Led by Swansea Council, the #EnjoyYourCityCentre campaign is aimed at encouraging more people to visit the city centre’s shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, cultural venues, activity providers and other businesses.
Traders, shoppers and workers are at the heart of the campaign, with regular posts, photos and videos now being included every week on the council’s Facebook and Instagram social media pages to help raise awareness of everything the city centre offers.
Videos forming part of the campaign have already attracted close to 25,000 online views since the campaign launched just over a week ago.
As well as a campaign launch video featuring many city centre businesses, other campaign videos so far have included footage from events like the outdoor market that ran for several days on Oxford Street until last weekend.
With Wales due to play Australia in the Rugby World Cup this Sunday, another video has shown just some of the businesses in the city centre where people can buy Welsh rugby jerseys, Welsh rugby books, Welsh flags and Welsh-themed rugby balls, cuddly toys, t-shirts and other goods.
Recent statistics show the city centre has hundreds of businesses, ranging from retailers and hospitality businesses to entertainment venues and professional service providers.
For most council-run car parks in the city centre, you’ll pay no more than £5 for a full day – and only £1 an hour for up to five hours.
The Enjoy Your City Centre campaign has the backing of city centre traders and Swansea BID (Business Improvement District).
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism, said: “All town and city centres face similar challenges to Swansea, but we’re doing all we can here to get far more people living, working, learning and enjoying in the city centre.
“This is important if we’re to support our fantastic city centre businesses by creating a better trading environment and helping attract the kind of footfall these businesses need to thrive and expand.
“There’s a huge variety of businesses in the city centre, with over 200 retailers, more than 160 hospitality businesses and a great variety of live music and cultural venues, activity-led businesses and professional service providers.
“These businesses employ local people, offer a far more social experience than online shopping and make a much-valued contribution to our city’s economy.
“They deserve our support, which is why the #EnjoyYourCityCentre campaign is important.
“Our campaign videos so far have made a strong start, but there’s plenty more to come as we look to feature as many city centre businesses as possible in the coming weeks and months to raise awareness of everything people can do and enjoy in the city centre.
“The £1bn regeneration of the city centre is also continuing at pace, with the amount of complete, ongoing or planned projects pointing the way to a bright future.”
Led by the council, completed projects include Swansea Arena and the new Copr Bay bridge and coastal park. Millions of pounds have also been invested in improving the look and feel of both Wind Street and The Kingsway.
Construction is ongoing at the new office development at the former Oceana nightclub site and transformation work at the historic Palace Theatre is continuing.
Future projects include the Y Storfa public services hub at the former BHS building on Oxford Street.
Castle Square Gardens will also be revamped and sites like the Civic Centre and former St David’s Shopping Centre area will be redeveloped by award-winning regeneration specialists Urban Splash.
