our money and rightly so. That is only fair. But a shopping trolley of goods purchased from the big supermarket supports the employment of a local person while at the same time lining the pocket of a dividend-hungry share-holder. The large supermarket is therefore less interested in where a particular item comes from as long as it generates the requisite levels of profit. The large supermarket also operates on a different economy of scales which means that they can goods at a fraction of the prices being charged by their independent competition on the slowly withering high street. That was known by the people who originally granted planning permission. There can be no excuses in that regard. The local independent is far more likely to be supporting a local supplier. The local independent high street shop gives employment to a local person and also provides a modest living for the shopkeeper. It doesn't need to worry about shareholders and dividend payments. Instead, it can focus on quality home grown produce. But in the years since the Safeway supermarket arrived, people have made their choices and the end result is rather depressing.
Yesterday, we went to our local high street in search of shallots and green beans. It is the end of July and these are both items which will be grown in large amounts in the locality. The real crime is that Denbigh no longer has a green grocer on it's high street. In an area where agricultural land exchanges hands for vast sums of money, that is utterly scandalous. There is no reason why we should find ourselves in this position other than a huge chunk of the local population falling for one of the biggest cons in retail history. The large supermarkets trade on the assumption that a member of the public can get everything under one roof. Even supposing that was true (and it is far from true even today), does anybody ever stop to think about how good a deal they are getting when they choose to do that? If they did, they would soon begin to realise the scale of the profit margins being generated by these retail behemoths. They still have their cynically priced "loss leaders" to entice into their lair safe in the knowledge that we will hopefully fall for parts of the clever marketing which bombards us at every given turn within the store. A great many do indeed fall for that marketing although recent developments at Morrisons in particular would appear to suggest that people are finally starting to wise up. A company of that magnitude does not voluntarily embark on huge phases of price cuts unless their hand is forced. There is no doubt that people are shopping elsewhere but it is sadly still not on the high street. The continental discount stores such as Lidl and Aldi have simply filled the long standing void vacated by Kwik Save. There is little discernable difference between what Kwik Save were doing in the 70s and 80s and what the Aldi and Lidl of today are doing. The problem is that the numbers using our high street continue to fall. That spells bad news for our local community should enough people actually be bothered about that.
Still, decisions are made whether good or bad and council tax has to be paid by the masses to sustain the current system and it's dubious accountability. It is often tempting to point to the increasing extent to which our local council dictates life in our local town. In many ways it does through areas such as planning and highway maintenance to name but a few. But in so many other ways, there is a great deal happening locally to remind us all that real progress will be achieved not because of the local council but rather in spite of them.
Many years ago, the people of Denbigh and it's surrounding areas would have had four quarter days to look forward to during the course of any given calendar year. Recent developments driven by various community groups have suggested a return to such a pattern. This year in Denbigh was given a great launch by the St. David's Day festival which highlighted local food producers and artisans. I attended with my young son and was blown away by the variety of goods. I was also greatly impressed by the turn out from the local community who all willingly entered in to the spirit of the festivities. For centuries, the association between food and music has been a key part of community life and the St. David's Day festival was no exception with a succession of local musicians all playing their part in augmenting the wonderful variety of local food on offer. That day would never have happened but for the passion of a few local people who care so much about the future of this fine town.
June saw the Denbigh midsummer festival which culminated in the recently resurrected Denbigh Carnival. The week as a whole and the Carnival in particular were both a roaring success. It is accepted that good weather plays a strong hand in such events but the atmosphere and attendance at these events suggested something far beyond the realms of the weather. Once again, the local community eagerly supported these events which had again been put together by a relatively small group of like minded people intent on returning Denbigh to the town of their childhoods. Only last week, the town was once more blessed with the return of an accomplished touring company who performed "As you like it" in the incomparable surroundings of Denbigh's majestic castle. As we enter the second half of the year, it is clear that various elements of the local community are leading the fightback to reclaim their town - and it is a sight to which warms my heart.
When September comes around, we will enjoy the beer festival and the Denbigh Plum festival which both draw in the locals by the score. Christmas time is accompanied by outdoor markets which are so beloved of the young and old alike. It is clear that Denbigh is a town on the up. I can say that with confidence for the simple reason that the local community has been the catalyst and not the local council. This is a very important turning point for this town. We can't undo the decision to build a large supermarket but we can certainly take the steps to re-engage the local community with the sort of events which the supermarkets can't even comprehend.
As I have written many times before, the real jewel in Denbigh's crown is the castle built in the late thirteenth century. I have already alluded to the Shakespeare productions which it has hosted in recent years but I'm also bound to say how disappointing the attendances have been been for such fine performances. That said, the castle did break new ground during this last year. It hosted it's first wedding which gave us a glimpse of the potential of this fine venue. My family and I also attended a wonderful guided tour during the Denbigh midsummer festival in which local guides with amazing historical knowledge walked us through the history of the castle and the town. Once again, I was amazed at such a poor turnout for such an insightful tour. Perhaps the turnouts are sometimes due to a lack of adequate marketing but all too often, I fear good old apathy is never too far away.
What we really need to do is to ask ourselves what sort of town we want our children to grow up in and ultimately inherit. There has never been a more important time to reach out to local families through events such as the ones detailed here. With the passage of the years, such events can only grow if given the requisite support. But neither do they run themselves. During my years associated with various sports clubs, it was often claimed that 20% of the members did 80% of the work. I am quite sure that this rule of thumb extends to all walks of life and the regeneration of Denbigh is no exception. We are reminded in Denbigh every Boxing Day of what can be achieved when members of a local community join forces for the common good. First put together by a few local Rotarians in the 1950s, the "Roll the Barrel" event continues to stand as a reminder of what we can achieve. It remains an event which neighbouring towns would give their right arm for.
At the start of the year, I started a forum on social media aimed at provoking a debate regarding the alarming number of vacant retail premises (https://www.facebook.com/groups/notavailableindenbigh/). The discussions which ensued were enlightening and proved if proof were needed that a huge swathe of local people cared passionately about the future of this town. Although a few new businesses have appeared since then, there is still much work to be done. In particular, key buildings still remain vacant at a time when their presence has seldom been more needed. The former Church Institute and the Crown Hotel surely top that list and the the day can't come soon enough to see them both occupied with viable sustainable businesses. In addition, I would also point to the former Woolworths premises. This is a key retail outlet for Denbigh badly in need of a new business venture.
These vacant sites provide would be investors with some ideal business opportunities. The debate which I triggered earlier this year seemed to confirm what many local people have been saying for a long time. It is widely felt that Denbigh needs to re-introduce the sort of street market which was so integral to the town landscape when I was a youngster. Local people have also pointed to the lack of choice for both men and women to buy decent clothes and footwear. Many pointed to the advance of internet commerce but it is an inescapable fact that a local shop can provide the tangible product for customers to see, feel and touch. Such shops can also provide the levels of product knowledge and customer service which the large internet retailers can rarely live with. In addition, the great attraction of a local independent retailer for me is that they won't have share holders interests put above the interests of their customers. They will thus be giving genuine employment to a local person in a genuinely local job. Surely, that is the aspiration if only for the sake of the local community and the future of it's children?
Could Denbigh evolve in to a foodie town? I don't see any reason why not. One member of the local community has been instrumental in establishing a monthly farmer's market in the town hall and although the scheme is still only in it's infancy, early signs suggest massive demand from the local population. I am not even remotely surprised. I would far sooner pay for something home grown which supports the livelihood of a member of my local community and I would like to think that many others share this sentiment. If more food outlets of real quality open up within the town, it could become something of a centre of excellence. Clearly, this could only happen if the local community embraced the concept and got behind such retailers. By converse, such an outcome would also be reliant on new retailers providing the products and the quality which local people want. But I passionately believe this could happen if we could only all take a step back and think about the potential consequences.
I reiterate that such a renaissance will only be achieved by the people of the town. Not only does history bear this out but current events also serve to remind us of the futility of the local council approach. The recent closures of the Rhyl Sun Centre and Prestatyn Nova Centre (despite the operator of a water park in Stoke-on-Trent expressing his amazement at such a decision), the proposed closure of a faith primary school in Llanbedr, the proposed closure of the two faith secondary schools at St. Brigid's in Denbigh and Blessed Edward Jones in Rhyl all smack of a body lacking in accountabilty or imagination. The closure of the two secondary schools is to be replaced by building a new faith school at a cost of over £25 million! All this while the former Howell's school in Denbigh remains vacant at a tiny fraction of that cost! No, we have to be realistic and change the way we think. Local government does not hold the key to regeneration of our high street and local community. If they are to be believed, they have no many anyway ( although heaven knows where they intend to get the money to build the new faith school!). The time is right for the people of Denbigh to take back ownership of their local high street and in the same process, their local community. Whether they choose to take that opportunity is dependent on two factors. They have to stop and think about the effect of filling another trolley at Morrisons and other similar sized retailers. But the existing local independent retailers need to re-engage with the local community and seek to supply them with the goods they want. Hopefully, we might witness more of the latter in the months to come. Should that transpire, the future of Denbigh high street will be very rosy indeed.
Sixty years ago, it was still fairly normal to see a horse and trap coming to town. Such a sight today would bring the town to a standstill - if indeed there were any shoppers there. The way we communicated sixty years ago was mainly by word of mouth with the written word still being the domain of the pen in our hand. The way we shopped has changed radically too although not always as much as some people think.
In those days it was still fairly standard practice for a local shop to deliver their goods to households within a few miles of their premises. In recent years, the ubiquitous supermarkets have been quick to rekindle this practice and have benefited enormously as a result. Although local independent retailers are beginning to catch on, they still have to do more to regain custom from the almighty supermarket sector. Of the main supermarkets, it was Morrison's who were slowest to react to consumer demand for a delivered service.
Having since realised the folly of their ways, Morrison's has since found itself issuing profits warnings to it's all important share holders. As a consequence, they have now belatedly introduced a delivered service to try and compete with the rest of their sector and have also been forced in to reducing their prices. The latter has resulted from the success of continental discounters such as Lidl and Aldi.
If one company can be said to have contributed the most to the demise of the High Street in Denbigh, it is surely Morrison's. Ever since the local council made the ill fated and ill advised decision to dispense with the centuries old livestock market in favour of a supermarket, the High Street in Denbigh has been very much up against it. Part of the deal which saw Morrisons' predecessor Safeway arrive in Denbigh saw the erection of a new council building. Given that the council had managed perfectly well with their existing buildings for so many years, it is still a mystery to many local people why they saw fit to have a new building at all - let alone in such a domineering position. The car parking facility at this new building is predictably insufficient with the result that many employees based there are parking their cars over the road on the council housing estate. If proof were needed of the disconnect between the local council and the very people it purports to serve, look no further. Locals in the know with a modicum of common sense have always pointed to the gross waste of a new building at a time when the former North Wale Hospital had just become vacant after nearly 150 years' invaluable service to the people of North Wales. Equally, the locals themselves have been complicit in this power shift. We all have the right to choose where we spend our money and rightly so. That is only fair. But a shopping trolley of goods purchased from the big supermarket supports the employment of a local person while at the same time lining the pocket of a dividend-hungry share-holder. The large supermarket is therefore less interested in where a particular item comes from as long as it generates the requisite levels of profit. The large supermarket also operates on a different economy of scales which means that they can goods at a fraction of the prices being charged by their independent competition on the slowly withering high street. That was known by the people who originally granted planning permission. There can be no excuses in that regard. The local independent is far more likely to be supporting a local supplier. The local independent high street shop gives employment to a local person and also provides a modest living for the shopkeeper. It doesn't need to worry about shareholders and dividend payments. Instead, it can focus on quality home grown produce. But in the years since the Safeway supermarket arrived, people have made their choices and the end result is rather depressing.
Yesterday, we went to our local high street in search of shallots and green beans. It is the end of July and these are both items which will be grown in large amounts in the locality. The real crime is that Denbigh no longer has a green grocer on it's high street. In an area where agricultural land exchanges hands for vast sums of money, that is utterly scandalous. There is no reason why we should find ourselves in this position other than a huge chunk of the local population falling for one of the biggest cons in retail history. The large supermarkets trade on the assumption that a member of the public can get everything under one roof. Even supposing that was true (and it is far from true even today), does anybody ever stop to think about how good a deal they are getting when they choose to do that? If they did, they would soon begin to realise the scale of the profit margins being generated by these retail behemoths. They still have their cynically priced "loss leaders" to entice into their lair safe in the knowledge that we will hopefully fall for parts of the clever marketing which bombards us at every given turn within the store. A great many do indeed fall for that marketing although recent developments at Morrisons in particular would appear to suggest that people are finally starting to wise up. A company of that magnitude does not voluntarily embark on huge phases of price cuts unless their hand is forced. There is no doubt that people are shopping elsewhere but it is sadly still not on the high street. The continental discount stores such as Lidl and Aldi have simply filled the long standing void vacated by Kwik Save. There is little discernable difference between what Kwik Save were doing in the 70s and 80s and what the Aldi and Lidl of today are doing. The problem is that the numbers using our high street continue to fall. That spells bad news for our local community should enough people actually be bothered about that.
Still, decisions are made whether good or bad and council tax has to be paid by the masses to sustain the current system and it's dubious accountability. It is often tempting to point to the increasing extent to which our local council dictates life in our local town. In many ways it does through areas such as planning and highway maintenance to name but a few. But in so many other ways, there is a great deal happening locally to remind us all that real progress will be achieved not because of the local council but rather in spite of them.
Many years ago, the people of Denbigh and it's surrounding areas would have had four quarter days to look forward to during the course of any given calendar year. Recent developments driven by various community groups have suggested a return to such a pattern. This year in Denbigh was given a great launch by the St. David's Day festival which highlighted local food producers and artisans. I attended with my young son and was blown away by the variety of goods. I was also greatly impressed by the turn out from the local community who all willingly entered in to the spirit of the festivities. For centuries, the association between food and music has been a key part of community life and the St. David's Day festival was no exception with a succession of local musicians all playing their part in augmenting the wonderful variety of local food on offer. That day would never have happened but for the passion of a few local people who care so much about the future of this fine town.
June saw the Denbigh midsummer festival which culminated in the recently resurrected Denbigh Carnival. The week as a whole and the Carnival in particular were both a roaring success. It is accepted that good weather plays a strong hand in such events but the atmosphere and attendance at these events suggested something far beyond the realms of the weather. Once again, the local community eagerly supported these events which had again been put together by a relatively small group of like minded people intent on returning Denbigh to the town of their childhoods. Only last week, the town was once more blessed with the return of an accomplished touring company who performed "As you like it" in the incomparable surroundings of Denbigh's majestic castle. As we enter the second half of the year, it is clear that various elements of the local community are leading the fightback to reclaim their town - and it is a sight to which warms my heart.
When September comes around, we will enjoy the beer festival and the Denbigh Plum festival which both draw in the locals by the score. Christmas time is accompanied by outdoor markets which are so beloved of the young and old alike. It is clear that Denbigh is a town on the up. I can say that with confidence for the simple reason that the local community has been the catalyst and not the local council. This is a very important turning point for this town. We can't undo the decision to build a large supermarket but we can certainly take the steps to re-engage the local community with the sort of events which the supermarkets can't even comprehend.
As I have written many times before, the real jewel in Denbigh's crown is the castle built in the late thirteenth century. I have already alluded to the Shakespeare productions which it has hosted in recent years but I'm also bound to say how disappointing the attendances have been been for such fine performances. That said, the castle did break new ground during this last year. It hosted it's first wedding which gave us a glimpse of the potential of this fine venue. My family and I also attended a wonderful guided tour during the Denbigh midsummer festival in which local guides with amazing historical knowledge walked us through the history of the castle and the town. Once again, I was amazed at such a poor turnout for such an insightful tour. Perhaps the turnouts are sometimes due to a lack of adequate marketing but all too often, I fear good old apathy is never too far away.
What we really need to do is to ask ourselves what sort of town we want our children to grow up in and ultimately inherit. There has never been a more important time to reach out to local families through events such as the ones detailed here. With the passage of the years, such events can only grow if given the requisite support. But neither do they run themselves. During my years associated with various sports clubs, it was often claimed that 20% of the members did 80% of the work. I am quite sure that this rule of thumb extends to all walks of life and the regeneration of Denbigh is no exception. We are reminded in Denbigh every Boxing Day of what can be achieved when members of a local community join forces for the common good. First put together by a few local Rotarians in the 1950s, the "Roll the Barrel" event continues to stand as a reminder of what we can achieve. It remains an event which neighbouring towns would give their right arm for.
At the start of the year, I started a forum on social media aimed at provoking a debate regarding the alarming number of vacant retail premises (https://www.facebook.com/groups/notavailableindenbigh/). The discussions which ensued were enlightening and proved if proof were needed that a huge swathe of local people cared passionately about the future of this town. Although a few new businesses have appeared since then, there is still much work to be done. In particular, key buildings still remain vacant at a time when their presence has seldom been more needed. The former Church Institute and the Crown Hotel surely top that list and the the day can't come soon enough to see them both occupied with viable sustainable businesses. In addition, I would also point to the former Woolworths premises. This is a key retail outlet for Denbigh badly in need of a new business venture.
These vacant sites provide would be investors with some ideal business opportunities. The debate which I triggered earlier this year seemed to confirm what many local people have been saying for a long time. It is widely felt that Denbigh needs to re-introduce the sort of street market which was so integral to the town landscape when I was a youngster. Local people have also pointed to the lack of choice for both men and women to buy decent clothes and footwear. Many pointed to the advance of internet commerce but it is an inescapable fact that a local shop can provide the tangible product for customers to see, feel and touch. Such shops can also provide the levels of product knowledge and customer service which the large internet retailers can rarely live with. In addition, the great attraction of a local independent retailer for me is that they won't have share holders interests put above the interests of their customers. They will thus be giving genuine employment to a local person in a genuinely local job. Surely, that is the aspiration if only for the sake of the local community and the future of it's children?
Could Denbigh evolve in to a foodie town? I don't see any reason why not. One member of the local community has been instrumental in establishing a monthly farmer's market in the town hall and although the scheme is still only in it's infancy, early signs suggest massive demand from the local population. I am not even remotely surprised. I would far sooner pay for something home grown which supports the livelihood of a member of my local community and I would like to think that many others share this sentiment. If more food outlets of real quality open up within the town, it could become something of a centre of excellence. Clearly, this could only happen if the local community embraced the concept and got behind such retailers. By converse, such an outcome would also be reliant on new retailers providing the products and the quality which local people want. But I passionately believe this could happen if we could only all take a step back and think about the potential consequences.
I reiterate that such a renaissance will only be achieved by the people of the town. Not only does history bear this out but current events also serve to remind us of the futility of the local council approach. The recent closures of the Rhyl Sun Centre and Prestatyn Nova Centre (despite the operator of a water park in Stoke-on-Trent expressing his amazement at such a decision), the proposed closure of a faith primary school in Llanbedr, the proposed closure of the two faith secondary schools at St. Brigid's in Denbigh and Blessed Edward Jones in Rhyl all smack of a body lacking in accountabilty or imagination. The closure of the two secondary schools is to be replaced by building a new faith school at a cost of over £25 million! All this while the former Howell's school in Denbigh remains vacant at a tiny fraction of that cost! No, we have to be realistic and change the way we think. Local government does not hold the key to regeneration of our high street and local community. If they are to be believed, they have no many anyway ( although heaven knows where they intend to get the money to build the new faith school!). The time is right for the people of Denbigh to take back ownership of their local high street and in the same process, their local community. Whether they choose to take that opportunity is dependent on two factors. They have to stop and think about the effect of filling another trolley at Morrisons and other similar sized retailers. But the existing local independent retailers need to re-engage with the local community and seek to supply them with the goods they want. Hopefully, we might witness more of the latter in the months to come. Should that transpire, the future of Denbigh high street will be very rosy indeed.
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