Summer campaign to support high street retailers and ‘shopping local’ has launched

Bridgend County Borough Council’s annual campaign to encourage people to ‘Spend summer in your town centre’ has launched this week.

Aimed at highlighting the many positive reasons for people to ‘shop local’ and support local traders, the campaign includes Bridgend, Maesteg and Porthcawl town centres which are managed by the council.

Town centres offer a wide variety of shopping options, including independent shops and businesses, indoor and street markets, and well-known high street brands with a range of events taking place throughout the summer months.

Multi-coloured bunting has also been put up across town centres to create a positive and memorable visitor experience, all with an assorted colour theme to give each area its own unique identity.

A video showcasing the range of international cuisine available at several independent ‘destination’ restaurants located in Bridgend town centre will also be released as part of the campaign.

To encourage people to ‘shop local’ and support local businesses, the council has extended its free parking offer in two council-maintained town centre car parks in Bridgend and Porthcawl, where visitors can continue to park for free for the first three hours at the Rhiw multi-storey car park in Bridgend and between noon and 3pm at John Street in Porthcawl.

People visiting Bridgend town centre after 6pm can park for free at the large open air car park at Brackla Street (behind Wilkinson’s) and car parks at Tremains Road, Tondu Road and at Bridgend Life Centre.

Council-run car parks at John Street and Hillsboro Place in Porthcawl are free to use after 6pm, and free parking is also available along the seafront.

Free full-time car parking is also available in Maesteg town centre at the Llynfi Road multistorey car park.

To help promote local and independent businesses, EPM Creative Events have produced three apps which people can download to access shopping offers - We Love Bridgend / Porthcawl /Maesteg. The apps can be downloaded on the Apple App Store or Google Play by searching BRIDGEND / PORTHCAWL / MAESTEG.

Free Wi-Fi is also available in town centres across Bridgend County Borough with the aim of increasing connectivity among residents, businesses and visitors.

The free service is available in the four town centres of Bridgend, Porthcawl, Maesteg and Pencoed. In order to connect, individuals will need to search their Wi-Fi network settings for “BCBC free Wi-Fi” and will then need to enter their email address to begin. 

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

Town centre parking information is also available on the council’s website

Our town centres offer a wide and varied choice of retailers, and by extending our free parking initiative, we have made it easier for people to ‘shop local’ and support small, independent traders. “By encouraging more people to support local businesses, we can ensure that our town centres continue to thrive. “Events like ‘Picnic in the Park’ at Griffin Park, Porthcawl and the ‘Coronation Street Party’ at the Market Square in Maesteg, are organised by the town council, along with other street markets and events staged by all the three town councils are running throughout the summer, which reinforce our community spirit, and show how valuable it is for us to come together and support our local, independent traders.”

Councillor Neelo Farr, Cabinet Member for Regeneration