83% SAY CLYDACH ‘MOST IMPROVED LOCAL AREA’

In some ways, this result coming from Clydach is no surprise. The poll was taken from a Residents of Clydach Facebook page. It would be easy to call this biased.

However, generally in this country we like to moan. The fact that over four in five people opted out of a good moan speaks volumes!

You simply cannot get away from it: Clydach is without doubt on the up.

Visionary business men and women have totally transformed the large Village. Shops such as Lavnder Hill and Dress Parlour feed off services such as Amethyst, Roots and Barnes Opticians.

Wine bars and restaurants have been a welcome addition. The Piccolo Bar, The Overdraft and the Riverbank have all opened in recent years and the village has a clear vision and identity.

No place shows the change in Clydach better than the Brownsters Café. Here a greasy spoon has evolved with the village into Cattle & Co. Offering breakfasts to Evening meals in a modern environment.

Ambition is winning in Clydach. Neighbouring villages and Towns are not showing the same belief. I don’t think there is another area locally where residents would respond so kindly. Ystradgynlais the only possible exception.

Clydach is in the peculiar Gower ward. Neighbouring Neath Port Talbot. During the general election, I spoke with both the Labour candidate Tonia Antoniazzi and her Tory rival Francesca O’Brien.

At one point, Francesca spoke to me about Clydach in the same vein as Mumbles and Gowerton. This would not have been the case a decade ago. And I sensed that this was a young woman with her first real taste of Clydach. But first impressions compared this once forgotten place to an aspirational village on a par with the richest suburbs of Swansea.

The vision and determination is not just left to enterprise either. The Clydach Community Council do a phenomenal job. Putting on countless events throughout the year and even purchased a mobile bar in recent months which is available to hire for events. Ambition and forward thinking, outside of the box. Neighbouring Town Councils take note.

The Forge Fach centre goes above and beyond its remit. It is thriving with dedicated staff helping it succeed. Countless events and community groups visit the centre every month.

Too many Towns and Villages across South Wales have ‘given up’. Places need to look at Clydach and see what is possible when the community comes together with some ambition.

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