Welsh Town Centres Receive Digital Overhaul to Boost Online Presence and Competitiveness

High streets in six Welsh towns are undergoing a comprehensive digital transformation thanks to SMART Busnes, a programme delivered by Antur Cymru. This initiative aims to enhance the online visibility and competitiveness of town centres amid the growing dominance of digital commerce.

SMART Busnes has developed Digital Place Plans for each town in Ceredigion, providing detailed assessments of their online performance. These plans analyse factors such as marketing strategies, promotional efforts, social media activity, and coordination among local businesses and organisations. The goal is to identify areas where towns may be losing customers and recommend practical improvements.

Described as “a health check for the high street,” the programme combines search data, footfall analytics, and digital behaviour insights with local expertise to evaluate the effectiveness of towns both online and offline.

Bronwen Raine, Managing Director of Antur Cymru based in Newcastle Emlyn, emphasised the plans’ role in translating strategy into action. She said, “Digital Place Plans help bridge the gap between strategy and delivery. By taking a whole-place view, they support towns to make better use of existing assets, work more collaboratively, and build the confidence needed to make informed, long-term decisions that benefit local communities.”

Unlike approaches that focus solely on individual retailers, each plan considers the town as a whole. It assesses online visibility, visitor navigation, digital infrastructure gaps, and the effectiveness of collaboration among local organisations. The intention is to demonstrate how small, coordinated enhancements can generate a greater impact over time than isolated efforts by single businesses.

The most recent plan targets Lampeter and was developed by Digital Place Lead Clive Davies. Presented to Caru Llambed, the town’s regeneration partnership, it has already spurred initiatives. Elen Page from Caru Llambed expressed her enthusiasm, stating, “Thank you Clive. Have just drafted the Expression of Interest for our skatepark – so inspired. Data next thing!”

Kevin Harrington, Programme Manager for SMART Busnes, highlighted the plans’ value in helping communities recognise their strengths and identify areas for improvement. “By creating a shared evidence base, they show what is already in place, where the gaps are, and how digital can support local priorities in a practical and realistic way,” he explained.

These Digital Place Plans are part of the broader SMART Busnes programme funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund. They complement other digital initiatives currently being implemented.

In December, SMART Busnes became one of the first programmes in Wales to introduce a toolkit for Answer Engine Optimisation. This resource assists small businesses in enhancing their visibility in AI-generated search results on platforms like ChatGPT and Google’s AI search. As AI increasingly shapes search outcomes, rural Welsh SMEs gain access to content strategies typically employed by larger brands.

For micro-businesses in towns such as Lampeter, this support aims to level the playing field in the evolving digital marketplace.