THE number of shoppers in Wantage town centre has shot up by 30 per cent in the last year, according to a new report.

An average 1,101 people were recorded every hour in a September survey, against 846 last autumn, compared to a decline of 0.8 per cent for the whole country.

The report by Vale of White Horse District Council comes after Wantage won a national town centre award last month. The Vale and town council-funded Town Team, Iain Nicholson and Mim Norvell, were commended then for helping to fill 21 of 23 empty shops in 18 months.

Last week a new 220-seat Wildwood pizza restaurant opened in Wantage Market Place.

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Area manager Neema Karia said: “Our footfall last week was massive; people were queueing to get in.”

Increased footfall was most marked in Mill Street, where it rose by 50 per cent.

Alison King, who opened her Buzz cafe in Mill Street in April, said: “Without question, we are so much busier than we were.”

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