COUNCILLORS are looking into the possibility that Newtown could have its very own app.

This month's Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council meeting received a presentation from Cardigan Councillor Clive Davies on how collaborative partnerships, and the development of an app and a free Wi-Fi scheme, had helped boost tourism in the Ceredigion town.

The meeting heard that the partnership had similarities to the one between the town council and Open Newtown.

Mr Davies described how a town centre partnership was set up in 2016, with representatives from the arts, education sector, local traders and council officers, meeting on a quarterly basis to look at long-term plans.

They have been successful in sourcing funding from the lottery, the Welsh Government, and Visit Wales, and one of the projects they have funded being the Cardigan app, which cost around £6,000 and town businesses put money towards.

He said: "The town app brings together history, trading, places to visit, enabling people to learn about the town before you get there.

"The app is free, available on all platforms, and is bilingual.

"Any new shop which opens, or a shop closes, the app is updated. It gives people information on where they can have a meal, laces to stay, which shops are closest to you.

"It also provides a history of the town, old photos - so you can see what the street you are standing in looked like 100 years ago - a map, details on major events in the town."

Newtown South ward Cllr Richard Edwards asked Mr Davies about analytics, and how much information traders were able to gather from the town app.

Mr Davies said they were able to take Google data via people accessing the app to build up a profile of their interests, their demographic, and where they visited in Cardigan.

Newtown councillors thanked Mr Davies for his presentation.