";s:4:"text";s:5715:" “Lovely area. This is It took months to convince the people at the heart of swinging in Wales to tell their stories. She takes a break from the preparations to place an enormous plate of biscuits on the table.After a few minutes they are joined by several other women. Video Unavailable. It has simple decor, doesn’t sell food and is busier midweek than many a pub in a city centre.There are two rooms for patrons and one has a funeral wake inside with about a dozen people wearing black.“Who wants to sit in Grandma’s house feeling sorry,” said landlord Dai Morgan, as he shakes you (very) firmly by the hand. The people who were previously catching up with friends clear the street fast.As you duck into a shop doorway you are greeted by a middle aged woman holding a small black dog that looks almost comically terrified.Without prompting she shouts over the falling stones: “Florence didn’t want to come out today and now I know why! And yet this is no ghost town. That’s not true here. The percentage of residents in Maesteg rating their health as 'very good' is less than the national average. It hits you as you walk inside. No information about the next fixture available at this time. "You can either choose to look at the litter or you can choose to look at all the daffodils.”As you push open the wooden doors of the beautiful Dyffryn Chapel’s vestry, you are greeted by a broad 70-year-old man. Small area annual population estimates “You want to come out and celebrate a life and have a few beers.”Alongside his wife he has been running the pub for 26 years.It is called the Cross Inn but more appropriate names would be The Innovator and The Trend Bucker. The Planning Regions are divided into smaller Planning Areas. We practise all year and then once a year will compete with other groups in Bridgend.“I have lived in Wiltshire, Northern Ireland and Australia and can honestly say I have never been anywhere like here.“The kids want me to move closer because it will be easier to look after me but I say they need to move to me! People are out and about, happily chatting away and having a gossip.It was this over-familiarity that first drove Debbie Arrigall-Watkins, 55, away.A Maesteg native, Debbie was sick of the relentless familiarity of the enclosed valley.“I used to say that in Maesteg everyone knows everything about you,” said mother-of-three Debbie.“People knew you had gotten in trouble before your parents knew! Statistics on population and households - official population estimates, recent trends, small area data, density, population characteristics, household estimates, population and household projections.The latest official estimate of the population of the City and County of Swansea stands at Further information on the 2019 population statistics for Swansea, including breakdowns by age and sex, data for other local authorities, Wales and UK, and the most recent trends (2018-19), is available in a It can’t be that hard to answer right? Our fruit and veg was delivered by a horse drawn cart!“People wonder why they’re not bothering doing everything with the Revlon site“Why is the BBC in the centre of Cardiff? That is true but it is because they care. Household estimates Before the car disappears into the driveway she gives you a cheerful wave and a warm smile of thanks for waiting.If this warmth and friendliness takes you by surprise you’d better get used to it. That doesn’t happen where she lives and she doesn’t know her neighbours.” Steve is an example of something that is very common in the valley – a commuter.As the jobs have dripped away from the town, more and more people are forced to search for work elsewhere.Every morning the road out of Maesteg is blocked with traffic as people queue on the daily commute.Ross Penhale Thomas is one example of the town losing its young people to Cardiff and Swansea for work.A councillor, Ross is a fierce advocate for the town and by his own admission will never leave despite having to drive to Cardiff and back everyday for work.Speaking at Wetherspoons on one of the busy Thursday curry nights he said: “In 2006/2007, the Revlon site close down which employed close to 1,000 people. Llynfi is not like other valleys, something its residents will proudly point out to you.