Businesses coming to Barry Waterfront business district?

It is one of the glaring issues at Barry’s biggest ever housing project. The business units at the Waterfront are often labelled 'a ghost town' having remained empty for years.

In the past month, to try fill the units, commercial agency Whozoo has been brought in to see if they can bring life into the area and lead agents Dan Cholewinski and Luke Curtis are quietly confident business is moving in the right direction.

“We have been live about four weeks and the reaction has been very good,” and Mr Cholewinski, “We have had multiple sales subject to contract.”

So, could things be improving for the Waterfront business district? While Mr Cholewinski couldn’t go into detail about who could potentially be moving in, he did give some indication that helps blow away the narrative around cost-of-living crisis and high street obituaries.

“Progress has been really strong since we have been in the project,” said Mr Cholewinski. “The people that are enquiring, when they visit, they are pleasantly surprised by the area.

“They are impressed and see the potential of what could be a go to destination.”

And what kind of people are looking to open new businesses in these often described ‘difficult’ economic times?

“Existing businesses have made enquiries,” aid Mr Cholewinski. “We’ve had enquiries from people working in paid employment wanting to start their own businesses.

“We are seeing a lot of people with entrepreneurial flair come forward."

Whozoo lead agents say some 'sold subject to contracts' have been achieved (Image: Newsquest)

Businesses have tentatively moved into the area including the first; Koi Nooshi (Image: Newsquest)

So far, the business district has remained practically empty (Image: Newsquest)

That ‘entrepreneurial flair’ was first observed when Koi Nooshi moved into the Waterfront – in one of the units at on the waters edge at the end of Clos Y Rheilffordd offering fresh Asian street food.

Business could be coming and in an added plus, improvements are on-going in the area including the near-completion of the much needed waterfront walkway to Ffordd Y Mileniwm and the bushes have been cut back round the harbour on the waters edge by ABP authority.

Things on the up at the Waterfront?

“In general, we are really impressed with the progress we have made in the last four weeks,” finished Mr Cholewinski.

Whozoo are holding a Dockside Launch Commercial Property Open Day on Wednesday August 14. For more information and how to register to attend, click here.

Got a story in Barry? Email harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.