Neath is a market town like many others in Wales.
Standard in its layout, a town centre with everything within walking distance. Historically bustling.
But like its similarities, its problems also mirror those seen in towns across Wales, blighted by dwindling footfall, a rise in begging, lost high street names and rising anti-social behaviour.
The fact that according to Neath Port Talbot Council the town centre's vacancy rate is below the Welsh average tells a story about the wider picture in Wales.
Numbers suggest this is a typical town. This is what a typical Welsh town now looks like.
Wander around the town centre and it is impossible not to notice the amount of empty shops.
At the beginning of the year there were 26 vacant units in the town - including Next, which left a big gap in New Street when it closed last November.
The once dominating Post Office in Windsor Road is also gone.
In just a few months the image of the town seems to have deteriorated even further. More places have shut or are covered in scaffolding.
Boarded up and covered with big 'Keep out' signs, the Canterbury Arms on the junction of Queen Street and Orchard Street by Victoria Gardens sits empty in a prominent position in the town centre.
“It is rotten here," a resident standing outside says.
“Years ago, Neath was lovely - now it is like a ghost town.
“There are lots less shops.”
The resident said she was ashamed of her hometown, the 63-year-old adding: “I have lived in Neath all my life and it isn’t a good advertisement.
“They have to try to get more traders in.
“I couldn’t recommend it to anyone.”
Apart from empty shops, the town faces other challenges, anti-social behaviour and begging.
In September last year, South Wales Police revealed it had issued 86 notices temporarily banning people from the town.
Lasting up to 48 hours, the notices ban an individual from a specified area and are issued for reasons such as intoxication to substance misuse, anti-social behaviour or begging.
Neath Port Talbot Council is also trying to get to grips with the issues facing the town and, after the number of homeless people in Neath Port Talbot almost tripled over the past year - due to a combination of factors - set up a new scheme asking people to donate to homeless charities via collection boxes.
However, WalesOnline has revealed that the diverted giving scheme raised less than it cost to set up.
This happened as drugs were being highlighted as a significant problem across the borough, which has one of Britain's highest heroin death rates.
More recently, a new challenge appears to have unfolded as shocking videos emerged showing groups of young people openly fighting in broad daylight in the town.
Alison Davies, from Briton Ferry, is a resident who thinks the town looks dreadful.
“It is terrible,” she added. “There are lots less people coming into town now and going to Swansea or Cardiff.
“I cannot get any menswear or shoes.
“I work in Neath but I would rather not come here.
“It used to be a nice place, with lots of different shops.”
In the past eight years, she had seen a big difference, with many places closing down.
“It is a real shame, it needs a lot of redeveloping,” Ms Davies added.
Neath Port Talbot council has redevelopment plans for the town centre, including building a new leisure centre with a gym and a pool, which could be built and ready to use within two years.
The original plans for the former Wilko and Tesco Metro site in Water Street had included eight retail units but there will now be six to make way for the leisure centre.
But people are understandably pesimistic.
Marc Smith sells jacket potatoes from his Spicy Spuds stall in Green Street.
“The choice of shops for ladies is zero, I have got teenage daughters and they go to Swansea,” Mr Smith, from the Cimla area said.
“From what customers tell me, they do not come here because parking is expensive.
“They say in Swansea and Port Talbot you can park for free and I think Neath should be doing the same to attract people.”
Mr Smith said there were too many people drinking in the streets.
“You can tell the difference in the past few years,” he added. “The cost of living keeps going up so people do not have spare cash anymore.”
Ray Anthony, from Treorchy still comes into the town once a week.
The 78-year-old is part of a generation seen less and less here.
: “Neath is a human size town - you can walk around and everyone is friendly," he says.
“Many big shops have closed down and they are not going to get filled.
“The small ones are finding it difficult.
“It is a shame because Neath is a warm welcoming town, but the infrastructure is deteriorating because of economics.”
