A new coffee culture is helping to revitalise town centres and boost tourism across North Wales, it’s been revealed.
The phenomenon is having such a big impact that a new category has been added for this year’s Go North Wales Tourism Awards for the bistro, café and coffee shop of the year.
According to Jim Jones, the CEO of awards organisers North Wales Tourism, the trend was helping to draw people – visitors and locals alike – into town centres and strengthening the economy.
The Oscars-style ceremony to celebrate the heroes of the tourism and hospitality industry will be held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Thursday, November 20.
The 2025 event is once again being supported by Harlech Foodservice who have pledged to sponsor the awards for three years and the ceremony will be hosted by former BBC journalist and TV presenter Sian Lloyd who hails from Wrexham
The window for submissions in 19 categories is open until midnight on Sunday, October 5.
Jim Jones, the CEO of organisers North Wales Tourism, said: “There is so much investment right across North Wales with new bistros, cafes and coffee houses opening everywhere and that’s why we have included this new category to recognise their growing contribution.
“There is definitely a new café or coffee culture happening in North Wales and the places that are doing well are the ones where they have new cafes and bistros.
“We’re seeing the emergence of a new breed of independents adding a more locally focused alternative to the bigger brands like Starbucks and Costa.
“They have a personality and a sense of place at the heart of their offer and often serve premium, locally roasted coffee.
“Wrexham is leading the way thanks to the global spotlight generated by the football club and its Hollywood owners.
“There are also more and more examples of that right across North Wales , including Conwy, Ruthin, Llangollen, Rhos on Sea, Conwy, Llandudno, Betws y Coed, Trearddur Bay, Barmouth and so on.
“We’re seeing a lot of investment that’s enhancing our town centres and increasing footfall.
“As a result the other high street businesses are also benefiting to it’s creating a virtuous circle.
“The independent coffee shops are probably the best because they are at the heart of the local community and they are helping generate a new vibrancy in our town centres.
“The reason people go to town centres instead of ordering online is that they want a pleasant experience rather than just staring at a screen and tapping on a keyboard.
“They like to look around nice shops and then go for a nice cup of coffee and nice lunch.
“The café culture in Europe is second to none and slowly but surely it’s happening here as well.
“It’s all part of the process of our town centres reinventing themselves which a new breed of independent shops creating more interest and variety on our high streets.
“For me that’s the only way these town centres are going to survive by offering experiences you just can’t get by shopping online.
“What’s also good about this new coffee culture is that they are places you can go all year round, so that’s great news for local people and visitors alike.
“As a result, it’s helping to extend the traditional tourism season and making us an attractive destination at any time of the year.
“It’s created the confidence to invest and we are seeing local entrepreneurs and the public sector rising to the challenge.
“There are other areas that aren’t doing so well and they are the ones where there’s no investment.
Mr Jones called on local authorities and the Welsh Government to recognise the importance of the tourism industry to the economy and to provide more support.
He said: “Pre-pandemic tourism brought in £3.6 billion a year into the North Wales economy and supported more than 40,000 jobs.
“With the right backing, we can get back to those numbers and even surpass them if there’s a will and a strategy to make the most of what we’ve got in order to grow.
“Our population isn’t huge but we are a powerhouse in terms of what we have on offer.
“We need the public sector and the private sector to work collaboratively together for the greater good.”
Mr Jones added: “We are grateful to all our sponsors and particularly our headline sponsors, Harlech Foodservice, who have pledged their continuing support for the next three years which is invaluable in terms of future security for our flagship event.
“The industry is facing a lot of tough issues at the moment so this our way of saying thank you and raising the profile of these heroes of the sector.”
Harlech Foodservice Managing Director David Cattrall was delighted the company had signed up to support the awards with a three-year sponsorship deal.
He said: “This is our opportunity to give something back and show solidarity with our core customers who have shown tremendous resilience and imagination in the face of some hugely difficult challenges in recent years.
“We passionately believe that Wales in general and North Wales in particular is the finest must-visit destination in the whole of the UK.
“We have the full package, with amazing scenery, world class attractions allied to our unique heritage and culture and it is right that we celebrate the fantastic people who work in the sector.”
