Business owners in Merthyr Tydfil have welcomed the bid for the town to become a city, saying it could benefit everyone.
On Tuesday, September 28, the council is to vote on whether or not to apply for city status as part of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. The UK Government announced a civic honours competition as part of the celebrations which includes a competition for city status and any local authority in any part of the United Kingdom is welcome to enter.
Merthyr Tydfil Council, which has a population of 60,000, said it has been working hard to prepare this application and there was a presentation held at full council on Wednesday, September 8, which saw councillors supporting the proposed bid.
Though some have criticised the bid as being "pointless" and have questioned whether the move would bring improvements to the area, many business owners see it as an opportunity to benefit the local economy and put Merthyr on the map.
Read more: The case for and against Merthyr Tydfil becoming a city as councillors welcome idea
James Lee Johnson owns a new, but successful, self-catered accommodation business in Merthyr called James' Places. He said his experience in business means he can see first-hand how the city deal would benefit people in Merthyr - and not just those in business.
"We are only five-years old, but in that time started from scratch and have built it up to have eight locations housing 50 people per night," he said. "This is all thanks to the growth in tourism in Merthyr. We are currently turning people away left, right and centre. By this time next year, we could be accommodating just shy of 100 guests a night."
James said he accommodates people from all around the world and UK who travel to Merthyr to experience its history, natural beauty and activities on offer. He said the tourism industry in Merthyr is already "skyrocketing" but that if it became a city, it would only grow further, benefiting hospitality and job opportunities.
The 56-year-old said: "I've heard people criticise the deal, saying it would just line the pockets of business owners but everybody would benefit from it. Undoubtedly it would further investment and jobs.
"All my guests are eating in the town centre and all the restaurants are fully booked. We know more and more people want to come here, but can't all stay at present because they can't get accommodation."
James said one of the main reasons he sees Merthyr as the perfect place for a city is because of its second to none transport links.
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"Because of our transport links, we're probably one of the best places in the UK. You've got west Wales in half hour, the Midlands in an hour, you can get to anywhere you need to get to. So in terms of companies becoming aware through the city status, they would see Merthyr as an excellent spot to bring their business. We're almost the city of the Heads of the Valleys right now."
He said he believed the status would attract investors which could improve community spaces for local people.
He said: "We've got issues that we need to keep addressing, but I believe the city status would attract investment that we could put into local projects, like getting the sports centre back up and running.
"People [need to] understand that we've got a one in 10 chance of winning this bid that could give everyone what they've always wanted for Merthyr in leaving behind its old reputation. Because this is because of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee, when would we get an opportunity like this again? Why would they not want it to become a city?"
James said if more people understood the reasons why Merthyr is being considered in the bid, and exactly how it could benefit them, more people would be in favour of it.
Contrary to popular belief, a town does not need a cathedral to be granted city status. Rather, the town requires having a distinct identity, civic pride, cultural infrastructure, interesting heritage, history and traditions, vibrant and welcoming community, a record of innovation, sound governance and administration and associations with Royalty and other distinctive residents or communities who have made widely recognised significant contributions to society and cultural infrastructure.
The council said during a meeting that Merthyr Tydfil fulfils these criteria convincingly. You can vote on the city deal here.
Phil Corke owns Bison Security as well as the Anchor pub and a construction business. He said Merthyr deserves to become a city because of its ability to grow as a town.
The 72-year-old said: "If you go back a long time historically, we were producing iron which supported the industrial revolution. After the war when those declined, companies were encouraged to come to Merthyr - like Hoover. It was a major industrial centre with many skilled people. Then in the 70s and 80s it started deteriorating.
"But then, the town picked itself back up again. Today, we have so many things going on here, with Bike Park Wales, the climbing centre, Trago Mills, Marks and Spencer and all the other retailers. We're hoping to have a ski slope and that would be the topping on the cake."
He said businesses, such as his pub, rely not only on the local people who live in Merthyr, but also on people knowing about the area and wanting to visit. He said with the status, people would recognise Merthyr as an economically viable option to start a business with good investment opportunities.
"The pub is supported by people coming into the town," he said. "I think with that status, people's confidence would grow in their businesses. Over the years, the town's had a terrible reputation, but it's not like that anymore. There has been investment and I think the status would attract more investment.
"The town deserves this status, the economic development [of the council] in very vigorous and supportive to anyone considering starting a business. There are good links between the north and south and it's a very broad based valleys town, so there's room for development. It's just important it gets sustained by the government. Merthyr has recreated itself time after time again, and I think it deserves it."
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