Mayor’s Coffee Morning

📅 Date: 01 July 2023

📍Location: Cowbridge Town Hall

🗣️ Who we spoke to: Local residence - 50 participants.

Facilitators: Vale of Glamorgan Council Placemaking Officers and Cllr Malcom Wilson and Heather Weddell

🙋 Type of engagement:

Interactive workshop during the Coffee Morning.
Attendees completed “Assets and Gaps” analysis in small groups, covering: Physical form, Activities, Cultural meaning
Feedback shared with the whole group.

🚀 Emerging themes:

Facilities & Infrastructure:
- Swimming pool and improved leisure facilities.
- Lack of youth spaces and informal meeting areas.
- Poor mobile signal, limited visitor information points, and need for better signage.
- Concerns about parking, pavements, and accessibility.
Community & Activities:
- Desire for more youth clubs, cinema/theatre, and evening activity options.
- Calls for improved public transport, especially to Llantwit Major.
- Need for better advertising and communication of events.
Culture & Identity:
- Worries about empty shops and decline in heritage promotion.
- Requests for stronger recognition of Cowbridge’s identity and fairer investment compared to other Vale towns.
- Support for maintaining traditions and enhancing local history visibility.

💬 Comments:

“Youth facilities are lacking, somewhere informal for teenagers to meet"

“Community spirit is strong, but we need better promotion of events and heritage.”

“Parking and pavements need attention, accessibility can be difficult.”

📢 Summary:

Participants expressed strong appreciation for Cowbridge’s heritage, green spaces, and community spirit. Assets frequently mentioned included the Physic Garden, Old Hall and Gardens, Town Hall, historic buildings, and community events such as the Music Festival, Food Festival, and Farmers Market.

Overall, feedback reflects a community proud of its character and assets but keen to address gaps in leisure facilities, youth provision, connectivity, and heritage promotion