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Welsh consumers are defying the recession and splashing the cash during the festive period, with most shopping centres enjoying increased income compared to this time last year.

Retailers in Cardiff, Swansea, Llandudno and Aberystwyth are all posting positive results, although traders in Newport are a bit more downbeat.

Up to 15 shops in Aberystwyth could be made subject of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) under plans for a new multimillion-pound shopping centre.

The development, which could include a Debenhams store and a cinema, is earmarked for a former Post Office sorting site in Chalybeate Street.

Activists opposed to plans for a multimillion-pound shopping centre in Aberystwyth have staged a protest at a council meeting in the town.

Mark McNamee’s company Cityheart Wales wants to attract a large department store like Debenhams to Aberystwyth by demolishing existing shops and houses adjacent to a former Royal Mail sorting office and redeveloping the site.

Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet has decided to back the plan in principle and has recommended the use of compulsory purchase orders to ensure the scheme can go ahead. Tonight the scheme will be discussed by members of Aberystwyth Town Council and a decision on whether to proceed with the orders is expected to be taken by the county council on April 30.

The controversial plans could see 15 town centre shops and residential housing in Queen St bought by Compulsory Purchase Order by the County Council to make way for the development of a Debenhams store behind Great Darkgate and Chalybeate Streets. The plans have grown extensively from the original which had an enhanced access to the Post Office development site off Great Darkgate St.

Proposals to demolish a number of independent shops and homes in Aberystwyth (on Chalybeate Street and Great Darkgate Street) in order to to allow a large, faceless retail complex to replace them. This proposal is backed up by the threat of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs).

Jessops has released the list of 17 stores due for closure by the end of February.

Aberystwyth is among the doomed stores.

Chairman David Adams said that these shops were not financially viable.

The closures are expected to result in the loss of around 130 jobs.