I. Population and Area

Continent: Europe

Country: The U.K

State/Province: Wales

City/Town: Llanelli, Carmarthenshire

Total Area: 925 (sq mi)  (Carmarthenshire)

Population in 2011: 49.59 (thousand）

II. Natural Geography (environment and resources)

Geography

The county is bounded to the north by Ceredigion, to the east by Powys (historic county Brecknockshire), Neath Port Talbot (historic county Glamorgan) and Swansea (also Glamorgan), to the south by the Bristol Channel and to the west by Pembrokeshire. Much of the county is upland and hilly. The Black Mountain range dominates the east of the county, with the lower foothills of the Cambrian Mountains to the north across the valley of the River Towy. The south coast contains many fishing villages and sandy beaches. The highest point (county top) is the minor summit of Fan Foel, height 781 metres (2,562 ft), which is a subsidiary top of the higher mountain of Fan Brycheiniog, height 802.5 metres (2,633 ft) (the higher summit, as its name suggests, is actually across the border in Brecknockshire/Powys). Carmarthenshire is the largest historic county by area in Wales.

The county is drained by several important rivers which flow southwards into the Bristol Channel, especially the River Towy, and its several tributaries, such as the River Cothi. The Towy is the longest river flowing entirely within Wales. Other rivers include the Loughor (which forms the eastern boundary with Glamorgan), the River Gwendraeth and the River Taf. The River Teifi forms much of the border between Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, and there are a number of towns in the Teifi Valley which have communities living on either side of the river and hence in different counties. Carmarthenshire has a long coastline which is deeply cut by the estuaries of the Loughor in the east and the Gwendraeth, Tywi and Taf, which enter the sea on the east side of Carmarthen Bay. The coastline includes notable beaches such as Pendine Sands and Cefn Sidan sands, and large areas of foreshore are uncovered at low tide along the Loughor and Towy estuaries.

Transport

Llanelli is linked to the M4 motorway via the A4138 and to Swansea via the Loughor Bridge on the A484. It is served by regular bus services between Swansea and Carmarthen and a National Express service to London.

Services from Llanelli railway station on the Great Western Crescent south of the town centre connect with Fishguard Harbour and Swansea along the West Wales Line. It is the terminus of the Heart of Wales Line for Craven Arms and Shrewsbury. There are daily Great Western Railway services with London Paddington and regular services with Cardiff Central and Manchester Piccadilly. The district is also served by stations, at Bynea, Llangennech, Pembrey & Burry Port and Kidwelly.

Llanelli is connected to the National Cycle Network from the north on NCR 43, and along the coast from the east and west on NCR 4. These routes link with a cycle path to the town centre.

The nearest passenger airport is Cardiff Airport, 50 miles (80 km) away, although Pembrey, 2 miles (3.2 km), provides air charter services. October 2016 saw the 20th anniversary of Pembrey Airport, which during that period trained 9,500 military pilots jointly with the MOD range at Pembrey Sands.

III. Economy

Average Salary in Llanelli, Wales: Carmarthenshire

￡22k

About Llanelli, Wales: Carmarthenshire

The average salary in Llanelli, Wales: Carmarthenshire is ￡22k. Trends in wages decreased by -100.0 percent in Q3 2020. The cost of living in Llanelli, Wales: Carmarthenshire is 100 percent higher than the national average. The most popular occupations in Llanelli, Wales: Carmarthenshire are Teaching Assistant (TA), Operations Manager, and Electrician which pay between ￡14k and ￡36k per year. The most popular employers in Llanelli, Wales: Carmarthenshire are Lloyds and Royal Navy.

In 2014, West Wales was identified as the worst-performing region in the United Kingdom along with the South Wales Valleys. The gross value added economic indicator showed a figure of ￡14,763 per head in these regions, as compared with a GVA of ￡22,986 for Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. The Welsh Assembly Government is aware of this, and helped by government initiatives and local actions, opportunities for farmers to diversify have emerged. These include farm tourism, rural crafts, specialist food shops, farmers' markets and added-value food products.

In 2015, in an attempt to boost the local economy, Carmarthenshire County Council produced a fifteen-year plan that highlighted six projects which it hoped would create five thousand new jobs. The sectors involved would be in the "creative industries, tourism, agri-food, advanced manufacturing, energy and environment, and financial and professional services".

Reference Website:

https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Location=Llanelli-Wales%3A-Carmarthenshire/Salary

IV. Industrial Characterisitics

Major industries:

In 1991 Llanelli was a distinct Travel to Work Area, but a 2001-based revision has merged it into a wider Swansea Bay Travel to Work Area.

Manufacture

Several firms, including Tata Steel Europe tinplate at Trostre and Dyfed Steels, are based in the Llanelli area and service the automotive industry. The Technium Performance Engineering Centre was developed at Llanelli Gate as a business incubator for businesses in the automotive, motor sport and aerospace sectors.

The traditional industries of Llanelli have gradually declined in recent decades. Local government has responded by seeking to attract tourism with developments such as the Machynys Golf Course, retail parks at Trostre and Pemberton, and the Millennium Coastal Park. The core shopping area has now moved largely from the town centre to the Trostre/Pemberton area.

Brewing

The longstanding Felinfoel Brewery continues in Felinfoel, just outside the town.

Rev. James Buckley was an ordained Methodist minister, born in Oldham, Lancashire in 1770, who after moving to Llanelli towards the end of the 18th century became involved in establishing a small brewery. After the death of the owner, Buckley gained possession of the brewery and changed its name to Buckley's. In 1998, the brewery was bought by Brains Brewery, which transferred production to its facility in Cardiff. However, Brains continues to produce The Reverend James, a bitter named in Buckley's memory. However, the brewery has been partly demolished.

Leisure and tourism

In the past decade, the longstanding emphasis on heavy industry has shifted towards the tertiary sector employment in leisure and tourism. Ongoing developments include the new Llanelli Scarlets rugby stadium, the Old Castle Works leisure village (see below) and a National Hunt racecourse at Ffos Las near Trimsaran. Machynys Ponds, a Site of Special Scientific Interest notable for its dragonfly population, lies a mile to the south.

Major projects and related introductions:

Major step forward for landmark multi-million pound Llanelli project

The scheme - now called Pentre Awel – has been approved by the Swansea Bay City Deal’s Joint Committee. This follows the project’s approval by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Executive Board and unanimous sign-off at Full Council. Proposed for an 83-acre site at Delta Lakes on Llanelli’s coastline, Pentre Awel will be the first development of its scope and size in Wales.

Pentre Awel will provide public, academic, business and health facilities all on one site to boost employment, education, leisure provision, health research and delivery, and skills and training.

The project is planned to include integrated care and physical rehabilitation facilities to enable the testing and piloting of life science technologies aimed at enhancing independent and assisted living.

The council-run leisure centre element of the project will feature a cutting-edge gym, a 25-metre swimming pool, a learner pool and an indoor play area.

Worth millions of pounds to the local economy, Pentre Awel will also create a wide range of employment opportunities across the Swansea Bay City Region as whole. Pentre Awel is being delivered by Carmarthenshire County Council in partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board, Universities and Colleges. The council is working with community partners to ensure the project accommodates the work, health and care needs identified and prioritised by local residents through extensive consultation. Pentre Awel is due to be part-funded by the ￡1.3 billion Swansea Bay City Deal, with a total of ￡40 million being sought for the project.

Reference Website:

https://www.swanseabaycitydeal.wales/news/major-step-forward-for-landmark-multi-million-pound-llanelli-project/

V. Attractions

1. The PlayKing：

The PlayKing is a massive adventure with a features the kids won't necessarily have seen before like a Double Sky Glide and and motorised go karts! Other brilliant mainframe features include the 6m Drop slide, the 4 Lane Astra Slide, the Giant Spiral Slide and the gentle Wavy Slide! All slide needs catered for!

There's also a Climbing Wall, a Ball Cannon Arena and a large separate Sports Area with interactive sports walls! The main areas are clearly age marked but the ball area is open play, so be careful to watch the small ones in there, it's easy to come a cropper when you're knee height to the big ones!

The under 5s areas contains Giant Interactive Ball Pool with juggler, lifter and shower; Wavy Slide; Tube Slide; climbing and obstacle features. It's all bright, clean and soft and perfect for crawlers through toddlers to get the hang of physical play and balance! And the babies' Soft Play Centre includes shapes, puzzles, rockers and games, interactive panels and building blocks all of which they can lay there and gurgle at happily!

They even have fun sized bowling, so there really is tonnes to do here! It's well worth having several grown ups along if you've got several kids as there's so much to choose from it's hard to keep them together!

2. Llanelli WWT National Wetland Centre：

Llanelli WWT National Wetland Centre is a haven for wildlife and allows you to get up close in hides and on canoes (canoes are summer only) and feed some of the 600 species you might spot! It's a brilliant stop for families who love nature especially if you've got a smudge of that great British summer to take along with you!

There is plenty to keep the kids entertained on top of the great outdoors and hundreds of ducks and birds to spot and feed, including cycling, canoeing (summer only), hiking and going nuts on the imaginative play equipment!

There are 4 cool play areas for kids of all ages to get stuck into and enjoy including the Swan's Nest Maze - where you must seek out the nest and eggs without losing yourself; the Water Vole City - where the kids will have endless fun crawling through the winding tunnels; a safe play area for the younger kids and there is also a traditional play area set among the trees and wildlife where kids can climb about freely as they please. Phew: they're going to sleep tonight!

Plus every weekend and daily during the school holidays they lay on additional stuff for the munchkins including things like pond dipping, den building and indoor crafts! Bonus! A really pleasing day out best accompanied by wellies and a flask of tea!

3. ODEON Llanelli：

Films are all about exploring the world in wild, new ways, or meeting crazy characters from all walks of life. Take a walk on the wild side at ODEON Llanelli. With 5 screens of multimedia movie magic for the family to enjoy, you can't go far wrong. Spend less time queueing and more time picking snacks by taking advantage of the 4 fast ticket machines available for online bookers. Sharing your favourite films with family is special, so bring the whole gang to an Odeon Kids screening. Carefully selected family favourites are shown every Saturday and Sunday over the school holidays and are an easy way to spend a rainy afternoon.

·Grab some hot drinks at Costa Coffee

·Tuck into tasty treats at Ben & Jerry's

·Enjoy incredible 3D technology

Reference Website:

https://www.dayoutwiththekids.co.uk/things-to-do/south-wales/carmarthenshire/llanelli

VI. History

The beginnings of Llanelli can be found on the lands of present-day Parc Howard. An Iron Age hill fort once stood which was called Bryn-Caerau (hill of the forts). Evidence suggests there were five hill forts from Old Road to the Dimpath. During the early medieval period, it is said a saint named Elli, or Ellyw, who in legend is the son or daughter of King Brychan, established a church on the banks of the Afon Lliedi. The original church would have been a wooden or partly stone, thatched structure. It was not until the 1200s that the stone church was built. Its original tower stands to this day. The current church (excluding the tower) was built at the beginning of the 20th century. With the establishment of the church in the early medieval period, a market town grew. However, it remained relatively small compared with Carmarthen and Kidwelly, both in Carmarthenshire, until the industrialisation of Britain speeded up at the end of the 18th century.

Llanelli then became such a significant regional producer of tin, and even referred to as "Tinopolis" in the latter half of the 19th century. Lying near the Western fringe of the South Wales Coal Field, Llanelli played an important role in industry, with coal exported through three small docks along with the copper and tin produced within the town itself. Although Llanelli is not located within the South Wales valleys, coal from the Gwendraeth and the Loughor Valleys was transported to Llanelli for export. The Stepney Family and other prominant families (including the Raby family, Howard family and Cowell family), played an important role in the development of the town. Aside from industry, Llanelli is also renowned for its pottery, which has a unique cockerel hand-painted on each item. A collection of this pottery can bee seen at the Llanelli Museum in Parc Howard.

Llanelli people are sometimes nicknamed "Turks", for uncertain reasons. One theory is that many Turkish sailors once called at the port on their voyages.

VII. Culture

National Eisteddfod

Llanelli hosted the National Eisteddfod six times between 1895 and 2014.

Welsh language

In the mid-20th century, Llanelli was the largest town in the world where more than half the inhabitants spoke a Celtic language. It is ranked as the seventh largest urban area in Wales. According to the 2011 UK Census returns, 23.7 per cent of Llanelli town residents habitually spoke Welsh. However, the area around Llanelli is a Welsh stronghold, in which 56 per cent do so in communities such as Llwynhendy and Burry Port.

During the 1950s, Trefor and Eileen Beasley campaigned to get Llanelli Rural Council to distribute tax papers in Welsh by refusing to pay taxes until their demand was met. The council reacted by sending in the bailiffs and selling their furniture to recover the money owed. The Beasleys' neighbours bought the furniture and returned it to them. The council finally reversed its policy in the 1960s, giving Welsh equal status with English.

Leisure

Activities available in the county include rambling, cycling, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, horse riding, caving, abseiling and coasteering. Carmarthen Town A.F.C. plays in the Cymru Premier. They won the Welsh Football League Cup in the 1995–96 season, and since then have won the Welsh Cup once and the Welsh League Cup twice. Llanelli Town A.F.C. play in the Welsh Football League Division Two. The club won the Welsh premier league and Loosemores challenge cup in 2008 and won the Welsh Cup in 2011, but after experiencing financial difficulties, were wound up and reformed under the present title in 2013. Scarlets is the regional professional rugby union team that plays in the Pro14, they play their home matches at their ground, Parc y Scarlets. Honours include winning the 2003/04 and 2016/17 Pro12. Llanelli RFC is a semi-professional rugby union team that play in the Welsh Premier Division, also playing home matches at Parc y Scarlets. Among many honours, they have been WRU Challenge Cup winners on fourteen occasions and frequently taken part in the Heineken Cup. West Wales Raiders, based in Llanelli, represent the county in Rugby league.

VIII. Other information

Rugby union

The town's rugby union teams – the Scarlets competing in the Pro14, and Llanelli RFC in the Principality Premiership – play at Parc y Scarlets, which opened in November 2008 in Pemberton. Previously they had played at Stradey Park, home to Llanelli RFC for over 130 years and one site used for the 1999 Rugby World Cup, hosting the Argentina v Western Samoa game on 10 October. Stradey Park is being redeveloped.

The Welsh folk song "Sosban Fach" (Little Saucepan) is mostly associated with Llanelli RFC. Many rugby clubs have notable scalps collected from touring international sides, but on 31 October 1972, Llanelli claimed perhaps the greatest by beating the New Zealand All Blacks. The Scarlets side emerged 9–3 winners at Stradey Park.

There is a strong junior rugby core, including club sides such as Felinfoel, New Dock Stars, Llangenech and the Llanelli Wanderers. In 2005, Coedcae School won the Inter-Schools Cup of Wales with an 8–5 victory over Brynteg Comprehensive.

Rugby league

Llanelli's West Wales Raiders play in the Rugby Football League's League 1 competition. The club is based at Stebonheath Park.

Association football

Stebonheath Park is the home of football club Llanelli A.F.C., which plays in the country's Welsh Premier League. The town has many active local teams and tournaments such as the 2018 Challenge Cup, where West End United beat Trostre Sports AFC.

Bowls

Llanelli hosts the annual Llanelli Open Bowls Tournaments, the oldest and most prestigious of which, the Roberts-Rolfe Open Singles event, has been run since 1926 and has a first prize of ￡600. The contests are held from July to September in Parc Howard.

Golf

The Llanelli area has two golf courses: the Machynys Peninsula Golf & Country Club which hosted the Wales Ladies Championship of Europe from 2005 until 2008, and Glyn Abbey Golf Club, which was named Welsh Golf Club of the Year 2009.

Snooker

Llanelli is the birthplace and home of Terry Griffiths OBE, snooker world champion in 1979 and runner up in 1988. Now a coach and snooker commentator, he runs The Terry Griffiths Matchroom in the town centre.

IX. Contact information

Mayor/Officer: Chris Griffiths

Tel: 01554 774352

Mail: enquiries@llanellitowncouncil.gov.uk

Reference Website:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanelli_Town_Council#Current_composition

https://www.llanellitowncouncil.gov.uk/index.php?id=100