Episode 8 A Summer in Wales

Summit in Wales is a time of celebration. Holidays. I want to

see a castle, pubs. And the great outdoors. A time when many

businesses must turn a profit. have put everything we have got

into this. Or face a struggle to survive the rest of the year.

have to try to keep your head above water. A time when good weather can

make all things possible. And bad can leave dreams in tatters.

weather could be nicer. It is not anyone's fault. This summer was

extraordinary. Was that the cleverest idea, to take it down?

is your laughter. Heartache. This can be a cruel game. Triumph.

came second. Despair. The weather has beaten us again. These are our

stories. Building every corner of the nation across the summer of two

sons and and 12. You can't beat it, can you? This is the story of the

summer in Wales. Let's get the show Wales. Late summer. The tiny tidal

island of Cribinau of the south- west coast of Anglesey stance St

Cwyfan's in the sea. -- St Cwyfan's Church in the Sea. It is a sure

touch as Orton draws near. Today at low tide, Canon Madalaine Brady is

heading out on foot across the causeway to conduct the last

service of the year. I am doing two christenings, baptising a baby and

a little girl. Am so pleased it is a lovely day. After this I will be

retiring, so I will miss the place very much. While the Church is

prepared and the families and their guests made their way out of the

island, the Cannon keeps a watchful exceedingly well today, I am happy

to say. I don't think anybody needs to get worried they will get stuck.

I don't think I will miss walking over the causeway all that much,

but everything else. Somebody once said that there are places where

the air between heaven and earth is thin and I think this is one of

them. It is -- it has a lovely feeling of time and space and

nature and continuity, I suppose. Hello. For the congregation, it is

a day of mixed emotions. It is sad that Madalaine is leaving. She has

been part of the community for 50 years. She christened my daughter.

With only a short window before the tide turns, Canon Madalaine cracks

on with the service. Croeso cynnes iawn we are going to start a

service ice that -- by singing. It will be the first hint on your hymn

sheet, Will Your Anchor Hold In The Storms Of Life. Little Harry

quickly takes centre stage and tries to join in with the organ

Undeterred, he goes back for more! It looks like it is going to be a

To the south, another I and is preparing to close. On a little --

on a little knuckle of rock in Bristol Channel, Barry Island Buzby

Kiss-Me-Quick fairground is preparing for its last weekend of

the summer season. Manager Vernon Studt is doing his rounds before

opening the gates. We are trying to get bits and pieces are open for

the last weekend. Over 50% of the rights have gone already. We are

down to dodgems, waltzers and bits and pieces. We had the jumping

frogs there. Here, we had other rides, trampolines, stalls which

have gone. The Terminator has gone. There is not a lot here at the

moment. For showmen Malcolm Davies, it is an emotional moment. I was

talking to my wife the other night and I sat down and nearly cried. I

have nothing to do. Whatever the weather conditions, Malcolm was

always here first thing in the morning and last to leave at night.

A loyal subject. A very loyal subject. Very good, absolutely

wonderful. It is nice to be appreciated, very nice, thank you.

As Vernon Kay prepares to open the gates, Ian Rogers, the Parc's owner,

arrives with a task for the fairground team. To drain the

iconic but now derelict Lochbroom right -- log flume ride. Probably

the best ride on the park, even though it is 30 years old. It has

to go. And I think it is more full now than it was at Easter. We have

had a lot of rain. Once the park closes, he plans to demolish it to

make way for an undercover leisure complex. This is a or boss, Ian

Rogers. Give me five. Give me five! It is the end of an era and the

fairground team's mood is gloomy. We will sit down and have this in a

minute, then opened the gates to let the crowds flocking. All three

of them. Slowly but surely, a few customers do trickle in but it is

too little, too late. It is 1:55pm, nothing will happen. There is no

people out there. It is not beach weather and people come to Barry

Island for the beach. Then and decides to cut his losses and

closes the fairground early. Nobody down there? No. I think we can

safely close now. But if it is raining tomorrow, this will be the

last day of the 2012 season at Barry Island. It is it, and of

sports. Thank you very much and good night. For Wales' 7,000 what

hotel and guest houses, summer is the busiest season and this year a

new establishment joined their ranks. On the border between

Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, stands Hammet House. Until recently

it was a failing country hotel but then Philippa and Owen Gale bought

it and invested their life savings to transform it into a luxury

retreat. It is an ambitious project. When you step through the door

before it was kind of like an old people's home, sort of feel.

couple are giving the interior and uncompromisingly modern makeover.

But it is not everyone's taste in this part of Welsh Wales. We did

have one lady who stopped in and told me that I could not do this to

this house. I felt like telling her, actually, it is my house. More

importantly, the ongoing refurbishment has meant that some

of the Hotel's bedrooms could not With so much been the busiest

season in the hotel trade, the couple have had to work quickly to

get the redecoration finished. want it stripped and painted in our

palate of greys. But one key function room where wedding

receptions are held has been left untouched until now. Obviously a

lot of brides are coming in and seeing front of the house and

loving our new, contemporary feel, but obviously we have not done the

ballroom yet. For Philippa Anne Darwin, this has been a long

awaited makeover. -- and a wind. had a big wedding here last night,

we have cleared up and now there for fitters are here. Hooray. We

have been waiting for this day for quite a while. It is nice to see

the old carpet going. We have got an lovely new parquet floor coming

in. It is going to look a lot better come a which is essential

now because we're getting potential brides coming into the house and we

show them into the ballroom. They see the carpet, the old curtains

and go, oh, yeah. One of last night's wedding guests can't resist

taking a peek. And pays the price. We are having to take up the carpet

now after last night. What did we do to it? Ruined. No, we are having

a new floor. I nearly had a heart attack. Joking aside, there is a

serious issue. It is just over two weeks before the next wedding so it

is a tight timescale. An area this size would normally takes three to

four weeks so it is very ambitious, but we will see how it goes. The

worst thing that could happen is that we do not get it done in time.

Along some -- the long summer days are a time to work hard and play

hard. But the nights are already starting to draw in. As most of

Wales heads to bed, another world awaits. Backstage at Cardiff's WOW

Bar, a troupe of glamorous cabaret artists are preparing for another

hard night on the tiles. I am not being funny with you, my face looks

like a brown balloon. Brassier, otherwise known as Mark Venn, is

one of the club's best-loved resident drag queens. Loads of

times I have fallen out with Marcia. She is the dream child of Tom Jones

and Shirley Bassey. They met in Merthyr Tydfil, did the dirty deed

and Marcia was the product of that. All right, girls, let's get the

In less than a week, Cardiff's large -- loudest and proudest will

be taking to the streets for the capital's first ever Mardi Gras

Parade. Give us a cheer. Oggi oggi oggi. We'll come the divine Miss

Anne. Otherwise known as Marcia, whatever you want to call me. Miss

would be nice. After entertaining the crowds until the early hours it

is an early start for the WOW girls' big appearance. We have five

drag-queen us to dress, not a glamorous life -- like you think it

is, is it? It is not all feathers and sequins! We went for a nice

metallic Lycra. One-way stretch. It will hold the fat bits in as well.

Speak for yourself. I am at that age now, you know what I mean,

bingo wings. It is a case of cover me up from head to toe, please.

There is a sleeve for you there. I see Gypsy as a pity little flower,

she is not a typical man. I cut myself the sleeve and thought it is

fine. I have put it on. I can't get my mum man hands through it. There

is a Swansea boy underneath all this. There you go, arm beautifully

sewn in, not a mess at all. It will be snug. At Hammet House, the

ballroom makeover is well under way. But with just two weeks to complete

it, the pressure is on. We are pretty confident that we are going

to make the deadline because we have to. There is a wedding booked,

a big, big wedding but. We might be there with paint brushes the day

before finishing off, but it will be done. It is looking better

already. Will we be finished on time? Tell them to cancel the

wedding. I don't think that is an option. In keeping with the rest of

the hotel, Owen and Philippa have chosen an uncommon --

uncompromising and conventional design. We knew we wanted a parquet

floor. We did not know which colour. All the samples arrived of the

different wards. We put them together, trying to pick. We

thought they looked good together. I was not too sure at the beginning

but it is growing on me. We thought it was a new idea but we have

noticed it in a couple of other places. It is in Stella McCartney's

shopping New York and a couple of places. No one else in

Pembrokeshire. I knew keeping them random? Yes, totally random.

pattern at all, that is what we want. Following a pattern would be

a nightmare. You get something that does not look right, it would stand

out. It is a risk, choosing to do this, but so far it is looking like

it will pay off. There is a lot riding on this ballroom

refurbishment. It is a massive part of the business here. We have got a

patch of -- we have got a batch of brides waiting to see it finished

picked for they make their final decision whether they will book

with us for their wedding next year. It is important but it looks great.

If people think it looks awful and don't put here, we will... I don't

know what we will do. We will have to painted magnolia or something, I

suppose. Early morning, Cardiff. The city's expert cleansing team

have been called in to prepare the area surrounding the Senedd ready

for the ceremony welcoming home Wales' Olympic Paralympic medal

are hard at it. There will be lots of celebrations. We have come out

at the crack of dawn to get it cleaned and sparkling, ready.

Removing the chewing gum, all ready for lots of visitors. Russell is in

his usual mood, moaning, grumpy. It is cold and windy. All the Welsh

athletes that have done Wales proud, I think, they had medals were they

were not expecting them, the Welsh people have done well. It hasn't

been much of the summer, really, has it? It is getting darker in the

mornings and cricket in the evenings. We are still busy in the

winter months. As long as the weather is not in minus figures, we

operate. They put up the bunting and the Christmas songs. It is a

waste of money. It is brilliant. Bah humbug. It is a waste of money.

That is the Senedd done and dusted. I am looking forward to do that --

I'm looking forward to tonight. Russell has promised to buy BT. I

have not had it been writing yet. It has been the team's busiest

summer on record, with more events held in the capital than ever

before. The cleaner Cardiff manager Juliette Gamlin appreciates her

The team have worked really hard throughout the events of the summer

so my hat off to them. As the welcoming ceremony gets under way,

it is a proud moment for Rose and Brussels. Our London 12-12 gold

medallists, alleged Davies, Tom Stones. Welcome home, Team GB.

was a wicked buzz. Goose pimples. Amazing. The best part was the

anthem. Amazing. Loved it. As life returns to normal in Cardiff, along

the coast it is the end of an era for a much loved Welsh icon. At

Barry Island's funfair, the team are dismantling the last of the

riots. Back YouGov. Hard as you can. -- back you go. This will be

cleared within the next couple of days. It is strange, but it is no

different to what we have always had. It start to finish up and we

empty the park out. Development starts and we won't be back. Fellow

showman Henry Stanworth sympathisers. He's a bit too young

to retire at the moment. His family have been going since 1800 so it is

hard not to do it. There is no such thing as retiring. I'm a showman, I

don't retire. I couldn't stand doing nothing. I would irritate

myself. As the last of the rides leave be fair at -- the funfair,

the demolition vehicles moving. respected but I am looking forward

to the future. It has to be done. It is the end of an era for Barry

Island. I don't think the fairground boys would be very happy.

We are replacing it with something in the 21st century that will put

Barry Island back on the map. Try to save the ride. It is -- the

rhino. It is sentimental value. I have taken down the front of the

jungle. I know. What do you do? I know. It all has to go. As the

demolition continues, there is unexpected news. Although clearance

work has started, construction has been delayed.

Nobody has any spare money or any capital investment at the moment.

The park will be open next year, I will be here next year hopefully

and we will continue until after- work starts but until that time I

will continue. The only time that this will not open as a pleasure

park is when construction takes place and there is building here.

It looks like Barry Island's funfair will live to see another

summer season. While the past is brought crashing down in Barry

Island, Owen and Philippa are looking to the future. In Hammet

House, with two days to do next wedding, the makeover is almost

complete. And not a moment too soon. At a prospective bride and groom

are due any moment. -- the perspective. They have not Synod

ballroom since it has been done. They will be our target market and

hopefully the bull run will live up to their expectations.

They at is quite bright, isn't it? -- and Batty is.

-- that is. I am just trying to get these

curtains up before the bride arrives. The more we have done, the

better it will look for her. Time is ticking.

I have seen the rest of the hotel and if it is anything like that it

will be stunning. Obviously I would like everything to go well on the

day but it is really about the two of us getting married. Are

hopefully I won't get too upset if everything doesn't quite go up

perfectly. -- so hopefully. It is time to see the ball run.

Let's see your reaction. -- the ball room. This has gone. I can't

say we miss it. It is beautiful. The colours, it is quite something.

A lovely palette of pale grey on the walls. Their curtains. It is

really nice. I really like the colours. At the floor is lovely.

That's a relief! Owen and Philippa's modern makeover seems to

have paid off. It is a nice relief to see a few

smiles and see that they are happy. At but there is one more hurdle to

overcome. I will show you to your room.

See several weeks previously, Hammet House was visited by Joanna

Busk from Fork magazine. A good write-up could put the business in

the top league of Welsh luxury hotels. The chef prepared a seven-

course taster many specially for the evening. -- taster menu. The

make-or-break review has finally appeared online. She is not a

massive fan of absolutely everything. She was impressed with

the food, stylish and cool and quite surprising to find in a

corner of Pembrokeshire. That is what we are trying to do so it is

very positive. Her rate for them. It is clearly one to watch. Despite

her re. -- hurrah. It is good news that Owen and Philippa never rest

on their laurels. We want to get the swimming-pool burning, we want

to have a small Sabah on site. We have a disused stables by the river

which I want to turn into a self- catering Nick eco-lodge at some

point. Double-take us a little while! It is not just the business

that is growing. Owen and Philippa haven't used. We already have

Gabriel, our two-year-old son, but we are actually expecting another

baby, so that is another challenge we will have to meet over the

coming months. It wasn't planned. There are busy

times ahead for Hammet House. Some 200 miles away on the tiny

tidal island, at St Cwyfan's church on the sea, the christening is in

full swing. I baptise you in the Name Of the

Father and the sun and of the Holy spirit, Harry Alaw. Are men. -- a

man. I baptise you in the name of the father and of the Sun and of

the Holy spirit. We have the two brand new members of the church so

give them a nice welcomed. -- welcome. Ceremony over, the tides

are turning and there is no time to waste.

It is coming and quite fast. Don't worry, but you might have to walk

back over the causeway, not the sand. Maybe blessing and peace of

God be with these children and with all due and all of those you love,

now and forever more. Thank or that you. -- all of you. It was very

spiritualist. It was very nice. it was boring. You can't please

them all. As the families head back across the causeway, Canon

Madalaine takes a last tour of her church. That is everything. Gosh,

it is tied to see how many there were. -- tidy.

I shall be sad to retire but I am glad it when well. It is always

unpredictable when you have little children. It stops you getting too

sentimental. My name will come off the door. That will be sad but

never mind. Locked up, end of the summer. It is the end of services

for another year. The end of an era for cat -- for Canon Madalaine

Brady. In Cardiff, marking the end of the city's summer festival

season, it is Mardi Gras day. Tenure bringing her forward? -- can

you bring her forward. At the parade there are some last-minute

logistical issues. The parade has had to be re-routed because the

parade was end -- in traffic on the bridge. The city's first ever Mardi

Gras Parade has taken the streets by storm. I'm here to recommend

where -- represent Wales and gay, lesbian and bisexual and

transgender people. We are from San Francisco. We are here to see be

sad -- the Doctor Who Experience so this is a nice surprise. What

Agathe des! -- what a gay day. so happy about taking Aggie on her

first parade. And absolutely amazing. A really great effort and

a great atmosphere. But there are some noticeable absentees.

distinct lack of drag queens but most of them don't see midday.

were on stage at 5pm. A 15,000 strong crowd is enjoying the end of

the Sunday sunshine. It is a lovely day everybody is happy. Fashionably

late, Marcia and her troupe finally make their appearance.

Please welcome the WOW Showgirls! And when you get the chance.

# You are the Dancing Queen, young and sweet, only 17. # See that girl,

watch that scene, digging the Dancing Queen.

What an end to another glorious summer in Wales.