Building a better Bridgend town centre

While talking to people on their doorsteps across Bridgend and Porthcawl, one of the major themes that they want to discuss is the future of our County Borough town centres, which have often been sadly neglected by our Council’s administrations. I believe a Plaid driven government could deliver a better Bridgend town centre and restore similar areas to their former prosperity.

In discussion, one resident described Bridgend town centre as ‘going to the dogs’ and like a ‘ghost town’, which saddened me as this is the town where I live and have chosen to bring up my family in. While I am somewhat more upbeat on the area’s future, town centres like Bridgend would benefit from Plaid’s plans to improve access for local people and visitors, use empty shops as commercial offices, promote local produce, and create more living space in town centres. This would give the area a more vibrant feel and promote small businesses.

If regeneration investment is directed to include facilities for residents and tourists, I believe Porthcawl can unlock its potential to be a major tourism hub pulling in thousands of jobs and boosting the local economy. I am also positive that following the work of Plaid’s Deputy Housing Minsiter, Jocelyn Davies, who succoured a £9m EU backed funding package for Bridgend town centre, we can create a more prosperous, more vibrant and quite simply a better Bridgend town centre.