Council launches annual Christmas campaign to boost town centres.

The council launches it’s annual ‘Spend Christmas in your town centre’ campaign this week, as part of a drive to encourage people to ‘shop local’ and support independent businesses.

As well as the traditional Christmas street markets hosted by Green Top Events, Christmas shoppers can look forward to a special ‘Virtual Market’ featuring the stall traders who have been temporarily relocated from the historic indoor market. Showcasing their products online, the online market page will also be updated with details of new premises, and pop-up markets in the Rhiw Shopping Centre in Bridgend town centre.

The campaign also heralds the return of the ‘Digital Christmas’ website which promotes exclusive offers from local traders. The special offers can be accessed by downloading the popular ‘We Love BRIDGEND / MAESTEG / PORTHCAWL’ apps on the Apple App Store or Google Play by searching BRIDGEND / PORTHCAWL / MAESTEG.

Residents are also invited to get into the Christmas spirit with a series of events hosted by Bridgend, Maesteg and Porthcawl Town Councils, including the Christmas Lights Switch On, Christmas Parade, and Victorian Christmas.

You can find out about the latest Christmas events and parades taking place across the county borough on the council’s website.

It’s been a tough few months for businesses in Bridgend town centre with the loss of Wilko’s and the temporary closure of the indoor market due to RAAC, so I am very pleased that we are able to give additional support to stall holders and provide them with an online presence in our ‘Virtual Market’, while they are in the process of relocating to their new premises we are preparing. With a great selection of Christmas shopping on offer from businesses in Bridgend, Maesteg and Porthcawl town centres, I’d like to encourage shoppers to visit and support local independent traders in the run up to the Christmas period. Our town centres are at the heart of the local community, and by supporting these events, we can all help to create Christmas memories for our communities to come together and enjoy

Councillor Rhys Goode, Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Regeneration

I welcome the continued support from Bridgend County Borough Council, and the creation of the ‘Virtual Market’ webpage which will allow customers to easily access our excellent products. This will help keep our business, and other stall holders, at the forefront of customers minds until we are able to reopen in our new premises over the next few weeks. If you can, please support local this Christmas.

Hayley Davies, Owner of Tilly’s Rawsome Pet Food, one of the Bridgend Market traders