Bridgend..The good bad and the ugly of Bridgend

Bridgend walk through

[@martinyozzer1232]

a town killed by its own council,they took backhanders to pedestrianise the centre to drive people out to McArthur Glen and away from independently owned shops and into the clutches of global companies

[@jonathanhart8659]

All part of their " great reset"😢

[@littlesebastian4389]

Bridgend, the graveyard of ambition.

[@OnASeasideMission]

I loved my first years (0-8) in Bridgend. It was a busy thriving place, full of shops and shoppers; the shops always brightly lit and decorated for Christmas, the old Market always crowded. Being a landlord (The Star) my dad seemed to know everyone in town. Three cinemas: The old Palace - once a theatre where Harry Secombe was booed off -, the County and the Embassy where Mamgu used to take me 2 or 3 times a week, Newbridge Fields had a swimming pool. The great thing was that Bridgend was a key spot o the A48 that marked a line between the valleys and the Vale of Glamorgan. Then everything was 'Improved'. Da iawn.

[@folkme3042]

I've lived in Bridgend all my life but visiting the town now has become a really depressing experience.

[@ce5890]

After what feels like 600 years of Welsh Labour

[@tommyhassan3545]

@@ce5890 typical Tory probably a brexiteer too

[@ce5890]

@@tommyhassan3545 I just can't help but notice Labour have ruined Bridgend. Sorry if that offends you

[@tommyhassan3545]

@@ce5890 vote Tory next time then 😂

[@ce5890]

@@tommyhassan3545 probably go with Reform

[@cymro6537]

I lived in Bridgend between 1972- 1991 - and saw a steady decline in the town's fortunes

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

Thanks for watching …According wales online there going to sort the problem out with the empty buildings and run down buildings so fingers crossed

[@cymro6537]

@@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk Thanks for replying.I think that Mc Arthur Glen was the death knell for Bridgend.Let's hope that the town can somehow turn itself around. 👍

[@ce5890]

@@cymro6537 BCBC have done more to destroy Bridgend than the luftwaffe did for Swansea

[@paulbale1381]

It's like dawn of the dead around the bus station mun 🤣

[@OutandAboutWithDavid]

Welcome to vlogging. Very good video of Bridgend centre. Well done Anthony.

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

Thank you David your comment is well appreciated thanks

[@patriciahackman3637]

Really it's so sad.Feel utterly deflated watching this. It was once so busy & thriving 20 years ago.😢

[@beverleymiddleton6120]

I lived in Bridgend in the 1980s, it was a great place. So sad to see it now.

[@virgilhilts8241]

My home town is now an absolute disgrace- back last weekend and the market has even gone!!. RACA concrete apparently- well SORT IT! The place was banging in the 70, 80, 90’s - now it’s a moth shell of its former self. Quite upsetting actually- when you get off the bus, what greets you- the dole and a pub, and bordered up buildings. People say it’s the lines, well no, the stuff that was in town was never up the pines and vice versa. Town centres struggling all over the country- not like this! Cowbridge is not like this, neither is Port Talbot. In fact nowhere is as bad as this. Disgraceful BCBC should hang thief heads in shame- who are the elected councillors etc - get rids of the lot. Who is in charge around here! ……

[@carolannelewis8510]

You totally right nothing here loved the market , they had mostly everything you need , meat stalls , sewing and cake stalls , a place you could have a cuppa that’s gone ages ago it’s just a empty now just all gone

[@GaryEdwardswiz]

The Reality of a Third-World Growing Country so sad to see Bridgend Town, We have come down the wrong slow Foot Path of Life before our very eyes being oh so very wrong this was so much better our Yesterdays

[@virgilhilts8241]

Blimey, even the plod have legged it!

[@notthemessiah9243]

Turning a church into den of drug abuse and fornication tells you everything you need to know bout Bridgend

[@jardon8636]

good video, its a major shame & a dissapointment.... that the bridgend on the ogmore, pen y bont ar ogwr... is the least thriving town, in south wales... by far.... a ghost town, with no ambition, its declined and been neglected... the halo leisure center, the awen library and the old castle- st illtud church & st johns house... are the few worthy for special mention , they keep the spirit of the town alive... you would think, that town council would provide free car parking, invest in the local market and promote the town....,for visitors & tourists in comparison to maesteg, pontypridd, carmarthen... cowbridge.. bridgend has gone too a * graveyard of no ambition whatsoever*

[@johnthomas7038]

If a video could be found to show how vibrant this place used to be 30-40 years ago, it would make this one even more shocking.

[@phildavies6020]

Worked there on the Glamorgan Gazette in the early 70’s, just as work was beginning on the Rhiw shopping centre. Busy, bustling town then. You had the old Town Hall with its huge pillars, you could park your car in Caroline Street, walk up to the little sandwich bar or nip over to the fish and chip shop near the bus station. What deterioration! Used to be a lovely town. Looks a bit of a sh*thole now.

[@virgilhilts8241]

Love the way ‘security’ says “can’t film here” what a 🍆- private he says?. NOPE , and yes you can. Why do they need security in there- nowt worth nicking!

[@kingelvis1977d]

Monroe's ! Thanks for that , could not remember the name the York was changed to 😊

[@carolannelewis8510]

To be fair it’s taken on a bad weather day , but he’s right what ever you say , the people are lovely most not ALL when you get to know them , been coming here for almost 50 years as my husbands a bridged person anyway 😊

[@3967742]

We would be able to hear you if you didn't have that music playing.

[@carolannelewis8510]

BUSTLING town to GOAST TOWN , it’s all net and out of town shopping now 😢sad so sad but he showing they very worst by the river it changed that from flooding the towns areas , that’s one good thing done there

[@carolannelewis8510]

All that was thriving in late 80 ts beautiful buildings here but they just not making them nice again , moneys wasted again , ohh I get Angry 😡 about theses two places and the money our forefathers and us have paid in , council tax 😊they always saying they have t got funds Huuh where is all the money going them uuuuuh

[@mrjw6701]

A corrupt council, a corrupt property developer and landlord from a well known Bridgend family and a corrupt Estate agency between the 3 of them they’ve ruined Bridgend.

[@carolannelewis8510]

That was at the end a gorgeous church it’s been a cafe and pub , not sure what’s there now but crying shame

[@edwardthomas9671]

3 months later police station gone they knocked it down

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

yeh check out my other videos of bridgend police station thanks for watching

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

All this film it was hard to see a smiling face, what a Terrible place it has become, I have not been there for 20 Years or so , it started to go all wrong after Thatcher shut all the Mines, the Valleys became dead and the towns followed , very depressing, I am 87, I had Family in the Llynfi and Garw Valleys long gone, I returned for a Funeral . I was born in Tylagwyn Farm long gone as well, my Family were the Prices of Tynton and Griffiths of Ty Mawr Bach and Garth Farms. I have lived most of my Life near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, I was Educated in Cowbridge Grammar and I went to Oxford at Magdalene, I still miss the Cymru, but when I was a young lad, I remember the Germans Marching down Merthyr Mawr Road from my Grans House, I saw all of them on their way to Island Farm POW Camp. I never liked them then and I still cannot like them today, my Father actually gave evidence in Nuremburg on the Atrocities and Massacres committed by the SS ,Wehrmacht and Ustashe in Jugoslavija at Nuremburg in 1946 and 1947. he died this year at 106. I was brought up Cymric speaking as a First Language and I passed that on to my Children and now even my great great Grandchildren are doing the same. you never forget your people, I do wish that things will come better. Sad to say it will take a miracle. My father was a Officer in the SOE a Commando and he was in France 1940 later behind the lines in North Africa, 41 the Balkans 41/44 and Germany in 1945. He was with the Partisans . Diolch yn fawr ich i, Nos da.

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

Very sorry My Father passed away Last Year 2023.

[@Nibbles-ow9rj]

I live in brigend 👍🏻

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

I’m just out side Bridgend town centre just a few miles thanks for watching 👍

[@auldflyer]

I escaped from Bridgend............

[@demonhalo67]

The town is now in terminal decline, years of decay and dereliction make many boarded up places unviable to fix, footfall is down as the town does not offer the diversity of shopping it used to and the hammer blow loss of the Rhiw Market and Wilkos has driven out many more out of town. Big employers such as Ford used to bring in big money to the area. I now hear that Tata steel works in neighbouring Port Talbot is cutting 3000 jobs and that is bound to effect the local economy further. This town has had it, with the council having limited to no funds to fix the massive challenges ahead it will contnue to get worse and anti social behaviour, crime, and alcohol issues are all likely to get worse with it. Like many others, I am getting the hell out of this town as soon as I can, as I can't see a way back. The people here are real and there are genuine characters and community, but that will not save it from oblivion. Ignorance of this reality is simply denial.

[@carolannelewis8510]

It was a busy thriving town 15 to 20 and 48 years ago things got lot lot better when they done the river. Then it was everything you needed then it’s gone to be like this councils have to put in nothing and up the Owar Bally’s then done nothing fir them at shameful on you 🤬fat cats big dos and nothing to those who try to make their homes 🏡 safe and nothing fir the kids anywhere to play shame oh you Owar councils now and past

[@lyndenhadley4490]

As a Bridgend resident I can confirm…..it’s a proper shit hole 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@tommyhassan3545]

My auntie used to run pubs in Bridgend town centre in the 80s the railway and the York tavern are they still both open

[@mel4856]

Yes both good pubs but nothing else in bridgend now. Most shops have gone. Do you live there?

[@tommyhassan3545]

@@mel4856 no I’m from cardiff

[@mel4856]

@@tommyhassan3545 the Railway is still open but the York closed a while back , and I still think it's empty now like so many other buildings now in Bridgend.

[@tommyhassan3545]

@@mel4856 shame that I used to spend time in those pubs in the summer when I was a kid in the 80’s

[@mel4856]

@@tommyhassan3545 I did too, used to love going to the Railway on a Saturday night and to the York. Great times in the 80's. It's sad to see bridgend the way it is now. It was a thriving town then.

[@Sanddancer1]

if someone comes up to you and say they dont want to be filmed just tell them they are incidental as they approached you and youtube will be on your side

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

Thanks for the advice it’s well appreciated thanks😊

[@Sanddancer1]

great video there and the plastic policeman doesnt know what hes on about as the rhiw is not private prooerty and theres no signage to say it is so therefore legally publicly accessible be aware your going to get a lot of these idiots saying the same things like you need permission etc but you can film and take photos of anyone and anything ANyWHERE that is publicly accessable

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

Thanks for the advice it will all be take on board and will help me out in the future thanks😊

[@Phill-mi3sq]

If you look at the entrance all three of them you will see it is private.

[@esseel7896]

crackin vid. bloody music though holy crap :)

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

i do apologise bridgend was my first video i have tried to change the music will try again soon and thanks for the feed back its all taken on board

[@esseel7896]

@@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk no probs bud cheers. good luck with the channel!

[@carolannelewis8510]

Music awful

[@carolannelewis8510]

He told one of family not to smoke in there they weren’t they holding a e cig and the shop was selling them anyway just holding it outside the shop they are gods , security there are. Mostly rude and not polite cos they in black and blue they think they are police 👮‍♀️ you not you are just somebody who think you are something you not and the police are just the same too 😡

[@carolannelewis8510]

That shop at the end EDANs in 70 to was first Tesco , used to go shopping there lol

[@oldmacdreadapexriddims1460]

Bridgend that miserable some of the men have turned to cross dressing 😂

[@Garwfechan-ry5lk]

MP as well

[@carolannelewis8510]

This place he’s talking about that building been lie that for years and years

[@carolannelewis8510]

There was shops up the top not many up there now but to be fair not sure what year this is done , people are buying on line and where I’m from Rhonda Valley’s it’s a crying shame 😢what’s not there and what the Rhonda taff was going to do to it , Shame on you now and past counsels shameful 😡plenty of money wasted on stupid stuff things through , I should know live up there all my life , got out 15 years ago

[@TheGoodTheBadAndTheUglyuk]

It’s was filmed 2023

[@carolannelewis8510]

Oh nothing changed then thank you

[@susanmcloughlin5961]

Remember when all those teenagers were all committing suicide?? In the late noughties??