Life in the Welsh town named the best place for a shopping trip

The North Wales town of Prestatyn was recently named as the number one shopping destination in the country. Vitality Rankings had particular praise for the town's work towards maintaining high presentation standards and upkeep.

The rankings considered various factors like retail quality, shopper demographics and footfall quantity and shop vacancy rates. Naturally, I had to go see why it garnered such praise.

A sunny spring day seemed perfect for a shopping excursion. One of my initial observations upon reaching Prestatyn's shopping park was the parking rules, reports North Wales Live.

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Anyone has the luxury of enjoying free parking for three hours, but overstaying this timeframe incurs an hefty £85 charge - an important note for any future visitors. It was soon clear that the "good presentation" was true, as two gardeners were busily trimming a giant hedge in the car park.

One had brought his pet Pomeranian called "Batface" as his "supervisor", he quipped. Ignoring the bigger chains stores like Boots and JD Sports, I sought out the local independent businesses. One worthy mention was Master Upholsterer David J Jones' workshop, where customers collected beautifully restored chairs.

John and Linda were evidently pleased with the striped pattern and craftsmanship. Mr Jones, aware of the high scores in the survey, stated that Prestatyn is a great place for shopping as the retail park, where he operates, serves as an extension to the high street.

Customers can purchase items there and then head over to the main street for a coffee. In fact, that's exactly what I did at the Four Seasons cafe and bistro, just a short stroll around the corner.

However, some retailers expressed scepticism about the survey's results. Geoff Lawman, who runs Presents With A Difference, a shop specialising in curios, antiques and collectables, was one such voice.

Mr Lawman, 78, claimed that footfall has never been lower. He insists that while there may be a multitude of shops, they are not the right kind, and there are simply too few customers.

He lamented: "I've been on the high street for 24 years and I've seen it go down. It's such a shame.

"When we lost the banks we lost 40 per cent of our turnover. Last year we lost Home Bargains from the high street."

A new Home Bargains has been constructed but it's located a few hundred yards away on the former market site. He added: "And now we've lost Pontins. There were a mass of people from there coming to the high street but they're not here now.

"They were not rich people but they still spent money. There are too many charity shops, hairdressers, nail bars and cafes on our high street."

Mr Lawman mentioned that his overheads have also increased. "My business rates have gone up from £177 a month to £440 a month," he grumbled.

Gemma Williams, owner of The Little Cheesemonger shop, remains hopeful despite the closure of Pontins affecting local footfall. She observed: "We have definitely noticed fewer people (since Pontins closed). We always got a lot of people who were on holiday who have time to mooch about the shops."

Yet, she is optimistic that tourists will turn to nearby caravan parks and then explore the high street when the weather permits. "The high street is very eclectic with lots of independent shops," she said.

Prestatyn's appearance has been spruced up with floral arrangements from the Friends of Prestatyn Station adorning the railway platforms. Additionally, measures to deter birds at the station's entrance appear to be effective.

Construction work is also underway, with a team laying bricks on the high street pavement and a daffodil display courtesy of Gwynt y Mor windfarm operators adding a splash of colour. While Prestatyn boasts a diverse range of shops and a unique high street, there's still potential for enhancement.

In the Vitality league table by Newmark's Consultancy and Analytics team, Prestatyn ranks first in Wales but 134th overall in the UK, an improvement from its 143rd position in 2022.