Episode 4 A Summer in Wales


Episode 4

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Summer in Wales is a time of celebration...

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Cheese!

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-..holidays...

-I want to see a castle, pubs.

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Keep rowing!

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..and the great outdoors.

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A time when many businesses must turn a profit...

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We have put everything we've got into this.

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..or face a struggle to survive the rest of the year.

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You've got to try and keep your head above water.

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A time when good weather can make all things possible...

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SHOUTING

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..and bad can leave dreams in tatters.

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The weather could be nicer, but that's not anybody's fault.

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The summer was truly extraordinary.

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Is that the cleverest idea to try and take it down?

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It saw laughter...

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-..heartache...

-It's going to be a cruel game.

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-..triumph...

-I came second.

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-..and despair.

-The weather's beaten us once again.

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These are our stories.

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Nice bit of pavement pizza in this corner here.

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Filmed in every corner of the nation across the summer of 2012.

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You can't beat it, can you?

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This is the story of a summer in Wales.

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Let's get the show on the road!

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Wales.

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Late summer.

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On the tiny tidal island of Cribinau, off the south-west coast of Anglesey,

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stands St Cwyfan's Church in the Sea.

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Open for service all summer,

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this medieval church is shut up as autumn draws near.

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Today, at low tide, Canon Madalaine Brady is heading out on foot

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across the causeway to conduct the last service of the year.

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I'm going to do two christenings whilst we're here.

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Baptise a baby and a little girl.

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I'm so pleased it's a lovely day.

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Soon after this I shall be retiring,

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so I'll miss the place very much.

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While the church is prepared and the families and their guests

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make their way out to the island,

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the Canon keeps a watchful eye on the tide.

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It's behaving exceedingly well today, I'm happy to say.

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I don't think anybody needs worry they'll get stuck.

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

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but everything else.

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Somebody once said there are places where the air between

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heaven and earth is thin and I think this is one of them.

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It's just got a lovely, lovely feeling of time and space

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and nature, and continuity I suppose.

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Hello.

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For the congregation it's a day of mixed emotions.

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It's sad Madalaine is leaving.

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You know, she's been part of the community for, what, 15 years

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because she christened my daughter for me as well.

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With only a short window before the tide turns,

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Canon Madalaine cracks on with the service.

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Croeso cynnes iawn. A very warm welcome.

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So we are going to start our service by singing the first hymn

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on your hymn sheet, Will Your Anchor Hold In The Storms Of Life.

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ORGAN PLAYS INTRODUCTION

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Little Harry quickly takes centre stage,

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and tries to join in with the organ playing.

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Oh dear, oh dear.

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Undeterred he goes back for more.

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It looks like it's going to be a lively service.

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Please be seated.

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BABY CRIES

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For Wales's 7,000-odd hotel and guest houses,

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summer is their busiest season.

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And this year, a new establishment joined their ranks.

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On the border between Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, stands Hammet House.

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Until recently, it was a failing country hotel

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but then Philippa and Owen Gale bought it

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

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It's an ambitious project.

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When you stepped through the door before,

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

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The couple are giving the interior an uncompromisingly modern makeover.

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But it's not to everyone's taste in this part of Welsh Wales.

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We did have one lady who stomped in and told me

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that I couldn't do this to this house.

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I felt like telling her, well, actually, it's my house.

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More importantly, the on-going refurbishment has meant

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that some of the hotel's bedrooms couldn't be used.

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Time's ticking now.

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HE GROANS

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With summer being the busiest season in the hotel trade,

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the couple have had to work quickly to get the redecoration finished.

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I want it stripped and painted in our palette of greys.

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But one key function room where wedding receptions are held,

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has been left untouched, until now.

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Obviously a lot of brides are coming in and seeing

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the front of the house and loving our new contemporary feel.

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But obviously we haven't done the ballroom yet.

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For Philippa and Owen, this has been a long-awaited makeover.

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We had a big wedding here last night.

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We've just cleared up after that and now the floor fitters are here.

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Hooray.

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We've been waiting for this day for quite a while.

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It's nice to see this old carpet going.

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We've got a lovely new parquet floor coming in.

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It's going to look a lot better which is essential now

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because we're getting potential brides coming into the house

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and we show them into the ballroom and they see the carpets, the old curtains and then they go, oh dear.

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One of last night's wedding guests can't resist taking a peek.

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And pays the price.

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We're even having to take the carpet up now after last night.

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-What did they do to it, then?

-Oh, ruined it.

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No, no, no, we're having a new floor put down!

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I nearly had a heart attack!

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But joking aside, there's one serious issue.

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Just over two weeks before the next wedding

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so we've really got a bit of a tight time scale on this one.

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An area this size would probably take us about three to four weeks

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so it's very ambitious, but we'll see how it goes.

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The worst thing that could happen is that we don't get it done in time.

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As the end of summer looms, it's not just those with a living to make who are feeling the pressure.

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For some, there are other challenges that are every bit as serious.

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Still crackers, Merv? Wahey!

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In South Wales's Cynon Valley, Mervyn Owens is helping fellow

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allotment holder, Horace Rodgers, pick the best of his summer crop

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to enter into competition in the county show.

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-About four feet.

-Come on.

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First up - parsnips.

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Right here we go.

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I'm a bit nervous, I am, really now.

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They've been in since February, it's a long time.

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It's a delicate process.

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-If it snaps, it's no good for showing.

-No.

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-He's down there.

-He's coming.

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Oh, he snapped.

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This can be a cruel game.

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He's coming, he's coming.

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-Right.

-All right there, byt?

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-Oh, he snapped.

-I didn't like the sound of that.

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-It's a shame that, ain't it?

-I'm going to break down now, quietly.

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Competitive vegetable growing can be an emotional roller coaster.

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Right?

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Will it be a case of third time lucky?

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-Oh, he's all right, he's all right.

-It's not bad.

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That's one.

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It's looking good.

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-Looking very good.

-Two.

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Merv, if we can just put that in a bath of water.

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That's the longest one.

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Three. Enough for the show.

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Next, it's Horace's pride and joy - his cauliflowers.

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I'm a bit annoyed with these, Merv, to be honest with you, boy.

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Oh, they've gone over the top, Horace. Over the top, look.

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They've gone, man, they've gone. Look here.

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They've just come on, the weather's brought them on too soon, you know.

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All summer now you've nursed them and fed them.

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Gutted.

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But it's not all bad news. There's always the peas.

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That's quite nice, that is, if you can get nine like that.

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They've got a deep, a deep grain the pod like.

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They've got to be a lush green, that's what they call it - lush.

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There's a lovely one here, look, right, quite full this is now.

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-How many is in it that?

-Seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven peas in that.

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-0h, eleven peas. That's an excellent pea.

-That's a good pea that is.

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Veg selected, Horace gives it an all-important makeover,

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ready for the show.

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-Lovely smell on them.

-Fresh.

-Fresh, see.

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-It's all about presentation, ain't it, Merv?

-Yes.

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Cleaning the parsnips, it takes hours like, you know.

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"I don't see much of you, you're always down that allotment."

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But I told you earlier, I nearly had a divorce for this game.

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That's what she'll say, "Where you been?

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"You think more of that allotment than me."

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I'll say, "You're dead right."

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People think we're nuts. Are we nuts, Merv?

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Aye, we are nuts, Horace.

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40 miles west of the Cynon Valley,

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in the heart of the rolling hills of Carmarthenshire, lies Ffos Las,

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Wales's third and newest racecourse.

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Each summer, Ladies Day, one of the most glamorous events

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in the nation's social calendar, is held here.

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Amongst those attending,

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the clients of Kelly Frator's hair salon in nearby Pontarddulais.

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I hardly slept last night.

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I had my, I had my, my sleeping rollers in

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and I kept waking up thinking, "Ooh it's the..."

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but it wasn't the rollers, it was pure excitement, I was really excited.

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We've been going on about this for weeks now, haven't we?

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Yeah, it's the event of the year.

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Almost as much effort goes into it as getting married,

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we have to look the best.

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Just hope the rain doesn't ruin our hats today.

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Just along the high street from Kelly's salon,

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dress shop owner Samantha Roberts and sisters Claire Lewis

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and Sarah Davies have their eye on a prize.

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I think everybody wants to be the Best Dressed Lady.

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Sarah and definitely Claire want to be the Best Dressed Lady.

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One of our girls got through last year, which was really exciting,

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so let's hope that we get the same this year and maybe get a winner.

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The ladies are ready and their carriage awaits.

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Nothing's going to dampen their high spirits,

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not even a forecast of heavy rain.

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CHEERS

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We're not really that worried about the weather

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because it's going to get better.

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I've had a word upstairs, it's going to be fine.

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But as they arrive at the racecourse,

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dark clouds are already gathering.

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Many things in life are unpredictable,

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but one thing's certain, even in summer, Welsh weather can be soggy.

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I love Wales' weather.

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Despite the wind and rain, Kelly has her mind focused on one thing.

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We've just put £3.00 each way.

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Placing a bet.

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Basically what we want to do, we want to share this money out

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on the races that we've got, so can you help me, please?

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Yeah, will do.

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What it is, I'm not up and running yet unfortunately, sorry.

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She's very keen.

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I've got £75 here.

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So I've got all the horses that I want to put on.

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Erm, so I need your help to break it down.

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You can only bet on this race mind, you can't bet,

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you can't bet on all the races.

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You've got to bet on them individually, everybody's the same, see.

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-Right, OK. So how do I break this down?

-I'm not sure, erm.

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Oh, dear. Fortunately, the Pontarddulais ladies

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aren't just here for a flutter.

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They've got their eyes on the Best Dressed Lady prize.

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Hopefully today we're going to be chosen for Best Dressed,

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just to get in the line-up would be really nice.

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For me, that's my favourite.

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I agree.

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This year's competition judge, Andrew Stephens,

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manager of Llanelli's St Elli Shopping Centre,

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is out and about selecting the best dressed ladies on the racecourse.

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It's a little bit more difficult than I thought actually.

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I'm no fashion expert but, you know

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when somebody's dressed nice they're dressed nice.

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Among the crowds, there are some surprising potential contestants.

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Thank you, lads!

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Excuse me, you've just walked past me and caught my eye.

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-So if you could come and join us.

-Of course I will.

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-And there's a competition for the Best Dressed as well.

-Thank you.

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Sarah and Claire are in the running.

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-Can I give you those two?

-Thank you very much.

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The both of them are dressed smart. I feel a little bit awkward

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giving one out when the other one's standing next to them

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who's equally as smart, so I think I'm being gentlemanly, I think.

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I hope we win!

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Back in the pavilion, Kelly's still trying to place a bet.

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£2.50 each way on each horse, please.

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Put the time of the race on the end.

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I'll put £2.00 each way, £2.00 each way and £8.00 on the bottom.

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Can you do it for me?

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£2.00 each way, £2.00 each way, it's only first or second. 2.45.

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Grumpy.

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Only joking.

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She's done it, just in the nick of time.

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Come on.

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Come on!

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Go on!

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Looks like these ladies like a flutter!

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It was worth the wait.

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As the selected Best Dressed ladies line up in the paddock,

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it's judgement time.

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It's going to be very difficult

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and it's going to be the lady in the centre holding her hat.

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Thank you very much. Thank you.

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And the runner-up.

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Again it's going to be a difficult one, but it's going to be the lovely lady on the right.

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Well done, the lovely lady on the right.

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And again it's going to be difficult to narrow it down,

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but it's the lovely one in the vintage dress in the centre.

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Very good choice.

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Thank you. Thank you.

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Second place, I'm chuffed, I'm chuffed, I'm chuffed, I'm chuffed.

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I won, I was second.

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It's been a good day for the ladies of Pontarddulais.

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60 miles to the east, in the Vale of Glamorgan,

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stands a fortified medieval building known as Fonmon Castle.

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The castle has been in the family of Sir Brooke Boothby since 1656.

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While most of us are trying to persuade our children

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to leave home, Sir Brooke Boothby is overjoyed that he's persuaded

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daughter Aliki to move back into his ancestral pile.

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It is each generation's sole prerogative

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as to whether you keep it.

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My father, when he inherited it, he discovered that the whole place,

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not only the house but the land and everything, was all mortgaged

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and he literally had to sell a silver teapot

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to pay the staff for the first month and that was tough.

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And in his lifetime, he cleared the debts.

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I've had the great good fortune then

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after we got over the hump of his death duties,

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which was a seven figure sum, once we got over that,

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then I have been able to take the place forward.

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Sir Brooke Boothby has worked tirelessly to keep Fonmon

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for future generations of the Boothby family

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and wants to pass on the running of the house to his daughter.

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We started opening the house when I was a child

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and at the beginning when people started coming,

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I wasn't very good, and maybe it was part of my adolescent stroppiness

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but at one point I'm embarrassed to admit I had a badge made and it said

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"I'm not a tourist, I live here."

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In addition to tours of the house, Sir Brooke Boothby also hires out

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the castle grounds for a whole range of high profile events.

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We're ready to play, we're ready to play.

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We've got a polo match out here in aid of charity.

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It's run by the St David's Polo Club and what they do is

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they take the whole field off us, they hire it as the venue

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and we just give them whatever support they think they need.

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Wales are winning. Wales are 2-0 up, so all is well in the world!

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Come on Wales!

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This really starts off our events season and then we move on

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next week to a country fair and so on through the summer.

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The most profitable side of the business is weddings

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for which Sir Brooke Boothby arranges the flowers himself.

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It's a fairly messy job so I tend to try and do this in the mornings

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before the guests arrive.

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A couple of weeks ago the bride rang the day before

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when we'd already put our flowers out saying, "I'm allergic to lilies."

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And you can guess which was the flower that was fully out

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in the garden which we'd made six or seven arrangements with.

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Aged 63, Sir Brooke Boothby is taking a step back

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from the day-to-day running of Fonmon

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and handing the reins over to Aliki.

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It's not going to be an easy process.

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I know, for example, if my father came back today

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there are all sorts of little things,

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"What on earth have you done that for, boy?"

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And I shall feel exactly the same about it with Aliki.

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But that's it, it's the next generation and you must let go.

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I feel that it is a really big responsibility.

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I heard once somebody say that it can take eight generations of work

0:18:560:19:01

and it can be thrown away by just one generation.

0:19:010:19:03

They used the term "benign neglect", not even, "You've made a really big mistake."

0:19:030:19:08

So for me I do feel that there is a huge amount of,

0:19:080:19:11

not only my father's work but the ancestors',

0:19:110:19:14

my grandparents and the ancestors before that

0:19:140:19:16

who've really shaped the place, and I don't want to get it wrong.

0:19:160:19:20

This is the dangerous bit when an hour's work can vanish in a moment.

0:19:220:19:26

Today, Sir Brooke Boothby is preparing for a visit

0:19:260:19:30

from the ladies of the WI.

0:19:300:19:31

A great deal of the old great houses were built to be shown off

0:19:310:19:36

and the owners very often only lived in them for, say,

0:19:360:19:39

four months of the year, because many of the greatest and grandest owners,

0:19:390:19:43

had five or six of these houses.

0:19:430:19:45

He prides himself in hosting all tours of Fonmon,

0:19:450:19:49

something that Aliki is going to have to learn to do.

0:19:490:19:52

Welcome to Fonmon.

0:19:520:19:54

I use the word Fonmon, it's been pronounced Funmun, Ffwlwmwn

0:19:540:19:58

and there's about 20 different spellings known in its 850 years.

0:19:580:20:03

In those 850 years it's only ever belonged to two families.

0:20:030:20:06

First of all, the St John Norman Knights

0:20:060:20:09

came over with William the Conqueror.

0:20:090:20:11

I've been away a long time and I'm embarrassed to say

0:20:110:20:14

that I've not learned a lot about the castle history.

0:20:140:20:17

I think I took it for granted, to be really frank,

0:20:170:20:20

and coming back now, aged 35, I realise how much history I've got behind me

0:20:200:20:25

and hopefully how much, sort of, investment I've got in front of me

0:20:250:20:29

to make it keep living and keep going.

0:20:290:20:31

Somebody in this seat?

0:20:360:20:37

There's a handbag, but where's the lady?

0:20:370:20:40

-Are you a Lady?

-No, no.

0:20:400:20:42

No, nothing, nothing because I'm married so I'm just Mrs.

0:20:420:20:47

Just a Mrs(!) Just plain Mrs.

0:20:470:20:50

And this is the piece du resistance as you can see,

0:20:520:20:54

it's a very fine room, lovely plaster work.

0:20:540:20:57

As you can see you've got the sun god Apollo,

0:20:570:21:01

you've got Zeus and Neptune

0:21:010:21:04

and all sorts of other things like hunting scenes,

0:21:040:21:07

and flowers and birds.

0:21:070:21:10

Roman emperors in the corners here, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius and so on.

0:21:100:21:15

I don't expect that one day Dad will just be gone,

0:21:150:21:18

I don't really think that's how it works.

0:21:180:21:20

The day-to-day operations, yes.

0:21:200:21:21

I think to be honest, after a lifetime of doing it

0:21:210:21:24

there's probably other things he'd find more rewarding.

0:21:240:21:27

I think we've all enjoyed it, yes.

0:21:290:21:32

Gorgeous.

0:21:320:21:33

What do you think, girls, do we give him a clap?

0:21:330:21:36

-Oh, yes.

-Very much so.

0:21:360:21:38

Cardiff.

0:21:400:21:41

And the city's expert cleansing team have been called in

0:21:410:21:44

to prepare the area surrounding the Senedd,

0:21:440:21:47

ready for the ceremony to welcome home Wales' Olympic and Paralympic medal winners.

0:21:470:21:52

Street wash operator, Rose Joseph, and colleague, Russell Davies, are hard at it.

0:21:530:21:57

There's going to be lots of celebrations, I should imagine.

0:21:570:22:00

So we've come out at the crack of dawn to get it all clean

0:22:000:22:03

and sparkling and ready.

0:22:030:22:05

Removed all the chewing gum, all the detritus is gone.

0:22:050:22:07

All ready for lots and lots of visitors.

0:22:070:22:09

Russell's absolutely in his usual mood - moaning, grumpy.

0:22:110:22:14

It's cold out here. It's windy.

0:22:140:22:17

All the Welsh athletes have done Wales proud, I think.

0:22:190:22:22

They had medals where they weren't expecting them.

0:22:220:22:24

I think the Welsh people have done well this year.

0:22:240:22:27

Hasn't been much of a summer really, has it?

0:22:280:22:31

It's getting darker in the mornings and darker quicker in the evenings.

0:22:310:22:34

Still busy in the winter months. Still out and about.

0:22:340:22:37

As long as the weather doesn't go to minus, we still operate.

0:22:370:22:40

I love it when they put all the bunting up

0:22:400:22:42

-and all the Christmas trees and they put the lights on.

-Waste of money.

0:22:420:22:46

Everyone comes out and sings Christmas songs and groups together.

0:22:460:22:50

-Waste of money, waste of money.

-Bah humbug.

0:22:500:22:52

That's the Senedd all done and dusted. Looking forward to tonight.

0:22:540:22:57

There'll be a wicked buzz.

0:22:570:22:59

Russell promised to buy me and Sophie tea.

0:22:590:23:02

RUSSELL LAUGHS But I haven't had it in writing yet.

0:23:020:23:05

It's been the team's busiest summer on record,

0:23:050:23:07

with more events held in the capital than ever before.

0:23:070:23:10

Cleaner Cardiff manager, Juliet Gamlin,

0:23:110:23:14

appreciates her team's efforts.

0:23:140:23:16

A lot of work has been going in throughout the day

0:23:170:23:20

to make sure that everything is sparkling ready

0:23:200:23:23

for our prize of our Welsh athletes arriving tonight

0:23:230:23:26

for the Olympics and the Paralympics presentation tonight.

0:23:260:23:29

I've got to say the team have worked really, really hard

0:23:290:23:32

throughout the whole of the events of the summer.

0:23:320:23:35

So you know, my hat off to them.

0:23:350:23:37

As the welcoming ceremony gets underway

0:23:390:23:42

it's a proud moment for Rose and Russell.

0:23:420:23:44

Our London 2012 gold medallists, Aled Davies.

0:23:450:23:49

CHEERS

0:23:490:23:52

Mr Tom James.

0:23:520:23:54

Jade Jones.

0:23:550:23:57

Welcome home Team GB.

0:23:590:24:01

WELSH NATIONAL ANTHEM

0:24:010:24:05

Wicked buzz that was. I swear down.

0:24:080:24:10

Goose pimples. Amazing.

0:24:100:24:13

-Best part was the anthem.

-Absolutely brilliant. Loved it.

0:24:130:24:16

What a buzz.

0:24:160:24:18

Some 200 miles to the north, on the tiny tidal island of Cribinau

0:24:210:24:25

in St Cwyfan's Church in the Sea, the christening's in full swing.

0:24:250:24:28

Harri Alaw.

0:24:300:24:32

I baptise you in the name of the Father,

0:24:320:24:35

and of the Son... Nearly finished.

0:24:350:24:39

..and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

0:24:390:24:42

There we go. That wasn't too bad.

0:24:420:24:45

Now you can watch whilst we do it. CONGREGATION LAUGHS

0:24:450:24:48

I baptise you in the name of the Father,

0:24:480:24:51

and of the Son

0:24:510:24:54

and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

0:24:540:24:58

So we have the two brand newest members of the Church,

0:24:580:25:02

the worldwide Church, so give them a nice welcome.

0:25:020:25:05

APPLAUSE

0:25:050:25:06

Ceremony over, the tide's already turning

0:25:090:25:11

and there's no time to waste.

0:25:110:25:13

We'll just say the blessing of the sea which is coming in quite fast.

0:25:130:25:17

Don't worry, but you will have to walk back over the causeway, not the sand.

0:25:170:25:21

May the blessing and peace of God be with Caitlin and Harri

0:25:230:25:28

and with all of you and all those you love,

0:25:280:25:31

now and for ever more. Amen.

0:25:310:25:33

Well, thank you all.

0:25:350:25:36

Lovely. It felt very spiritualist. It was very nice.

0:25:360:25:40

-It was boring.

-Caitlin!

0:25:400:25:42

You can't please them all!

0:25:430:25:45

It was boring.

0:25:450:25:47

Bye. Thank you. Bye.

0:25:470:25:48

As the families head back across the causeway,

0:25:500:25:53

Canon Madalaine takes a last tour of her church.

0:25:530:25:56

That's everything.

0:25:570:25:59

Gosh, they've been tidy, to say how many there were.

0:25:590:26:03

No. I think that's everything, so here we go.

0:26:030:26:07

A bit sad I shall be retiring.

0:26:070:26:09

But glad it all went well.

0:26:090:26:12

It's always quite a sort of jamboree when you have little children

0:26:120:26:16

and it didn't let us down on that.

0:26:160:26:18

And it certainly stops you from getting too sentimental.

0:26:190:26:23

My name will come off the door.

0:26:230:26:24

That'll be sad, but never mind.

0:26:260:26:28

So locked up, end of the summer.

0:26:280:26:30

It's the end of services for another year,

0:26:320:26:34

the end of an era for Canon Madalaine Brady.

0:26:340:26:37

To the south, another island is preparing to close.

0:26:440:26:47

On a little knuckle of rock in the chilly Bristol Channel,

0:26:470:26:50

Barry Island's kiss-me-quick fairground

0:26:500:26:52

is preparing for its last weekend of the summer season.

0:26:520:26:56

Manager Vernon Studt is doing his rounds before opening the gates.

0:26:590:27:03

We're trying to just get bits and pieces open for this last weekend.

0:27:050:27:09

Over 50% of the rides have gone already.

0:27:090:27:11

We're only down to the dodgems, waltzers and bits and pieces now.

0:27:110:27:14

For showman Malcolm Davies, it's an emotional moment.

0:27:140:27:19

I was talking to my wife the other night and I sat down,

0:27:190:27:23

I nearly cried. I've got nothing to do.

0:27:230:27:25

Whatever the weather conditions,

0:27:250:27:27

Malcolm always was here first thing in the morning.

0:27:270:27:30

One of the last to leave at night.

0:27:300:27:32

A loyal subject.

0:27:320:27:34

A very loyal subject. Absolutely wonderful.

0:27:340:27:38

Nice to be appreciated. Very nice to be appreciated. Thank you.

0:27:380:27:43

As Vernon prepares to open the gates,

0:27:430:27:45

Ian Rogers, the park's owner arrives with a task for the fairground team.

0:27:450:27:49

To drain the iconic but now derelict log flume ride.

0:27:500:27:54

It's probably the best ride on the park to be honest,

0:27:540:27:57

even though it's 30-odd years old.

0:27:570:28:00

It's got to go.

0:28:000:28:02

I think it's a lot fuller now than what it was

0:28:020:28:05

at the beginning of Easter because we've certainly had a lot of rain, Ian.

0:28:050:28:09

Once the park closes,

0:28:090:28:11

he plans to demolish it to make way for an undercover leisure complex.

0:28:110:28:16

This is our boss this is. This is Ian Rogers.

0:28:160:28:18

Hello. Give me five.

0:28:180:28:20

Give me five.

0:28:200:28:22

It's the end of an era and the fairground team's mood is gloomy.

0:28:220:28:27

Just sit down and have this in a minute now

0:28:280:28:31

and open the gates to let the crowds flock in.

0:28:310:28:33

All three of them.

0:28:330:28:35

Slowly but surely, a few customers do trickle in,

0:28:380:28:40

but it's too little too late.

0:28:400:28:42

It's coming up 1.55pm. Nothing's going to happen.

0:28:450:28:47

There are no people out there. It's not beach weather

0:28:470:28:50

and the people come to Barry Island for the beach.

0:28:500:28:52

Vernon decides to cut his losses and close the fairground early.

0:28:530:28:57

-Nobody down there, Rich?

-No. Very quiet. That's it.

0:28:570:29:01

Time to knock it on the head.

0:29:010:29:03

I think we can safely close this up now.

0:29:030:29:05

If it is raining tomorrow, this will be the last day

0:29:070:29:12

of the 2012 season at Barry Island.

0:29:120:29:15

That's it. End of sports.

0:29:150:29:18

Thank you very much and goodnight.

0:29:180:29:19

Some 130 miles to the north, on the border between Wales and England

0:29:230:29:27

stands Bryngwyn Hall, ancestral seat of the Sandbach family

0:29:270:29:31

and home of Auriol, Marchioness Linlithgow.

0:29:310:29:35

I think I live in paradise here,

0:29:360:29:38

and as I always say, paradise doesn't come cheap.

0:29:380:29:42

Maintaining Grade II listed Bryngwyn and its 60 acres of parkland

0:29:420:29:47

is an expensive business.

0:29:470:29:49

I've had to diversify and I've had to really laterally think

0:29:500:29:55

about what we can do to keep this house in good condition.

0:29:550:29:59

To mark the end of the summer season,

0:29:590:30:02

Lady Linlithgow has come up with a new money-making venture.

0:30:020:30:05

Today is our first simulated game day,

0:30:080:30:11

which is the equivalent of probably being out pheasant shooting

0:30:110:30:15

or partridge shooting, but it's with clay pigeons.

0:30:150:30:19

So it means that we can extend our business out of the shooting season

0:30:190:30:23

and it's a lot less costly than full-blown game days.

0:30:230:30:27

If today proves a success,

0:30:270:30:29

it could be a real turning point for the fortunes of the estate.

0:30:290:30:32

Cook, Christine Horton, knows it only too well.

0:30:330:30:37

You've just got to do whatever you can, haven't you,

0:30:370:30:39

to keep people coming through and getting a bit of cash, if you can.

0:30:390:30:44

Morning, Tudor.

0:30:440:30:46

The entire household is anxious to create a good impression.

0:30:460:30:50

With one notable exception.

0:30:510:30:53

No chickens. No! No! No! No! No! No!

0:30:550:30:59

Rollie, the estate builder's terrier,

0:30:590:31:01

can't fight his basic urges.

0:31:010:31:03

No!

0:31:030:31:04

Rollie! Rollie!

0:31:110:31:13

Sorry about that.

0:31:160:31:18

-Is the chicken all right?

-Yes.

0:31:200:31:23

I love Westies, but...

0:31:270:31:30

Brute.

0:31:300:31:31

The whole household is on duty today,

0:31:310:31:34

including Lady Linlithgow herself.

0:31:340:31:36

My role is a working hostess and I really love it.

0:31:360:31:40

I live in the most beautiful house in the most beautiful part of Wales

0:31:400:31:44

and nothing makes me happier than sharing it.

0:31:440:31:46

Food and drinks here!

0:31:490:31:51

Right, let's get this, erm, sort of vaguely organised.

0:31:530:31:56

The boot isn't big enough, is it?

0:31:560:31:58

We'll put the drinks on the floor because the dog can't eat them.

0:31:580:32:01

There are sausages.

0:32:010:32:03

From the reaction of her guests,

0:32:030:32:05

it would appear that the event is going well.

0:32:050:32:07

Wonderful, yes. The hospitality is as good as ever.

0:32:070:32:10

The setting is great, the food's great and the company's good.

0:32:100:32:13

It can only be right really, can't it?

0:32:130:32:15

Perfect, I would say. The champagne is pretty good.

0:32:150:32:18

They seem to do nothing but eat. I don't know where they put it all!

0:32:210:32:24

I suppose they're out in the fresh air, walking about.

0:32:240:32:27

But they start off with breakfast,

0:32:270:32:29

they have nibbles in the middle of the morning,

0:32:290:32:31

then lunch, then afternoon tea, then dinner.

0:32:310:32:34

Oh, wow!

0:32:360:32:38

They've got exploding clays, so they're quite noisy.

0:32:380:32:41

Back at the Hall, cook Christine has laid on lunch as requested,

0:32:490:32:53

only to be told that there's a change of plan.

0:32:530:32:55

It's 1:40pm and they're supposed to be in in five minutes

0:32:570:33:00

but I guess they're not going to be

0:33:000:33:01

because I understand they took longer eating their sausages.

0:33:010:33:05

Oh, wow!

0:33:090:33:10

Never stir with a knife, you stir up strife.

0:33:140:33:16

Who am I going to fall out with today?

0:33:160:33:19

Let's go back then. Come on.

0:33:210:33:23

Can Lady L cook? She can and she's a very good cook.

0:33:250:33:28

She does a lot more now that I've semi-retired.

0:33:280:33:33

She's a bit of a messy cook, but don't say!

0:33:360:33:38

She's not very good at the washing up! Oh!

0:33:380:33:42

Damn! Caught!

0:33:450:33:47

Caught there, wasn't I?

0:33:490:33:51

You're getting much better at the washing up, much better.

0:33:510:33:55

How are you going?

0:33:550:33:57

Oh, well, we're coming along a treat.

0:33:570:34:00

Stop laughing. It's not funny.

0:34:000:34:03

I'll get the sack any day now, if I'm lucky!

0:34:030:34:06

Christine's day may have been stressful,

0:34:060:34:09

but the shooting guests have been delighted with the entertainment.

0:34:090:34:12

It's been great company and great surroundings

0:34:120:34:15

-and I'd do this anytime.

-I would yeah.

0:34:150:34:18

-A good way to spend a weekend.

-Certainly is.

-A lot of fun.

0:34:180:34:20

Lady Linlithgow's latest money making venture

0:34:200:34:23

looks likely to take off,

0:34:230:34:25

much to the relief of the entire household.

0:34:250:34:27

No pheasants to pick up,

0:34:310:34:32

but lots of sunshine and lots of walkies and lots of bangs.

0:34:320:34:36

I went clay pigeon shooting once.

0:34:380:34:40

I shot one.

0:34:410:34:43

The man said if I'd kept my eyes open, I might have shot more!

0:34:430:34:46

In the South Wales town of Tonyrefail,

0:34:500:34:52

it's the day of the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Show,

0:34:520:34:56

and for allotment owner Horace, the moment of truth has arrived.

0:34:560:35:00

Horace Rogers.

0:35:010:35:03

It's the climax to months of back breaking toil,

0:35:040:35:07

as his cabbage, peas, potatoes and parsnips

0:35:070:35:11

are lovingly placed on display.

0:35:110:35:13

It's not bad, you know. Say 6 out of 10. 7 at the most.

0:35:160:35:21

Wish it was 10 out of 10.

0:35:210:35:23

Competitive vegetable growing is a cut-throat world.

0:35:260:35:30

Oh, I can take him out, no problem!

0:35:310:35:33

No, he's got one bad one by there.

0:35:330:35:36

Once the hall is cleared,

0:35:390:35:40

the serious work of adjudication can begin.

0:35:400:35:43

Arwyn Edwards and Colin Lewis are seasoned vegetable judges.

0:35:440:35:49

This one is slightly bulbous. Oh, good condition these, mind.

0:35:510:35:54

-Lovely parsnips, aren't they?

-Yes, they are. Very, very nice.

0:35:540:35:57

Gore ni 'di gweld yma ers blynydde, yn unman a gweud y gwir.

0:35:570:36:02

Ma hwn yn safon national. Time for a cup of tea now.

0:36:020:36:06

It's thirsty work.

0:36:080:36:09

Mark them down, one, two.

0:36:120:36:14

Well, I've put a note on it, right? You've done it anyway.

0:36:140:36:17

I know. Finish my tea first.

0:36:170:36:20

There are a few marks on the underside of this one.

0:36:210:36:24

Competition rules are strictly applied.

0:36:240:36:26

Oh, have a look what I've got in here.

0:36:260:36:29

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine

0:36:290:36:32

and a gap where there should be a pea.

0:36:320:36:34

Those found lacking are disqualified.

0:36:360:36:39

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.

0:36:390:36:43

-Well, I'm afraid...

-That constitutes a bit of a problem.

0:36:430:36:46

Yes, we can't judge that.

0:36:460:36:48

That's a judge's nightmare, that is.

0:36:480:36:51

And he's probably got a spare pea in his basket somewhere,

0:36:510:36:54

which he's forgot to put out.

0:36:540:36:56

There we are.

0:36:560:36:58

Judging over, the public return to the hall

0:37:000:37:03

and Mervyn's brought along his grand-daughter, Talia, to show her the ropes.

0:37:030:37:06

Horace Rogers. You had third.

0:37:060:37:10

Horace's parsnips have won him a prize.

0:37:100:37:12

It's nice to have a card, isn't it?

0:37:120:37:15

-I told you you'd have a card but you said no.

-You did say Merv, aye.

0:37:150:37:18

And so have his peas.

0:37:180:37:19

-Card there, Merv.

-Horace Rogers.

-Peas, aye.

-Third prize.

0:37:190:37:23

That's two cards you've had, you know what I mean.

0:37:230:37:27

But sadly, his potatoes failed to make an impression.

0:37:270:37:31

I had a couple of cards. I'm quite pleased with that, you know.

0:37:310:37:35

I can do better, so I'll be back. Don't worry about that, I'll be back.

0:37:350:37:39

Two out of three. That's not bad.

0:37:400:37:44

The long summer days are a time to work hard and play hard.

0:37:490:37:53

As most of Wales heads to bed, in Cardiff, another world awakes.

0:37:530:37:58

Backstage at the Wow Bar, a troupe of glamorous cabaret artistes

0:37:580:38:01

are preparing for another hard night on the tiles.

0:38:010:38:04

A very clever thing, make-up.

0:38:040:38:06

I'm not being funny but no matter how much make-up I put on my face, it still looks like a brown balloon.

0:38:060:38:11

Marcia, otherwise known as Mark Venn,

0:38:110:38:14

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

0:38:140:38:17

Loads of times I have fallen out with Marcia.

0:38:170:38:19

She is the demon daughter of Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey.

0:38:190:38:22

They met one night in a little social club up in Merthyr Tydfil.

0:38:220:38:25

They did the dirty deed and Marcia was the product of that.

0:38:250:38:29

Right then, girls, let's get the show on the road.

0:38:310:38:35

Was that a bit over the top? It was, wasn't it?

0:38:350:38:37

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

0:38:390:38:42

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

0:38:420:38:47

Come on. Give us a cheer. Give us an oggi, oggi, oggi.

0:38:480:38:51

And we welcome to the stage the one, the only, the divine, Miss Anne.

0:38:510:38:56

Otherwise known as Marcia or whatever you want to call me.

0:38:580:39:01

Miss would be nice.

0:39:010:39:03

After entertaining the crowds until the late hours,

0:39:050:39:07

it's an early start for Mark and colleague, Gypsy,

0:39:070:39:10

to make the outfits for the Wow Girls' big appearance.

0:39:100:39:13

We've got five drag queens to dress.

0:39:130:39:15

Three boys and two girls.

0:39:150:39:17

Not the glamorous life you think it is you see, is it?

0:39:170:39:20

It's not all feathers and sequins.

0:39:220:39:25

We went for a nice metallic Lycra.

0:39:250:39:27

A one way stretch, so it will hold all our fat bits in.

0:39:290:39:32

Speak for yourself!

0:39:320:39:34

I'm at that age now, you know what I mean?

0:39:350:39:37

Bingo wings and stuff like that.

0:39:370:39:39

So it's a case of cover me up from head to toe please.

0:39:390:39:42

-There's a sleeve for you there.

-OK.

0:39:450:39:47

I see Gypsy sometimes as a petite little flower.

0:39:470:39:51

And she's not. She's a big old man in a frock.

0:39:510:39:54

I cut myself a sleeve and I thought, that's fine.

0:39:550:39:58

And I've put it on

0:39:580:40:00

and I haven't been able to put my big old man hands through it.

0:40:000:40:03

It's a Swansea boy underneath all this.

0:40:030:40:06

There you go. Arm beautifully sewn in. Not a mess at all.

0:40:060:40:09

Oh, it will be snug.

0:40:090:40:12

At Hammet House, the ballroom makeover is well underway.

0:40:170:40:21

But with just two weeks to complete it, the pressure is on.

0:40:210:40:25

We are pretty confident that we are going to make the deadline because we have to.

0:40:250:40:30

There's a wedding booked. A big, big wedding booked.

0:40:300:40:35

We might be there with paint brushes the day before, finishing off, but it will be done.

0:40:350:40:39

Looking better already. So are we going to be finished on time?

0:40:410:40:44

Do you think they can cancel the wedding?

0:40:440:40:46

I don't think that's really an option, you know.

0:40:460:40:49

In keeping with the rest of the hotel,

0:40:490:40:52

Owen and Philippa have chosen an uncompromisingly unconventional design.

0:40:520:40:56

I wasn't too sure at the beginning, but it's growing on me.

0:40:560:40:59

We thought it was a new idea

0:40:590:41:01

but, since, we have noticed it in a couple of other places.

0:41:010:41:05

We've seen it in Stella McCartney's shop in New York and just a couple

0:41:050:41:09

of other little places but certainly nowhere else in Pembrokeshire.

0:41:090:41:12

-So you are keeping them random?

-Yeah.

0:41:140:41:17

-Totally random.

-No pattern at all in this. That's what we want.

0:41:170:41:20

There's a lot riding on this ballroom refurbishment.

0:41:230:41:26

It's a massive part of the business here.

0:41:260:41:29

We have got a batch of brides who are waiting to see it finished before they make their final decision

0:41:290:41:34

whether they are going to book with us for their weddings all throughout next year,

0:41:340:41:38

so it's really important that it looks great.

0:41:380:41:40

If people think it's awful and don't want to book any events here,

0:41:400:41:45

we'll... Well, I don't know what we'll do.

0:41:450:41:47

We'll have to paint it all magnolia or something I suppose.

0:41:470:41:52

Fonmon Castle has seen over 800 summers go by,

0:41:580:42:03

but these days, the old place has to earn its keep by hosting big events.

0:42:030:42:07

The Vale of Glamorgan Agricultural Show held each August

0:42:070:42:10

is one of the biggest one day county shows in Wales,

0:42:100:42:14

which attracts competitors from all walks of life,

0:42:140:42:16

including the owner, Sir Brooke Boothby.

0:42:160:42:18

We've been competing for over 200 years.

0:42:180:42:22

We certainly won something in 1792 and we wouldn't like to stop now.

0:42:220:42:27

There's an odd class called Any Other Vegetable,

0:42:270:42:31

which this clearly is. And then we stagger off with this to the car.

0:42:310:42:36

-Nice and safe.

-Nice pair, Sir Brooke!

-Shut up!

0:42:400:42:43

My father's entered his pumpkins in the horticultural tent, so we'll see how we get on.

0:42:530:42:58

Last year, he was very unhappy. He was beaten by a beetroot!

0:42:580:43:01

He's transporting them in a duvet so they don't get bruised!

0:43:030:43:07

He's taking it very seriously!

0:43:070:43:09

I spotted a bit of mud left on it.

0:43:090:43:11

We'll feed this one in this way first and then around sideways.

0:43:140:43:18

It doesn't matter if it tips, but...

0:43:180:43:21

No, it's nowhere near, is it?

0:43:210:43:23

Veg and flower competitions aside,

0:43:230:43:25

the show is an important business opening for Sir Brooke Boothby and his family.

0:43:250:43:29

Are they going to be all right?

0:43:290:43:31

With over 200 trade stands advertising all manner of businesses,

0:43:310:43:34

it's the perfect opportunity for Aliki

0:43:340:43:37

to marked Fonmon Castle as a venue.

0:43:370:43:40

This has tested all my Blue Peter skills, of which there aren't very many.

0:43:400:43:43

All this sticking and constructing. So we have to make sure it doesn't look homemade.

0:43:430:43:47

I've never done anything like this before.

0:43:470:43:49

I've tried to sort of truncate the history of the castle,

0:43:490:43:52

800 years, into six sheets of A4, which has been a bit interesting.

0:43:520:43:55

-31 and 32.

-They're down.

-Oh, they're both down.

0:43:550:43:59

As Sir Brooke Boothby makes a last minute entry,

0:43:590:44:03

the judging begins and it's a serious business.

0:44:030:44:06

Nice fresh colour. Slight damage on the petal.

0:44:060:44:09

-They're beautiful pumpkins.

-A bit more bloom is required there.

0:44:100:44:15

-There's a mark in there.

-There could have been a few more flowers in here.

0:44:150:44:19

Would you like a chocolate brownie? Would you like a homemade brownie?

0:44:190:44:22

Want to have a look around our stand for Fonmon Castle? Come and have a look.

0:44:220:44:27

I'll be honest, there's a bit of ego at stake.

0:44:290:44:31

I didn't want it to fall flat on its face.

0:44:310:44:33

We put together a table because one of the things I think Fonmon does really well

0:44:330:44:38

is we put together beautiful tables, so we want the stand to look like the castle would.

0:44:380:44:42

So all the linen and everything, the proper carpets and it's really nicely done.

0:44:420:44:48

There's a vital cost to it. Mum has to take a leaflet.

0:44:480:44:52

I would have loved to have seen that flower brought down slightly.

0:44:520:44:56

Made in the castle kitchen this morning. Do you want to go and have a look?

0:44:560:45:00

You don't often see a set-up like that.

0:45:000:45:02

I think it's a beautiful collection.

0:45:020:45:04

Judging over and an anxious Sir Brooke Boothby heads back in to the produce tent.

0:45:040:45:10

Oh, we got a prize for that one.

0:45:100:45:12

Yes, I didn't think we were going to do any good with that one.

0:45:120:45:15

-I think they're first class. Congratulations, my friend.

-Oh, very kind.

0:45:150:45:21

Well, we won a first prize on this one

0:45:210:45:23

but unfortunately that wasn't a great triumph

0:45:230:45:26

as we were the only entry!

0:45:260:45:29

It's not just Sir Brooke Boothby that's on a winning streak.

0:45:290:45:32

I'm so excited! That's great. Thank you so much!

0:45:320:45:35

We've won third prize for our trade stand, which we're really excited about.

0:45:350:45:39

I'm picking up the various prizes that we've been most fortunate to win and I'm going to claim my money.

0:45:440:45:50

I love money.

0:45:500:45:52

-Class 24.

-We're rich! We're rich!

0:45:540:45:58

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Eight pounds!

0:45:580:46:02

That's really good.

0:46:020:46:04

I think I might go get a drink on the basis of it.

0:46:040:46:07

It's been a successful day all round

0:46:090:46:11

and a good start to a new era for Fonmon Castle.

0:46:110:46:14

I think it's gone well. We've definitely learned some things for next year.

0:46:160:46:20

I think people are quite interested to come and see the castle

0:46:200:46:23

and some old friends have gone by, so it's been good.

0:46:230:46:26

It's wonderful to be able to get somebody else to do the work here rather than me!

0:46:260:46:30

During the summer months,

0:46:330:46:35

the historical sport of harness racing is big business in Wales.

0:46:350:46:39

But many of our traditional pastimes are facing hard times.

0:46:410:46:44

Llandudno, Wales's largest seaside resort,

0:46:490:46:52

has been offering holiday makers an old-fashioned beach experience

0:46:520:46:55

for over a century and a quarter.

0:46:550:46:57

Here you can still find the delights of Punch and Judy and donkey rides.

0:46:570:47:02

In fact, of the eight donkey operators

0:47:040:47:06

that still survive in Wales, two can be found right here.

0:47:060:47:09

John Jones, a third generation donkey man, works the town's North Shore.

0:47:110:47:15

He's had a disastrous summer season.

0:47:150:47:17

Weather wise, it's been a shocker and it never really took off until August

0:47:170:47:22

and that obviously won't pay for what we've lost.

0:47:220:47:26

We're on the end of the season now as it is

0:47:260:47:29

so really we've got to call it a day today.

0:47:290:47:31

But John's no quitter. Donkeys are in his blood.

0:47:310:47:34

They give you so much love and affection back.

0:47:340:47:37

You know, the time for me to give up is the day I go in a box.

0:47:370:47:41

Llandudno's other donkey operator, Phil Talbot,

0:47:450:47:48

who works the West Shore, has had just as bad a time of it.

0:47:480:47:52

I don't think I'll be going on the beach again this year.

0:47:520:47:55

You might get an Indian summer, you might get nice weather, but you won't get the people.

0:47:550:48:00

That's finished now. It has been a dreadful summer.

0:48:000:48:02

I've never known one like this for many, many years

0:48:020:48:05

and I've been at it quite a while, you know.

0:48:050:48:08

Rain, rain, rain and more rain.

0:48:080:48:11

It's hard work with donkeys, there's no two ways about it.

0:48:110:48:15

It's not like a bouncy castle, you just go to a garage

0:48:150:48:18

and blow it up and put it away for the winter. It doesn't eat nothing.

0:48:180:48:21

These want looking after.

0:48:210:48:23

Here she comes. You're all right now, aren't you?

0:48:230:48:25

That's Sam the man that is. He's a bit hypo, hyperactive.

0:48:270:48:30

He's a bit worried looking at me, thinking he's got to go to work.

0:48:300:48:34

Like John, Phil's not about to call time on his donkeys.

0:48:340:48:37

As long as I've got my health and I keep fit, I'll go on, yeah.

0:48:370:48:41

It gets you out of bed in the morning.

0:48:420:48:44

That's it for the day now.

0:48:460:48:48

Good night, donkeys. See you in the morning.

0:48:480:48:51

It's always sad at the end of the year. It's got to be done for the love of it.

0:48:570:49:02

But you try and you try.

0:49:020:49:04

And you always say there's gold at the end of the rainbow. You're hoping for it.

0:49:040:49:07

We've had a lot of rainbows this year, haven't we? But no crocks of gold just yet.

0:49:070:49:11

It will come, it will come.

0:49:110:49:13

Things go in circles. everything's cyclic, you know.

0:49:130:49:16

Good times, bad times, and we've got a lot of good times to come, I'm sure of it.

0:49:160:49:20

It looks like Llandudno's donkeys

0:49:200:49:22

will be back for at least one more summer season.

0:49:220:49:25

On Wales's south coast,

0:49:280:49:30

it's the end of an era for a much loved national icon.

0:49:300:49:33

At Barry Island Funfair,

0:49:330:49:35

Vernon and his fairground team are dismantling the last of the rides.

0:49:350:49:39

Right, back you go. Hard as you can. Last lot now.

0:49:410:49:45

Henry arrived last night from Stoke on Trent to pull the waltzer down

0:49:450:49:49

so that the park will be clear now within the next couple of days.

0:49:490:49:53

It's strange but it's no different to what we've always had with this time of year now.

0:49:550:50:00

It all starts to finish up and we empty the park out.

0:50:000:50:03

If the development starts, then I won't be back.

0:50:030:50:06

Fellow showman, Henry Stanworth, sympathises with Vernon's predicament.

0:50:080:50:11

He's bit too young to retire at the moment, I think.

0:50:110:50:14

Well, I don't know sometimes!

0:50:140:50:17

His family have been going since 1800 so it's hard not to be in the business, you know.

0:50:170:50:23

There's no such thing as retire. We don't. I'm a showman.

0:50:230:50:26

I don't retire. I just couldn't stand still doing nothing.

0:50:260:50:29

I'd just irritate myself.

0:50:290:50:31

As the last of the rides leave the funfair,

0:50:360:50:39

park owner Ian Rodgers' demolition vehicles move in.

0:50:390:50:42

It's sad in one respect,

0:50:440:50:46

but I'm looking forward to the future.

0:50:460:50:48

But it's got be done, you know what I mean?

0:50:510:50:53

It's the end of an era for Barry Island.

0:50:540:50:57

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

0:50:570:51:01

As far as I'm concerned, we're replacing something

0:51:010:51:04

that's in the 21st century that will put Barry Island back on the map.

0:51:040:51:09

What I want you to do, Steve, if you can, is just try and...

0:51:090:51:12

I want to save the rhino.

0:51:120:51:14

Sentimental value, isn't it?

0:51:140:51:16

Hi, Vernon. Just to give you an update really, Vernon.

0:51:170:51:20

I've taken down the front of the jungle.

0:51:200:51:24

I know. What do you do?

0:51:270:51:29

I know. It's all got to go, hasn't it?

0:51:310:51:33

But as the demolition continues, there's unexpected news.

0:51:350:51:39

Although clearance work has started, construction has been delayed.

0:51:390:51:43

OK.

0:51:430:51:45

Nobody has got any spare money and nobody is putting any capital investment in at the moment.

0:51:480:51:52

The park will be open next year.

0:51:520:51:54

I will be here again next year, hopefully.

0:51:540:51:57

And we will continue on until Ian starts work here,

0:51:570:52:00

but until that time, I will continue.

0:52:000:52:02

The only time that this will not open as a pleasure park

0:52:020:52:06

is when construction takes place and there are buildings here.

0:52:060:52:10

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

0:52:100:52:14

Some 100 miles to the west, Owen and Philippa are looking to the future.

0:52:180:52:22

In Hammet House, with just two days until the wedding,

0:52:220:52:26

the ballroom makeover is almost complete.

0:52:260:52:29

And not a moment too soon.

0:52:290:52:31

The prospective bride and groom are due at any moment.

0:52:310:52:34

We've got Sarah and Idris, the bride and groom for Saturday, coming along.

0:52:380:52:43

They've not seen the ballroom yet since it's been done at all,

0:52:430:52:46

so they are going to have a show around today.

0:52:460:52:49

They are obviously our target market.

0:52:490:52:51

And hopefully, the ballroom is going to live up to their expectations.

0:52:510:52:55

-Wow!

-That is quite bright, isn't it?

0:52:550:52:58

So we have gone for quite a bold choice of curtains, as you can see.

0:52:580:53:02

I think it is going to look great. We hope.

0:53:020:53:06

Coming round both sides of this court yard.

0:53:060:53:09

I'm just trying to get these curtains up before the bride arrives.

0:53:090:53:13

Obviously the more we have got done, the better it will look for her.

0:53:130:53:17

Time is ticking.

0:53:200:53:22

We've seen the rest of the hotel and, if it's anything like

0:53:220:53:26

what the rest has looked like, then it's going to be stunning.

0:53:260:53:29

Obviously I'd like everything to go well on the day.

0:53:300:53:34

But it's really about the two of us getting married so hopefully,

0:53:340:53:38

I'm not going to get too upset

0:53:380:53:40

if everything doesn't quite go perfectly.

0:53:400:53:43

Now is the time to see the ballroom.

0:53:460:53:49

Right, after you. Let's see your reaction.

0:53:490:53:53

Oh, wow! That's nice.

0:53:530:53:55

-So the carpet has gone.

-It has.

0:53:560:53:59

Well, I can't say we'll miss it!

0:53:590:54:01

-No.

-It's beautiful. The mix of colours is quite something, isn't it?

0:54:010:54:05

So obviously we've got our lovely palette of pale grey on the wall

0:54:050:54:09

and then the curtains down the end there.

0:54:090:54:13

I think it's really nice. I really like the colours.

0:54:130:54:16

I think the floor is lovely.

0:54:160:54:19

-Well, that's a relief!

-It's lovely.

0:54:190:54:22

Owen and Philippa's modern makeover seems to have paid off.

0:54:240:54:28

That's a nice relief to see a few smiles.

0:54:280:54:32

And, yeah. They seem quite happy.

0:54:320:54:34

But there is one more hurdle to overcome.

0:54:340:54:37

If we head on up, I'll show you to your room.

0:54:370:54:40

Several weeks previously, Hammet House was visited by food reviewer Joanna Busk from Fork magazine.

0:54:400:54:46

So here we are. Come on in.

0:54:460:54:49

A good write-up from her could propel Owen and Philippa's business

0:54:490:54:52

into the top league of luxury Welsh hotels.

0:54:520:54:55

Andy, their chef, prepared a seven course taster menu especially for the evening.

0:54:560:55:01

Whoa! You've got to get it level.

0:55:010:55:04

Joanna's make or break review has finally appeared online.

0:55:040:55:08

She's not a massive fan of absolutely everything.

0:55:080:55:12

She was obviously impressed with the food.

0:55:140:55:17

"Stylish, cool and a bit surprising to find in the corner of Pembrokeshire."

0:55:170:55:21

Well, that's exactly what we are trying to do so I think it's a very positive review.

0:55:210:55:27

"Hooray for them, it's clearly one to watch."

0:55:270:55:30

Not a bad closing statement, is it?

0:55:310:55:34

Yes, very happy with that.

0:55:340:55:36

It's good news.

0:55:360:55:38

But Owen and Philippa are never ones to rest on their laurels.

0:55:380:55:42

We want to get the swimming pool back up and running.

0:55:420:55:46

We want to create a small spa on site with treatment rooms.

0:55:460:55:50

We've got a disused stable block down by the river

0:55:500:55:53

which we want to make into a self-catering eco lodge at some point.

0:55:530:55:57

So yeah, that's going to take us a little while.

0:55:580:56:01

And it's not just the business that's growing.

0:56:010:56:04

Owen and Philippa have news.

0:56:040:56:06

We've already got Gabriel, our two-year-old son.

0:56:060:56:10

But we are actually expecting another baby

0:56:100:56:13

so that's another challenge that we are going to have to meet over the coming months.

0:56:130:56:17

It wasn't planned!

0:56:200:56:22

There's busy times ahead for Hammet House.

0:56:230:56:26

In Cardiff, the city's first ever Mardi Gras Parade is taking the streets by storm.

0:56:310:56:36

I'm here to represent Wales and gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people,

0:56:400:56:44

so I'm going to just dance and have a good time.

0:56:440:56:46

Let's go, brawlers, let's go!

0:56:460:56:49

Well, we're from San Francisco.

0:56:490:56:51

We're actually here to go see the Doctor Who Experience so this was a surprise.

0:56:510:56:54

A nice surprise.

0:56:540:56:56

What a gay day! What a gay day!

0:57:010:57:03

I've been so excited about taking Aggie on her first little parade as well.

0:57:050:57:09

Look at her, she's so cute.

0:57:090:57:11

Absolutely amazing.

0:57:110:57:13

It's a really great effort by everyone

0:57:130:57:15

and a really great atmosphere.

0:57:150:57:16

Over 600 paraders have turned out,

0:57:160:57:18

but there are some noticeable absentees.

0:57:180:57:22

There seems to be a distinct lack of drag queens this morning

0:57:220:57:25

but then most of them don't see mid-day.

0:57:250:57:27

No, I haven't seen those Wow girls. They're on stage at 5:00pm.

0:57:290:57:32

In Cooper's Field, a 15,000 strong crowd

0:57:320:57:35

is enjoying the last of the summer sunshine.

0:57:350:57:38

It is an amazing time because everybody is happy.

0:57:380:57:41

Come on! We're late! Open the gates! Open the gates!

0:57:410:57:45

Fashionably late, Marcia and her troupe finally make their appearance.

0:57:450:57:50

Welcome to the stage, the fabulous Wow showgirls.

0:57:500:57:55

APPLAUSE

0:57:550:57:57

# And when you get the chance. #

0:57:590:58:03

Everybody sing it.

0:58:030:58:04

# You are the Dancing Queen

0:58:040:58:07

# Young and sweet Only seventeen

0:58:070:58:12

# See that girl, watch that scene

0:58:140:58:18

# Digging the Dancing Queen. #

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What an end to another glorious summer in Wales.

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