Council leader still getting it wrong on Aberystwyth shops

It’s good to see some strongly-worded letters in today's Cambrian News, critical of last week’s comments on shops in Aberystwyth by Council Leader Keith Evans. He'd been presented with a petition by 1,000 people calling for large chain stores to come to the town. Unfortunately he had entirely misinterpreted this as support for last year's plan by the Council to demolish the heart of Aberystwyth and specifically criticised Cadw Calon Aberystwyth's successful campaign to save the 17 small shops in Chalybeate Street and Great Darkgate Street. Cadw Calon's campaign attracted a petition of 2,300 signatures.

In fact, many of the small traders who joined the Cadw Calon Aberystywh campaign themselves want to see appropriately placed larger stores coming to the town and have consistently said so. But not at the cost of their own businesses and the entire character of the centre of Aberystwyth. With the post office redevelopment scheme currently dead, the Council’s plans now revolve around the much less controversial Mill Street car park area.