The historic market doors are closed to the Rhiw shopping centre in Bridgend which, to put it kindly, looks tired. But things could be looking up, traders hope.
Ava Hicks
17:06, 02 Apr 2026Updated 17:09, 02 Apr 2026
What used to be the bustling heart of Bridgend town centre, the Rhiw is now empty most days(Image: Ava Hicks)
What used to be the bustling heart of Bridgend town centre, the Rhiw is now empty most days. Historic market doors are closed, shop windows empty, and lights are off in many of the units.
The streets on either side are full of life, with customers stepping into restaurants and shops all day. The Rhiw, however, is used more as a bypass for people to get from one end to the other without stopping in the few shops that are left inside.
Some larger chains like TG Jones and Card Factory take space next to independent shops like Antiques Etcetera and Left of the Dial Records. However, some of the independent shops there have been struggling and the one thing they all want is more people at the centre.
But even some chains have left. Game, which was the last standalone Game store in Wales, made the move into Sports Direct Waterton last year.
“It’s quite run-down,” said Hannah Cleave, 26, who visits Bridgend town centre from Wick every now and then. She added: “It needs a bit of livening up and some stuff that people want to go to.”
“I would like to see the market back,” said her husband Matthew Cleave, 28. Stay informed on Bridgend news by signing up to our newsletter here
Things could be finally looking up for the Rhiw after it was bought by the council(Image: Ava Hicks)
Last week Bridgend County Borough Council announced they have purchased the Rhiw shopping centre for £5.37m in what is set to be a “game-changer” for the town.
The council said the purchase brings “potential for a new market, new facilities and new public realm improvements,” as well as dealing with the centre’s “structural issues”.
The council has also said that its plans on what to do relies on what people want and that existing traders will be “consulted on proposals and supported through any future developments”.
We asked shopkeepers in the Rhiw what they would like to see the money used on and why they think it has come to this.
Eileen Schofield runs Cookmate in Market Hall, which replaced Bridgend Market when it closed in September 2023 after RAAC was found in its ceilings. Now Mrs Schofield and others who were in the market have taken it over.
Eileen Schofield runs Cookmate in Market Hall(Image: Ava Hicks)
The regeneration plans are said to include the reopening of the market, but Mrs Schofield feels that it’s come too late. “None of us will go back because they set us up in here but then the year before last, just before Christmas, they said they couldn’t afford to keep us in here.
“So, four of us in here who had been in the market, we formed a limited company and we’ve taken it on ourselves. We wouldn’t go back in there.”
There’s one main thing that Mrs Schofield wants the money to do: “bring more people”. “They’re going to have problems with it,” she said. “Car parking is dreadful because the main car park is full far before half past nine in the morning.”
Tim Wood of Peter Wood Butchers said the town needs a large car park to accommodate shoppers. “People want to go shopping with their cars,” he said. “It’s all out of town shopping. We’re struggling with car parking. We need a large car park badly.”
He said he believes the council buying the Rhiw is “very positive”. “What I would like to see is some footfall in the town centre. Some traffic in the town centre.”
Tim Wood of Peter Wood Butchers said the town needs a large car park to accommodate shoppers(Image: Ava Hicks)
He also said the council should make the shopping centre a “vibrant place with different shops rather than high street big names”, and he is also concerned about the size of some of the units that stand empty, like what formerly was Select which is now a 2,336 sqft empty shop.
“Some of the big units need to be a bit smaller so people won’t have to be paying such high business rates,” said Mr Wood.
Mrs Schofield thinks even if the units are split, it might be hard to get businesses in there. “I don’t know how many empty units there are in the Rhiw at the moment, and some of them, like next door where Select was, are huge. They’d have to split it. But then who are they going to get to go in there? Because people are not going into business.
“People don’t shop the same as they used to. Lots of people are now shopping online which does cut down on people coming to buy.”
Nicola Rawles, Mrs Scholfield’s business partner, agrees. She said: “The age of shoppers has changed because we are seeing more older people than younger people and their concept of leisure time is different to ours.”
The empty Select building in the Rhiw shopping centre(Image: Ava Hicks)
Michelle Chambers, 70, from the jewellery store Masfina, agreed that online shopping does affect shopping habits but that some new “unusual” shops would help bring people in.
Mrs Chambers called the Rhiw a “really nice shopping centre” and said it is “soul-destroying” when independent businesses see comments online about the town centre.
“Certainly the parking is a problem as well. There just aren’t enough spaces, now, and after the college is built it will be even worse,” she said.
A council spokesman said: “The purchase of the Rhiw shopping centre by Bridgend County Borough Council is an ambitious, exciting opportunity to deliver meaningful and long-lasting regeneration at the heart of the town centre.
“This is just the start of a long process, and we intend to begin by revisiting our Bridgend town centre masterplan to see how we can maximise the benefits and take full advantage of fresh opportunities which were previously not available to us.
“The purchase of the Rhiw, which has been made possible using a significant funding contribution from Welsh Government, means that the council can now safeguard against the centre being sold off piecemeal to developers, manage any further instances where RAAC may have an impact upon its structure, undertake consultation with existing traders and other key partners, and ultimately control how the site will be used for the overall benefit of businesses and residents.
“In the meantime we want the Rhiw to continue to operate as a shopping centre, and existing businesses will be kept fully up to date on progress and supported through any future developments.”
Historic market doors are closed, shop windows empty, and lights are off in many of the units(Image: Ava Hicks)
Rachel Bell, centre manager for the Rhiw, said: “The Rhiw shopping centre has been at the heart of Bridgend town centre for more than 50 years and continues to serve as an important and popular destination for shoppers and businesses alike.
“We currently have a 76% occupancy rate and in the last few years have welcomed more than seven new businesses into the shopping centre.
“The recent purchase of the Rhiw as an invest-to-save measure by Bridgend County Borough Council has opened the way for fresh investment as well as the potential for establishing all-new shops and facilities. We will be working closely with the council to ensure a successful transition and will be keeping all of the Rhiw’s existing businesses fully informed.”