SHOPPERS have welcomed an investment of £4 million for a Wrexham shopping development.

The Leader reported last week how property developers Mandale are investing the sum into buying and renovating the vacant Henblas Square shopping centre.

Mandale has sold the 10,000 sq ft former BHS premises to an as yet-unnamed major sports retailer which is set to move in over the next few months.

Residents and shoppers told the Leader what they think about the news.

Anthony Mansell, 75, of Wrexham, said: “It’s difficult because the shopping centres are all over the place, there’s no central point.

“There are so many town centre units that are empty. It needs some sort of life and I think it needs mixed businesses.”

Thelma Gillam, 73, from Rhos, said she feels the town’s shops are too spread out, which is difficult for older people.

She said: “The businesses should all come back here to the centre. I am happy they are doing this as long as they are shops that we need and they don’t have ridiculous prices.

“It might be nice to have a little supermarket.

“The town used to be thriving. Now it is dead.”

Marcus Smyth comes to the town regularly for shopping and said Henblas Street used to be ‘vibrant’.

Mr Smyth, 65, of Chester, said: “As soon as TJ Hughes moved, that is what killed it.

“Then once the charity shops started being predominant, that was really when the decline set in.

“It is just a short cut now.

“If you’re going to put in major retailer back in here the indepedent traders are going to start to struggle.

“What you need to make Wrexham alive again is independent shops.”

Janet Williams, 64, from Coedpoeth, said: “As long as it keeps the town alive, that is what we need.

“It used to be really busy. It was thriving. They build all this for the shops and they have all gone.

“I would like to see more there for the elderly.

“A lot of people used to come into Wrexham to shop from other areas, but they don’t come now.”

Steven Vale, owner of Caroline’s Viennese Patisserie in the town centre, said: “That is very encouraging. If we can’t get businesses into town we need to get people living in town.

“Things are so desperate at the moment. You’ve got online, the big retailers. There’s a lot of competition.

“The ideal mix for this town would be a bit of retail, housing and commercial.”

Wrexham Council leader Cllr Mark Pritchard welcomed the announcement last week.

“We were hoping that they’d have tenants in Easter next year, but it looks like they’ll achieve it well before then.” he said.

“Towns and cities have changed.

“I think the regeneration within the town is so important and that we put commercial, retail and residential above.

“I think this is the first step of many that we’ll have more residential occupation within our town.

“We work with all businesses in the town so that we can help and support them within certain areas.”