Yesterday I went to Denbigh Castle with my wife and six year old son. I had been notified of a story telling session which was taking place in the recently opened £600,000 visitor centre. I saw the notification on facebook courtesy of a very hard working local Councillor. Social media is not all bad it seems.
Being residents of Denbigh, we have permit cards which entitle us to free access to the Castle. These cards are worth their weight in gold so if you're a Denbigh resident, I would urge you to take some identification (with your address on) to the library and get your card. I remember being taken there when I was my son's age and few things in life could fire a young imagination quite like Denbigh Castle. Nothing has changed.
Yesterday was the first rain free day we've had in a while. I was expecting hoards of people to be there but was sadly disappointed. CADW laid on the event and it was absolutely brilliant. Delivered by a lady whose enthusiasm left you feeling weak, we heard stories of Owain Glyndwr and Chirk Castle. My son had the opportunity to try his hand at playing medieval musical instruments. It was tailor-made for inquiring young minds and was therefore all the more sad to see such a disappointing turn out of young people. We also had ample time to take in the breathtaking views of the town and the vale before making our slow descent down Love Lane in to the town.
We are local so know the town well. Had we been visitors to the area - and I noticed quite a few when we were at the castle - we would have wanted to wander around this ancient town perhaps in search of a cup of tea or coffee and maybe even a piece of cake. We would have been very disappointed. Making my way home, I took photographs of the current vacant premises in the town and posted them on the "Not available in Denbigh" facebook group. With over 200 members after just seven days, it seems as though there is an ever expanding nucleus of locals passionate about this great town. I shared the photographs to serve as a graphic reminder of the great possibilities for us all on our own door step. The first rule of business is to open your door and we only encountered Lynn at "Make the most of" just above Cawthrays. If half of the current vacancies were filled, it would give locals and visitors seven more reasons to use our high street. If mnore of the existing businesses opened their doors on a Sunday afternoon, I'm sure it would have an impact. Granted, it might take time but I'm sure it would be worth it for all concerned.
The suggestions for what would bring people back on to the high street continue to appear and I would urge everyone to keep them coming and spread the word. The more people engaged, the clearer the picture will be of what people actually want. That seems a good place to start. Some people have suggested that the name of the facebook group has too negative a connotation. I'm all ears. I think the group will be most relevant if the title and suggestions come from the local community - not me. I'm just somebody passionate about the town. I'm just one person. When a community gets together, anything can happen.
I am certain that the Castle can and should play a pivotal role in bringing people back. When you've visited Denbigh Castle, there's only one way to go - down. That is when the high street will benefit - if it is ready to do so. In one week, the suggestions have been excellent and I've noticed separate little groups emerging of like minded local people with a common vision for a particular business opportunity. How great is that?
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