Andy’s Thought Dump

By a proud Merthyr boy with big hopes for his hometown.   Merthyr Tydfil has always been a place of strength, resilience, and community spirit. We’re a town built on coal and steel, fire and grit, and while times have changed, our passion for a better future has never faded. That’s why I, like many others, am incredibly excited about the proposed Rhydycar West project – a game - changing development that could transform not just Merthyr, but bring benefits to the whole of Wales. For too long, Merthyr has been overlooked, underfunded, and underestimated. We’ve weathered closures, job losses, and reputational knockbacks – but we’ve never lost that fierce pride. Projects like Rhydycar West give us the hope and ambition we’ve been crying out for. It’s time we had a big win. And this, in my opinion, is it.  What Is Rhydycar West. ?  If you haven’t heard yet – and you really should have – the Rhydycar West development is a massive £300 million proposal that includes: An indoo...

 Alright, hear me out for a second. You know that bit at the end of Barry Island train station? The scruffy patch with weeds, broken fences, and the tunnel that looks like it leads straight into a horror movie? Yeah, that bit. Now imagine stepping off the train and instead of thinking, “Blimey, bit grim down there,” you hear music playing, smell fresh doughnuts, see stalls all lined up selling everything from handmade crafts to vintage tees, old vinyl, street food that makes your belly growl, and some local legend selling Welsh cakes out of a converted camper van. Imagine that. Open-air market. Right there. At the end of the line. It wouldn’t take much. The railway’s gone. That tunnel’s not bringing a train through again unless Doctor Who’s filming. So let’s make it useful. Let’s make it exciting. Something different. Something ours . You could have local makers, food vans, kids with lemonade stands, old timers selling antique bits, someone with a dog in sunglasses - all of ...

It’s hard to put into words why Barry Island means so much to me - but I’ll try. Because for me, it’s not just a seaside town. It’s memories, people, love, laughter, and heartbreak. It’s a part of my soul. People may wonder why I’m talking about making Barry Island better - especially when I’m from Merthyr Tydfil. And don’t worry, I’ve got plenty to say about my home town too. But I want to start here. I want to write about Barry first. Because this place gave me some of the most treasured moments of my life. It's the backdrop to my earliest memories, the setting of joy and sorrow, and now, the place I get to pass those memories on to my own children. My first memory of Barry Island is etched in my mind like it happened yesterday. I was in the back of our red Datsun Cherry, my dad at the wheel, Madonna’s Holiday playing on the radio. We were heading to Barry Butlins, and as we drove through the gates, the smell of hot dogs hit me like magic. That sweet, salty smell carried the p...