EXCLUSIVEInside Britain's number one High Street: Locals reveal what they really think of precinct which boasts colourful hanging baskets and a statue of NHS founder...but is blighted by homeless people and boarded-up shops
Visitors to Cardiff's Queen Street think it's 'beautiful' and was rightly voted Britain's number one shopping venue in a new consumer survey but locals aren't so sure.
The pedestrianised precinct stretches from the Cardiff Castle end to Queen Street train station which brings shoppers and office workers into the city centre.
The street has a traditional merry go-round, a statue of NHS founder Aneurin Bevan and rows of colourful hanging baskets.
But it also has boarded-up shops, homeless people begging and a bearded man in a wheelchair who shouts at cyclists: 'Get off your bike - this is a non-cycling zone.'
The pedestrianised road was voted as Britain's best high street in one recent study, beating out the likes of Oxford Street in London and the main shopping districts in Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham.
Charity worker Saroj Rahl, visiting the Welsh capital from Birmingham with her three sons, said: 'I think it's lovely and fully deserves to be voted number one in Britain.
'There is a huge variety of shops and restaurants , it's clean and well presented.
'We came to Wales to visit Barry Island, Cardiff Castle and Cardiff city centre. The sweetshops here are great, I can't get my boys out of them.'
Insurance claims assessor and mum-of-two Shannon Rowley, 30, from Cardiff, reckons Queen Street isn't worthy of its new title.
She said: 'There is a good variety of shops here but Queen Street isn't the best in Britain.
'I'd much prefer Bath, it's got a better vibe.'
Queen Street in Cardiff (pictured) has been voted the best high street in the UK
Hanging baskets outside Black Sheep Coffee house on Queen Street
The street has a statue dedicated to NHS founder Aneurin Bevan
Charity worker Saroj Rahl, visiting the Welsh capital from Birmingham with her three sons, said: 'I think it's lovely and fully deserves to be voted number one in Britain'
Council litter picker Anthony John, 30, said: 'I'm delighted Queen street has been given this accolade - I hope I helped in a small way'
From Exeter to Edinburgh, the top ten high streets in Britain, according to the study
NHS nurse and avid cricket fan Sarah Perry from Cardiff was walking down Queen Street on her way to see Welsh Fire at Sophia Gardens.
She said: 'I come here shopping for Christmas or before going away on holiday, it's great for shopping.
'There's a lot of variety and every time I visit at least one new shop has opened so there's a lot of variety. It's good for Cardiff that Queen street is number one.'
Martin Evans, 57, who has been working on a fruit and veg stall in Queen Street for 30 years says the street is still recovering from the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic.
He said: 'It's busy at the top end of the street, up by Primark but is it worthy of being voted number one? Far from it I'd say.
'I lost a lot of my customers in the pandemic because lots of people stopped working in city centre offices. It's not like it was but there are signs things are picking up again.'
Martin Evans, 57, who has been working on a fruit and veg stall in Queen Street for 30 years says the street is still recovering from the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic
Cardiff's high street is bustling with visitors and shoppers
Troy Savory, 30, a retail assistant at Ganesha Handicrafts, an independent ethically-sourced jewellery shop in Queen Street said: 'I'm surprised it's been voted top'
Shoppers walking along Queen Street in Cardiff
NHS nurse and avid cricket fan Sarah Perry said: 'I come here shopping for Christmas or before going away on holiday, it's great for shopping'
Cardiff's high street has a number of stores as well as a statue of NHS founder Aneurin Bevan and rows of colourful hanging baskets
But the high street has boarded-up shops, homeless people begging and a bearded man in a wheelchair who shouts at cyclists: 'Get off your bike - this is a non-cycling zone'
The pedestrianised precinct stretches from the Cardiff Castle end to Queen Street train station which brings shoppers and office workers into the city centre
A defibrillator sits in the centre of the high street
Boxes of flowers in the centre of Queen Street in Cardiff which has been voted the best high street in Britain
Troy Savory, 30, a retail assistant at Ganesha Handicrafts, an independent ethically-sourced jewellery shop in Queen Street said: 'I'm surprised it's been voted top.
'Three quarters of the street is pretty good but the bottom end has more than its share of people drinking and smoking on the benches.
'We have another outlet in St Mary Street (the capital's other main shopping street) and it does much better than this one.'
Council litter picker Anthony John, 30, said: 'I'm delighted Queen street has been given this accolade - I hope I helped in a small way.
Hanging baskets, trees and a Carousel are all features of Cardiff's high street
The St David's Dewi Sant shopping centre (pictured) which is one of the biggest shopping centres in Cardiff
The Wilko store in Cardiff's high street has been left abandoned after the chain went bust last year
Cardiff's high street has a large Primark decorated with the Welsh dragon
The Queen Street Carousel is being enjoyed by children in Cardiff city centre
'It's an amazing place to shop, there's a lot of variety and people come from miles around.
'I've been keeping Queen Street clean for two years - it's a safe and friendly place.
'I know there's a bit of litter here and there but the people who drop it are keeping me in a job.'
Cardiff born Ben Christopher, 37, who works in Kingdom of Sweets confectioners, said: 'I'm surprised Queen Street has come number one, it used to be the place with the highest number of ASBOs in the city.
'There has been quite a bit of trouble here and some of the shops are boarded up. There must be better high streets than here.'
Retired builders' merchant worker Mike Cawley, 71, from nearby Newport said: 'It's got statues, trees and shrubbery, I like all that. I just come here to pay and carry my partner's shopping bags.'
Mike's partner Gail Prosser, 70, said: 'We come here quite often, there's plenty of shops, plenty of variety and good restaurants. It's a lot better than Newport, where they've ruined the city centre.'
