The decline of town centres in Gwynedd is a concern for many people, but our Unique Streets project aims to tackle this challenge using creative solutions! Evidence shows that online stores, major shopping centres and supermarkets have had a negative impact on town centre trade which in turn has contributed to the decline of our towns. This project aims to help Gwynedd towns adapt and create a unique experience that will attract people back to their streets. Following an open call, Caernarfon, Criccieth and Nefyn were chosen to be part of the scheme.

These multicoloured umbrellas were installed above Palace Street, Caernarfon, and as this was the first project of its kind in the country, we received a great deal of attention! Gavin Owen, HWB Caernarfon said: ‘It has been good to work together and have the support of local businesses in developing this project. Similar multicoloured umbrellas have been installed at the AgitAgueda Art Festival in Portugal for some years. That art installation attracted thousands to the town after photos of the umbrellas were shared via social media. We are confident that this will also happen here in Caernarfon and benefit businesses in the Town Centre’. Caernarfon’s HWB technology was used to monitor street visitor levels and it was clear that the umbrellas had increased these levels. We were able to leave the cables above the street to be used again in the future to showcase different art installations depending on seasons/events.

We decided to hold a ‘Party on the Pavement‘ on Nefyn’s High Street, an event to bring the whole community together to enjoy live music, delicious food and activities suitable for all generations. This was made possible thanks to the support and enthusiasm of the community– in fact, over 900 people attended the event.

We held ‘The Creative Event‘ in Criccieth, and the theme was ‘Welsh Incident‘, which is Robert Graves‘ poem about an imaginary event in the town in 1929. 1000 people gathered to enjoy exhibitions, art workshops, performances, and local food and drinks. A few months later, a sculpture created to try to encapsulate the spirit of Graves‘ poem was unveiled. It is hoped that the sculpture will attract attention to the town and add value to the visitor’s experience.

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