REGENERATING CEREDIGION'S RURAL TOWNS

The Cynnal y Cardi Local Action Group (LAG) have supported a new Rural Towns Development Programme to coordinate and facilitate the delivery of regeneration activity to support the recovery of Ceredigion’s rural towns to create thriving, people-centred, and resilient towns.

The towns identified for the digital business support programme are Aberystwyth, Aberaeron, Cardigan, Lampeter, Llandysul, Tregaron and outlying communities, and work is ongoing with the local community, businesses and agencies to implement and deliver the LEADER funded projects supported by the programme.

Priorities for the grant scheme included:

To support and sustain Ceredigion’s rural town economy.
To strengthen local supply chains within Ceredigion.
To access market leading intelligence that will allow Ceredigion businesses to access data in order to support growth in the private sector.
To investigate the opportunities for the circular economy model in Ceredigion.
Adding value to local products.
To support and develop capacity and resilience within Ceredigion’s rural communities.
To support social innovations that help find solutions to societal challenges.

The following projects have been supported by the Rural Towns Development Programme:

Aberystwyth

Exploring the possibility of resurrecting the town’s WiFi: Discussions are ongoing but the hope is to reinstall the town’s WiFi in the new year

Aberaeron

A transport survey was conduced to determine local and visitor’ experience of the town.
A town app and webcam has been agreed, which will launch in 2023

Cardigan

Installation of sensors around the town to analyse key data for local businesses such as footfall in shops
Installation of sensors to analyse air quality and river levels
Extension of the town’s free WiFi license for a further 5 years

Tregaron

Marketing and Town Improvements: A series of marketing installations and techniques to promote the National Eisteddfod being held in the town in the summer of 2022. The installation of picnic benches and flower displays also promoted wellbeing within the town, making it a vibrant town for the local community to live and work in.
Improving town WiFi access
Christmas lighting: A continuation of the marketing techniques and installations to promote and enhance Tregaron to assist in attracting return tourism and to generate a vibrant town for people to work, live and visit.

For further information on the programme, contact the team at cynnalycardi@ceredigion.gov.uk.