Feeling the festive spirit this week as I dust down my racy red Barrybados jumper all ready for the start of the yuletide social scene.
Mind you, I’m also trying to ignore the Marvel villain sounding Omicron that Covid-19 has kindly coughed up just in time for Christmas…that’s another story.
Just had my first full-on bit of a Do running around the gorgeous Goodsheds munching funky food, quaffing Craft Ale, and finishing with a cheeky cocktail, or three.
Who would have thought as I sat slurping a strawberry milkshake and eating egg and chips in the totally old school Terry’s cafe circa 1980, that Barry would one day boast the first ever sustainable high street in the UK.
In those days, we were just about clinging to a High Street, never mind an urban one. And Holton Road was dominated by Dan Evans which was hardly the cutting edge of couture was it – even with Wallis.
But just look at our trendy little town now with Barry’s biggest and boldest building giving us somewhere to work, eat, live and play – all in one solid space.
Truth be told, I absolutely love the concept, and I’m pleased as punch it’s so proved so popular.
I also like that its been branded, not very catchily though I’ll admit, as ‘continuation of our High Street’, which is just a whisker way thanks to the infamous espresso bar across the road, and that twinklyTunnel of Love leading up to Broad Street.
Seriously though, its sweet to see the Shop Local ethos shine as, for me it’s so community spirited, especially in these coronavirus recovery times, to keep our local traders ticking over.
Must say I did smile though when I saw that our urban utopia was ‘situated in the centre of Barry.’ Since when then as I always thought that was ‘down town’ – possibly at King Square with Central Park perched to the right.
For me, Holton Road, no matter how many bridges you build to it, is a sorry shadow of its former self, and the heart of Barry life seems to now beat strongest at the Waterfront.
I’ve often written about the division a Two Sides Town brings to our beautiful Barry, and hope we can transform the former shopping site to some of its former glory.
Haven’t a Scooby how though.
Answers on a postcard please.
Mrs SVJ
The Voice Of Our Community
* Originally written for https://glamorganstar.co.uk/, and repurposed for https://mrssvj.co.uk/ tto.
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Sue Vincent-Jones, blogging as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. She writes about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
Sue’s Views, the reboot of her much-loved infamous B&D opinion column from back in the day, is where Sue gives her take on the hot topics we are all talking about in our beautiful Barry, and beyond – the good, the bad…and the ugly.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.