Town centres are getting a state-of-the-art digital makeover as a Welsh enterprise agency helps high streets stay visible and competitive in an increasingly online world.
SMART Busnes, delivered by Antur Cymru, has created Digital Place Plans for the six towns it supports in Ceredigion, giving each one a detailed look at how it performs online.
The plans examine everything from promotion, coordination and marketing to social media presence, showing where they may be losing customers and what practical steps can be taken to improve.
Described as “a health check for the high street” the programme uses search data, footfall analytics, digital behaviour – coupled with experience, local knowledge and expertise – to assess how well a town is working, both online and on the ground.
Bronwen Raine, Managing Director of Newcastle Emlyn-based Antur Cymru, said the plans help turn strategy into practical action.
“Digital Place Plans help bridge the gap between strategy and delivery,” she said. “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.”
Rather than focusing only on individual shops, each plan looks at the town as a whole. It considers online visibility, how visitors find and move through a place, gaps in digital infrastructure, and how well local organisations work together.
The aim is to show how small, coordinated improvements can create a bigger long-term impact than any one business could achieve alone.
The latest plan focuses on Lampeter. Developed by Digital Place Lead Clive Davies and presented to Caru Llambed, the town’s regeneration partnership, it has already prompted action.
Elen Page of Caru Llambed said the session inspired her to begin drafting a funding bid for a new skatepark.
“Thank you Clive,” she said. “Have just drafted the Expression of Interest for our skatepark – so inspired. Data next thing!”
Kevin Harrington, Programme Manager for SMART Busnes, said the plans help communities understand both their strengths and where improvements are needed.
“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 said.
The plans form part of the SMART Busnes wider Shared Prosperity Fund programme and sit alongside other digital support already being rolled out.
Last December, the programme became one of the first in Wales to launch a practical toolkit for Answer Engine Optimisation – helping small businesses improve how they appear in AI-generated answers on platforms such as ChatGPT and Google’s AI search.
As traditional search results become increasingly dominated by AI responses, rural Welsh SMEs are being given access to the same content strategies often used by major brands.
For micro-businesses in towns such as Lampeter, organisers say it could help level the playing field.
