KEY FIGURES in Wrexham's comercial centre met yesterday to discuss the town's issues and events.

The meeting was held at the soon to be demolished Wrexham police station and the main issue up for discussion was footfall in the town centre.

Footfall charts from from June and July of this year, along with last year suggest that footfall in the town centre has gone up, with around a 30 per-cent increase on last year.

For reference the figures say that footfall on Hope Street for June was around 90,000 people, with June of last year being around 69,000 people.

It was stressed that the figures were not 100 per-cent accurate as people may have been double counted, but aspects such as the especially hot weather and the new town centre improvements have drawn the crowds in.

Alex Jones, chair of the town centre forum, was wary of the figures though. He said: "There are people in the town centre, but sales still vary. We need to provide as a town what visitors want. There's been a lot of people drawn in by the sunny weather, but it'd be nice if these people all spent £20."

Mr Jones also suggested that business rates were a cause of grief for many town centre businesses.

"Business rates are having a negative impact. It's tough at the moment. It's the independents that get hit, the national companies don't care because businesses are closing and people are losing their livelihoods.

"I hope the AM will look into it, at the moment it's not a fair playing field.

"Footfall is up and people are in town, but as business owners we're up against it in staying competitive.

Ian Lucas, MP for Wrexham, said: "In broad terms Wrexham is doing very well outside the town centre, the industrial estates are full of activity, but we need to transfer that to the town centre.

"The town needs to offer people something. Business rates are part of that, but it's more nuanced."