Keep our valleys, tidy
Cafe culture is so not just the preserve of the metropolitan elite
THE POPULAR image of the valleys is powerful. A mythical land of slag heaps and singing miners, Gren-cartooned terraces and Labour majorities measured by the pound rather than the dozen.
The metropolitan caricature shows the valleys another way. We’re portrayed as a community without hope, decimated by cruel cuts to our heavy industry and now reeling from the loss of many of the factory jobs that followed in pale imitation. Teenage pregnancies, deprivation tables, educational attainment, all figure. Sophisticates of Cardiff’s wine bars chuckle that our height of teenaged automotive ambition is the souped-up Corsa, that Strongbow is the sophisticated valleys’ tipple of choice. The brushstrokes of collective wisdom paint the valleys as a place where the people are short, life is shorter, and the only slim thing is the chance of getting a job.
Folklore has it that young professional people with a degree leave the valleys as soon as they can. My wife and I did the opposite. You see the prejudice flash across faces when we say that we live in the valleys. Why would you, they ask, if you had the choice?
I love the valleys. If this sounds sentimental, good. It is unashamedly romantic. I love the way that it’s a coat colder at every train stop on the way home. I love the way I can sit in my GP’s waiting room and ten minutes later people have told me the details of every complaint they’ve ever had. What price patient confidentiality in a valleys surgery? We are proud of our immaculately coiffed ladies’ committees, choirs, credit unions, fantastic scenery, and implausibly sloped rugby grounds. Best of all, my neighbours genuinely mean it when they say “all right?”
Valleys communities are backward, people say. How? Our head teachers, doctors and of course the MP are still expected to wear a jacket and tie. Quite right too. Serious jobs require serious people, and being tidy is a sign of respect for the community they serve, the vocation they pursue, and the people they represent.
Economically dead? We’re not Detroit. When America’s car industry collapsed, mass flight from the city centre left The Motor City a hollow shell, its once-superb buildings in the throes of decay, valued only by the voyeuristic urban photographers. Despite decades of taking every knock that can be thrown at them, our valleys are thriving, close communities. It’s an article for another day, but we have our economic success stories. Try parking in Talbot Green retail park on a Saturday. Look at what Tower Colliery did. Look at the high-tech companies now making the valleys their home. Look at the butchers, bookstalls, bakers, that make Pontypridd market special.
They say we are not so well educated in the valleys. The stats pontificate that “educational attainment in the Valleys is low, with a large proportion of people possessing few or no qualifications.” That’s a fact. But that’s not a symptom of some ingrained ignorance or lack of raw ability in our kids. It’s a dual product of generations of under-investment in our schools and the bleak sense of “why bother” that comes from a century of working people being exploited when often the dole is the only end for their efforts. We may have a poverty of aspiration, but there’s no poverty of talent here.
There’s actually a huge respect for learning in our valleys culture. It found itself last century in the reading rooms and libraries of the institutes, and it continues in the quiet pride of families in their young people who go to university. On my first day working in a valleys constituency office a veteran councillor asked me what I’d done before. I mumbled, slightly self-consciously, that I’d gone to Oxford University and studied politics. “Good lad, a scholar,” was the nodding response. Pause. “Think you can manage the kettle?” It’s approbation with a needle attached, and it stops you getting inflated.
Another myth is that people in the valleys are apathetic and losing interest in politics. Don’t believe that for a second. The values of the valleys and the Labour Party are one and the same. The mighty NHS grew from Tredegar’s Medical Aid Society. The world’s most powerful democracy still struggles to provide civilised healthcare, but our valleys have already shown them the way it can be done. The Co-Operative movement grew from the ordinary desire of people to have security in times of unemployment and the means to buy their own house. That’s never been more relevant, by the way, now that the banking collapse has held up the inherent flaws in banking solely for the short-term benefit of shareholders. It’s a story that’s told again and again in our credit unions, institutes, community councils, clubs and societies. It’s self help by communities and it’s thriving here.
It was the passion to improve their lives that led working people to organise, to fight and send their representatives to Parliament. That passion is there still, it’s powerful and we’re proud of it. Forget advising ministers: like other “bright young things” I’ve done my stint in Westminster. The red boxes and cars and deferential officials and big offices eventually come and go. By far the proudest thing I’ve ever done in politics is to chair my Constituency Labour Party. That’s real politics. Talking to a miner’s widow about the compensation she’s finally receiving after a lifetime of her husband’s pain. Sitting in a factory canteen with the union reps after the receivers arrive and the workers cope with the news. Valleys politics is about our people: our women’s forum, the campaigners who deliver leaflets (sagely giving youngsters like us the houses with the most steps), the community councillors who hold impromptu surgeries in the queue at the corner shop. In the age of the slick professional politician, valleys people have a healthy scepticism of anybody who is too polished. They’re fiercely egalitarian and they’re truly democratic. The members of my local party quiz our representatives on a Friday night on everything from the great affairs of state, to the dirty state of the beams at Pontypridd Bus Station. Woe betide any speaker who doesn’t have a good answer.
In the valleys, we don’t do things as big as the major cities. We don’t have John Lewis or Jamie Oliver’s chain Italian, those pinnacles of urban sophistication. But we have our own special places. If you need an example, here’s my suggestion as a fully-confessed art deco addict. The Prince’s café in Pontypridd is as glorious in its way as any great skyscraper of the 1920s: perhaps all the more because it’s in the democratic style of our own grandparents rather than a temple of commerce. It was built to serve hard working ordinary people rather than show the millions of a Wall Street magnate. That makes it just as valuable.
So why love the valleys? The scenery’s breathtaking. The people are unique. Everyone who’s ever stepped onto a valleys rugby field with a whistle knows one thing, whether coaching the kids or refereeing their parents. There are no more helpful people in the world if you need advice on your shortcomings. Where else could you hear: “Ref, you’re like a lighthouse in the desert: brilliant and completely useless”
The valleys may have problems, but it’s home. And in our defence, we had the latte in Ponty long before Cardiff. We just called it something else.
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“Keep Our Valleys, Tidy” ranks as one of the best community profiles that I have read, and puts me of mind of the great Jan Morris herself! Well done Tom Griffin!
On a side note, I confess to my appreciation of art deco architecture as well
A great essay, a reminder of what we are, a great people with origins in all four corners of the UK, who, without enmity or malice, will enjoy life with you rather than in-spite of you.
What a wonderful heartfelt essay this is. As a valley boy now living the London metropolitan life, I recognised all the cliches that Tom highlighted and then some. His warmth and humility made me feel positively homesick. Cheers Tom.
Tom, great essay. If we could convince the media to promote the Valley’s in the true and beautiful way you have done here then the low aspirations of many of our people would definitely rise.
There was an Italian coffeeshop in New Tredegar, all wood and big chrome taps, run by an old Italian guy – amazing place, a symbol of how cosmopolitan the Valleys once were. When he died they gutted it out and its now a Chinese takeaway, all white formica. Sign of the times.
I must agree with the previous comments on this piece, when I read it last night I thought straight away that it is probably one of the finest bits of copy I’ve seen on Wales Home. Well done Tom, and thanks for writing it.
Al, that is terribly depressing. Anyone know of any old places like the one he describes that are still open?
I enjoyed this essay very much, because it’s well-written and obviously heartfelt, but I’m slightly perturbed by the nakedly party promotional phrase “The values of the valleys and the Labour Party are one and the same. “, which is not only debatable (which Labour party, for one thing – the one currently being investigated for the Iraq war, or the one that brought in the NHS, etc etc), but also quite arrogant – isn’t it arrogant to claim that a whole swathe of people are essentially defined by the party elected by a majority of their constituency?
One of the problems about how the Valleys are perceived is that people keep lining up to tell them what they are, who they are, what’s good about them, what’s bad about them, etc. I can’t think of a segment of Welsh society that’s had more clichés, well- and ill-intentioned expended upon them.
And is this piece about the Valleys or is it about the Labour party in the lead-up to choosing a successor to Kim Howells?
And why the pointless Cardiff-bashing? Do all Cardiffians go to Cibo and John Lewis? Hardly. Any more than all Londoners do.
This essay is right on the money. I was in Princes a few weeks ago with some colleagues and felt a burst of pride. So many of us feel ownership of these places for the reasons Tom points out – plus everybody’s nan took them there for ‘a spell’ in the middle of a busy day of shopping.
The stereotypes are an inherent part of our humour. To my mind we’re all the richer for rolling
with the punches and being equally merciless with our jibes.
As for the history of co-operatives etc it is worrying that these stories are not being passed on to enough young people. Landmarks like Treorchy’s Parc & Dare are rich with stories of progress in extreme adversity. These are the type of stories that can give you a bullish pride to take with you. In any profession or city. Perhaps that’s the best way of raising aspirations – by teaching a history worth competing with.
I’d advise all those from elsewhere to turn to other columns as these posts turn into tear stained nostalgia.
An excellent well written evocation of a somewhat idealised Valleys experience. I’m strongly reminded of the excellent books by Gwyn Thomas which should be required reading for any politician trying to understand the Valleys Welsh sensibilities. I raise a glass of milky coffee to you.
I’m a great Valleys fan and also love mawkish sentimentality.Pushes all the right buttons. Some facts might also be useful:
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/gva1209.pdf
Of the 37 NUTS 2 regions of the UK (including NI)
Lowest: West Wales and the Valleys £12,617 per head (63.2% of UK average)
Of the 133 NUTS 3 regions:
Central Valleys £11604 (58.2%)
Gwent Valleys £11,397 (57.1%)
Wirral £11,257 (56.4%)
Isle of Anglesey £10,998 (55.1%)
I won’t quote the disability percentages because they make me weep.
Sorry.
On the whole a good article – I’m not from the Valleys but many of my friends are and its good to see someone stick up for the area (just try not to talk up the scenery too much or rich people will start buying holiday homes there and out price the locals!)
A couple of points though, as previous commentators have noted the comment about valleys values being (New?) Labour values made me roll my eyes (try telling that the the voters of Blaenau Gwent!).
Also did we really need the cheap shots at Cardiff? This is an example of the attitude hinted at in David Melding’s recent piece. Does anyone seriously believe that the people of Splott, Tremorfa, Butetown etc while away their time in trendy wine bars, sipping lattes and sneering at people from the Valleys?
A fantastic article! As someone who grew up, in close proximity to the Valleys in Pencoed, I always admired the character of the people, and the brilliant energy and spirit they wrapped everybody in. One would always feel a buzz when walking along Treorchy’s Main street, to an upcoming performance in the Parc and Dare Hall, you could hear Brass Bands from one corner, choirs and Drama groups from another. The place is amazingly fulfilled with culture, and a huge compliment to the talented people from the area.
Bravo to Tom Griffin.
Interesting article. You really love the valleys. In my experience they are certainly not so amenable for those who have been born and bred in other places. Metropolitan Cardiff is much better for that.
I can remember visiting Brynmawr’s impressive library. A very good selection of books. Outside we got talking a local county councillor for Brynmawr/Ebbw Vale. I told him it was great they had a Carnegie Library here. Carnegie, one of the great philanthropists of all time. This county councillor had no idea what I meant. He had never ever heard of Andrew Carnegie even though he had lived in the area all of his life.
Frankly, this article contains more stereotypes about Cardiff than it does about the Valleys.
A lot of the criticisms seem veiled ones against the Plaidi media set of Pontcanna and the Vale rather than the real people of Cardiff.
“Frankly, this article contains more stereotypes about Cardiff than it does about the Valleys.”
Agreed. It isn’t the Canton I know.
Having lived in the Rhondda nearly all my life, having gained a degree, and working towards a Masters degree, I agree with many of the sentiments of this article. The quiet pride in education and the women who will have the guts out of you within five minutes of talking to you is an honest and ammusing anecdote. I think it is so important that we don’t put the valley’s down, but in the same vein, I also want to look at the problems and not brush them under the carpet.
Yes we do have shorter life expectancy, and if you, like I, have watched your father die in front of you, and everything you do makes no difference, then you, like I, would see this as more of an issue because my father was only 61 and therefore way below the average age of a man, especially someone who had worked all his life and always seemed so healthy and fit.
The valleys have many issues, and many are unique, because of the topography of the area, combined with the urban poverty. Our people are proud people, but if you drive around these valleys as much as I do, then you don’t hear a male voice choir singing in the background, like many of the TV programmes made in the valleys would have you believe.
The problems that face the people of the valleys are complex and difficult to overcome, you can’t solve unemployment, drugs, obesity, teenage pregnancies with a positive attitude and nice words and no longer can we leave it to those who think that Gelli is pronounced ‘Jelly’ to fix the problems in our communities. The valleys need to work together, and they need people to fight for them, so that companies do start investing again, and that peoples feeling of self confidence can increase.
Duncan, Welsh Connection, Patrick, Richard, your point about “not all Cardiff people do/think…” is well made . It wasn’t intended as a broad-brush damnation of all Cardiffians. My sympathies when discussing matters Cardiffian are firmly of the Frank Hennessey variety. My comments were aimed at an certain metropolitan attitude, rather than a entire city or a general population. Perhaps “a city’s wine bars” would have saved me? To the extent that the words I used make me guilty of stereotyping, I’ll take the rebuke on the chin.
“Labour values and those of the valleys are one and the same?” I don’t think a Labour vote in the valleys is taken for granted or assumed, and I’m certainly not defining a total population by their majority party. Just suggesting humbly that that the history and values of the community I live in, and those of the Labour movement, are pretty similar.
David, John, Mat, Dave, Rob, Alex, Cambria, Jonathan: tidy. Ta.
Excellent article, or should i say bendegedig boyo! As one of those women who would have the guts out of you in 5 minutes I strive to educate the toddlers of today! At a little known Nursery in the heart of the valley’s myself and my staff aim to change the aspirations and perceptions of our pupils from birth. All singing all dancing and performing for hundred’s at WMC we’re surely a step further along the way.
Tidy aye?
I enjoyed this cultural education, as an adopted Valleys boy! (Be kind and interpret both words loosely – I’m thirty in a week, so stretch the definition of a boy as much as anything else…) I’m writing a piece about socio-economic trends in the Gwent valleys at the moment actually, so would be interested in Tom and others’ thoughts on a few issues.
Firstly, is single-community identity increasing at the expense of a wider valley (or valleys) identity? Is this intra-Valleys competition (and sometimes suspicion) harming attempts to bring investment into the valleys as a whole, or is the competition positive?
Secondly, it seems that the economic disparities within our valleys are ever increasing – as wealthier communities are economically buoyed by in-migration (from within the valleys and from outside) that rarely touches more economically deprived areas. To what extent is this theory true, and what are the economic and social consequences?
Last is the old question of the iniquity of the process of communities and projects bidding for grants. The communities that often need the money most often have the least ability to put together an impressive-looking bid, with resulting perpetuation of inequality. This is of course exacerbated by the latter point above.
Good to see something about the valleys that rises above the mindless doom-mongering and instead focuses on building towards a more positive vision of our future.
We are known as the Voices of the valleys, but some people who live in Risca say they are not being listend to and feel neglected by the council. For two decades we have petitioned for the Palace cinema to be restored to its former glory, as it is the landmark and the heart of Risca. It is a pre-First World War listed cinema – a national rarity, especially within the Welsh context. It is also a grade 2 listed building.
The palace cinema was opened in 1912 with the seating capacity of 1,000. In 1965, it became a bingo hall for a short period of time but that was not successful, and the building has been closed and standing derelict ever since.
If companies were to invest in the Valleys, this would be a great place to start.