Independent traders in Barry's shopping areas say more signage is needed to encourage customers to local shops.

At the Shop Local committee meeting last Thursday business owners raised the issue, saying many residents were unaware of the range of shopping areas in town.

Owner of Doctor Bob's Balloons Unlimited on High Street Bob Armstrong said he had been raising the issue for "many years."

"We've had various meetings about it but then nothing happens. It is very frustrating. I've explained it so many times," said Bob.

"There's even people that have lived here for 15 years that don't realize the shops on High Street are here. I'm not exaggerating.

"The signs we have just say 'high street', they don't reference it to the High Street shopping area.

"Previously they agreed to do the foot signage with directions and put a few of those up but that's made no difference."

Bob said he wants road signs specifically for High Street, to direct customers to the shops and have signs at bus and train stations with maps to highlight the area.

"What I'm asking for is signs that are bigger. We need road signs at key points around Barry that are big enough for drivers to see, without obstructing the road of course," said Bob.

"I won't give up on it. But it does sometimes make you feel as though you don't want to continue," he said.

Co-owner of zero-waste shop Awesome.wales., located on Holton Road, Amy Greenfield agreed that more signage was needed for the shopping areas in Barry.

"When I moved here in 2016, I used to live on Evans Street, and I drove to the island every day to walk my dog for two years. I discovered High Street in 2019," she said.

"I would drove almost parallel but didn't know the shops were there. There is a sign that says 'High Street shops' but to me that just meant a corner shop and a dentist."

Amy felt that more signage was needed to attract regular local customers, rather than tourists.

"People who use social media know we're here. But anyone who lives more than a couple of streets away don't know we're here, because it isn't part of their daily commute.

I get people coming in on a daily basis asking if we're a new shop, and we've been here for two years.

"I think more signage would be helpful, especially off of the main commuter routes.

"We're not trying to attract people from 20 miles away, we're trying to attract people from five streets away.

"We need regular customers because we're not a tourist destination, we're here for people to come in and buy some plastic free produce," she said.