The best and worst high streets in Wales have been revealed in a report that ranks 1,000 town centres in the UK.
Real estate consultancy Harper Dennis Hobbs publishes its “vitality index” every two years - looking at various factors.
These include shop vacancy rates, the number of discount stores and 'low value' units like bookmakers - and the proportion of essential shops, which have become particularly important since the pandemic started.
When it came to the top performers North Wales came out well.
The Denbighshire town of Prestatyn was top of the Welsh list.
The seaside resort has successfully blended a new retail park with its high street - meaning both national retailers and local independents are performing well.
It has previously been a runner-up in the Great British High Street competition.
Next up was the historic market town of Ruthin - also in Denbighshire. This has also previously been nominated for the Great British High Street Awards - praised for how the council and traders were working together to revive, adapt and diversify the town.
Cardiff also made the top five - coming in at fifth on the list.
Overall the performance in Wales was poor with a major drop in the average position of Welsh high streets on the UK list.
The average rank was 797 - the worst of any nation and region in the UK, showing the huge challenge Welsh Government has to revive town centres. Six of the bottom ten UK high streets were in Wales.
This week saw it launch a pilot in North Wales to encourage entrepreneurs into Colwyn Bay, Bangor, Rhyl and Wrexham town centres.
At the wrong end of the table was Chepstow in Monmouthshire, which came bottom in the Wales list and was ranked the third worst in the UK.
The county council is working to change the situation with plans to trial "radical changes" to Chepstow town centre.
They said: "What is clear is that the future of our high streets, already affected by internet shopping, are being impacted by the pandemic and we want to work with the businesses and the people of Chepstow to collectively ensure the town centre is a friendly, vibrant and successful place to live, work, shop and socialise.”
James Ebel, CEO of Harper Dennis Hobbs, said: "It is no surprise that Harper Dennis Hobbs’ 2021 Vitality Ranking looks very different from previous years.
"Reflecting on our last Vitality Rankings in 2019, we discussed the changing face of the high street, and at that time, it would have been impossible to imagine the events that we faced over the last twelve months.
"The ‘retail health’ of high streets across Great Britain has seen contrasting fortunes since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The pandemic’s impact means that the shopping destinations that would normally occupy the upper reaches of the list have fallen and have largely been replaced by more local retail centres in prosperous areas that provide convenience and essential product categories."
Five best high streets:
1: Prestatyn, Denbighshire
2: Ruthin, Denbighshire
3: Monmouth, Monmouthshire
4: Blackwood, Caerphilly
5: Cardiff
Five worst high streets:
1: Chepstow, Monmouthshire
2: Cardigan, Ceredigion
3. Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf
4: Ammanford, Carmarthenshire
5. Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire
