Last late shopping night before Christmas

It has been a difficult year for all traders on the high street - and 2021 will begin as 2020 ended with Wales in lockdown.

But places like Ty Pawb and Overton Arcade in Wrexham have become must go to destinations for people who want something special and a little out of the ordinary.

Shops have enjoyed a better end to the year with late night Christmas shopping on Thursdays in in the town centre.

And tonight is the last one before Christmas.

You can pick up Japanese candy, retro game consoles, hand-crafted Welsh gifts, jewellery, Wrexham AFC merchandise and more all in our town centre.

Ruth Rees, of Martin Rees Jewellers, said: "I love Christmas time in the shop, we see so many of our customers, who are often like old friends - that’s the joy of running a small independent business, you can get to know people and share the big moments in their lives. Even some of the far flung customers on our website return again and again, we try and go the extra mile to help them find exactly what they want

Because we specialise in secondhand jewellery, most of what we sell is one of a kind, and of course by gifting something vintage or pre-owned, you are helping save the Earth, as well as saving money!"

"This year will give us new challenges as we keep our customers and each other safe, and still have as much fun and happiness as we can. We’ve got new options for home delivery too for those who can’t get to town. Wrexham folk are amazingly feisty and resilient, I do believe we can still make Christmas special even if it’s different!"

Specialist shops at Ty Pawb, include Siop Siwran where people can kind Welsh language cards and gifts as well art and photography that has an emphasis on our local areas around Wrexham.

There's also BCCM Boarder Collectables, run by Val and Al Giplin, where you can find comics and graphic novels, Lego mini-figures, Subbuteo sets, and all sorts of other collectables.

Brendan Griffiths, of House of Retro, said Ty Pawb had become a vibrant hub for those wanting something unique.

He said: "It's been really, really busy.

"We have a lot of people who come in and ask us to get something specific, like a Sega Megadrive. We get a lot of people who want something from their childhood, or their son and daughter's childhood, but we also get a lot children who have seen things on YouTube. Social Media works in our favour as they see it and can hunt it down. The main thing we do is retro consoles, we've got every Nintendo console in at the moment and every PlayStation bar the PS5."

He added: "Ty Pawb is really good, at the moment we have Shabby Craftbox, a trainer shop, and a third shop opening that is doing urban clothes. So its getting quite vibrant and quite contemporary here now. Ty Pawb is going through a transformation now into a post-modern, artistic market.

"When the lockdown is over and we can get events on I think we'll have a very healthy 2021.

Overton Arcade is another hotspot for independent shops.

Igam Ogam in Overton Arcade

There, Igam Ogam, named for a Welsh term that loosely translates as zig-zag or not following a straight line, is a unique and colourful gift shop.

It is the passion project of couple Sean Grantham and Sioned Ellis, stocking a wide and eclectic range of products, including gifts and gadgets from Asia, board games, items made by local artists, as well as Japanese sweets and drinks.

About Christmas trade in the last few weeks, Sean said: "It's been interesting, its kept us on our toes to say the least. But we have noticed more people after the lockdown announcement, coming in last minute before anything changes again.

He added: "It's been good, and its been nice to have the support."

Plaid Cymru councillor Carrie Harper said it was more important than ever for people in Wrexham to support their local, independent shops.

She said: "It's been a challenging year for local businesses and it's important now more than ever that we give them our backing and support.

"The festive period is key for trade and we're really lucky in Wrexham to have so many Independent shops and stalls which can provide a treasure trove of unique gifts for our loved one's this Christmas.

"We also have a great range of cafe's and restaurants that we can now visit safely to enjoy what's on offer. I'd encourage everyone to buy local and visit local whenever you can, you're not just buying a gift or a cup of coffee, you're investing in a local business and a local family.

"I firmly believe this town is on the up and if we all come together to support each other, the future for our town is very bright."

And Bobbi Cockcroft, of Wrexham Business Group CIC, said there were lots of "hidden gems" for Wrexham shoppers to find when we come out of lockdown.

Bobbi said: "Wrexham has a wealth of local independent traders dotted throughout the town, on almost every street you'll find an amazing hidden gem with something fantastic to offer. Despite the uncertainty that Covid has brought, it's been great to see our High Street thrive this festive period. Business owners have done everything possible to ensure a safe shopping environment for their customers, ensuring that Christmas nor safety has had to be compromised this year. Our hospitality industry has done its utmost to adapt to the ever changing guidelines meaning that shoppers are still able to grab a quick coffee or bite to eat as they shop.

"Although we are ending 2020 with another Welsh Government lockdown, I am looking forward to revisiting our local businesses in the New Year, and hope many local residents continue to do so too."