The Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee are scheduled to meet to discuss the Wrexham UK City of Culture 2029 bid, and receive an update on the Wrexham Markets. The committee will also review its work programme.

Wrexham UK City of Culture 2029 Bid

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on Wrexham's bid to become the UK City of Culture 2029. Wrexham County Borough plans to submit a formal bid, after being a runner-up in the 2025 competition.

The report pack states that the Wrexham Community & Culture Trust (WCCT) has been established to lead the bid. The WCCT is incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee and has applied to the Charity Commission to become a registered charity.

The report pack emphasises the long-term vision of the Wrecsam2029 bid:

Wrecsam2029 is not simply a 12-month delivery project; it is a long-term commitment to building a cultural legacy for Wrexham County. Central to this vision is the development of a 10-year Cultural Strategy, where legacy aspirations will underpin every stage of planning and delivery.

The report pack also notes that the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provided feedback on Wrexham's previous bid, highlighting strengths such as strong leadership, diverse culture and heritage, a unique theme of 'Play', and impressive capital projects. Areas for improvement included a more detailed exploration of economic and social issues, alignment with the Well-being of Future Generations Act, development of a standout cultural programme, infrastructure development, and establishing an independent trust.

The WCCT has a board of 13 volunteer directors/trustees, including Joanna Knight (Chair), former CEO of Moneypenny, Richard Nicholls (Vice Chair), Chief Executive of Heneb, Professor Uzo Iwobi, CEO of Race Council Cymru, Dawn Roberts-McCabe, Chief Officer for AVOW, Mike Corcoran, Freelance Consultant, Neal Thompson, Co-Founder of FOCUS Wales, Graham Williams, Director of Sport Wales, Kerry Evans, Disability Liaison Officer at Wrexham AFC, Professor Joe Yates, Vice Chancellor of Wrexham University, Kate Wasserberg, Artistic Director of Theatr Clwyd, Dean Fagan, Actor and Founder of Wrexham Academy of Screen Acting/Minera Studios, Osian Andrew, Multimedia Artist & Events Producer, and Michael Williamson, CEO of Wrexham AFC.

The WCCT has also appointed 21 advisors to the board on a voluntary basis, across areas such as heritage, sport and science, arts, music and events, food, drink and hospitality, marketing and communications, diversity, and governance and legal.

The report pack states that the WCCT has identified cultural pillars as programme themes for Wrexham's bid, with 'play/playfulness' as the underpinning theme, alongside heritage, sport, food, drink & hospitality, and arts & music.

The WCCT has been awarded £175,000 funding through the Wrexham Shared Prosperity Fund 2025-26 to undergo a 'Cultural Commissions' grants programme, enabling 14 new 'test events' to take place across the County. Organisations offered funding support include Avant Theatre CIC, Caia Park Environmental Group, TableTaps Ltd, Wrexham Africa Community CIC, Credu Supporting Young & Adult Carers, Diddi Dance NE Wales, Menter Iaith, Wrexham Miners Project, 73 Degree Community Ltd, Erddig Nordic Walkers, Mosaic Spa & Health Clubs Ltd, Dynamic Centre for Children & Young People with Disabilities, FOCUS Wales, and NEW Sinfonia.

The WCCT has also accessed SPF funding to lead on the development of a collaborative 10-year Cultural Strategy (2027-37) for Wrexham, informed by a series of Creative Engagement Workshops. Additionally, WCCT has been allocated £50,000 via Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Initiative to develop Phase 2 of the Wrexham Public Art Trail.

Wrexham Markets Progress Update

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the progress of the Butchers Market and General Market since their refurbishment and reopening on 28 November 2024, as well as an update on the Monday Market.

The report pack notes that the refurbishment was funded through the Council's capital programme, the Townscape Heritage Scheme (THS) funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Targeted Regeneration Investment Programme (TRI), Important Buildings Grant and Transforming Towns Fund.

Prior to the refurbishment, the occupancy rate in the Butchers Market was 21% and in the General Market was 53%. As of September 2025, the occupancy rates are 70% in the Butchers Market and 64% in the General Market.

The report pack states that the City Centre team have been targeting butchers to trade within the Butchers Market, but this has proven difficult due to set-up costs and lack of storage. There have also been challenges recruiting new traders into both markets, with prospective tenants citing issues such as market stall units not being equipped for industrial catering or food preparation, the responsibility to fit out units falling on the new tenant, perceived high initial costs, and a lack of storage.

The report pack also outlines current and ongoing strategic work, including the development of a new market brand, a new Wrexham Markets Website, a promotional plan, direct target marketing to prospective traders, membership to the National Association of British Markets (NABMA), and shared promotion of call for traders / pop up stalls with Ty Pawb.

As part of the refurbishment of the Butchers Market, a previously redundant space on the high street frontage has been turned into a restaurant/cafe unit, which is being marketed with a guide price of £2,500 per month.

In April 2024, Wrexham Council offered Monday Market traders a rent-free period, which has been extended to the end of 2025. Throughout 2025, the Monday Market has seen an average attendance of seven stalls per week.

Work Programme

The committee will also consider its revised work programme, attached as appendix 1. The report pack notes that the work programme is aligned to the priorities in the new Council Plan 2023–28.