Episode 3 City Road

A stone's throw from the shopping Mecca of Cardiff city centre

lies a street with a long history of home-grown business.

Good, morning, Coray Co. How can I help?

A kilometre-long melting pot of independent retailers,

City Road is the country's most diverse street.

Almost 60% of those who live here were born outside of Wales.

So much diversity on City Road.

Mah Scottish accent's just adding to it, ah think!

A place where new... I hope open next month. ..and old collide...

I wouldn't like a business down here now it's altered.

..where change is inevitable and fun times are always

just around the corner.

Vibrating mascara? Looks kind of spiky!

SHE GASPS Look at that!

On a street that was once the site for public executions...

Oh, Mum, I'm going to cry, y'know?

..it's not always easy to survive,

but the people of City Road have learned to come out fighting...

Let's go! Let's go! ..and they never stay down for long.

I love you, Dave!

This is life on City Road.

It's the place to be for action!

Sporting the most eclectic mix of shop fronts in Wales,

City Road is a street where newcomers are welcome.

In City Road, people's friendly. The Welsh is nice.

Five. Let's go!

For those taking on a new life challenge...

One, two, that's it. YEAH!

..or just daring to try something different...

Oh, my God.

..City Road is a street of new beginnings.

One man for whom City Road speaks of a brighter future

is Iraqi restaurant owner Ayad...

'The person you have called is not available.'

..although today he's having communication problems.

'Hello?' Yes - I hear you!

'Can you hear me?' Yeah, yeah, I hear you.

'Let me go up the top. I can't hear. I'll ring you back.

'Hold on a sec.'

AYAD CHUCKLES

Call every time, same thing. "I'll call you back. Ten minute."

All this message, no answer any one.

Ayad's trying to track down the supplier who's supposed to

deliver his new restaurant furniture.

'I'll ring you back when I get a better service.

'I'll go to the top of the hill now. Hold on.

'Won't be a sec.' OK, OK, waiting...

CALL ENDS

How long take? An hour? Two hours? Two days? One month?

It's another problem in what's been a tough year for Ayad.

My life all stress,

because I'm very tired. Hard work.

For the last 18 months, he's been converting what was

an old hairdresser's on City Road into a restaurant, all on his own.

Everything, I do it myself.

Tiles, I do it myself. Carpenter, I do it.

There is one handyman that Ayad can rely on... Yeah, 116.

..his 12-year-old son.

My son, Amir, is very, very helpful and have...

Very clever.

Should be right.

Amir already has big plans for the restaurant's opening night.

I've told a lot of my friends to come over, like,

on the first day so they can eat for free and everything. Not free!

Half price! Yeah, but, like... AYAD CHUCKLES

Yeah, but, like, a discount or something. Yeah, but not all school!

AMIR LAUGHS

Amir is the youngest of Ayad's four children,

and today they are a huge part of has life.

But 20 years ago, Ayad lost contact with his family completely

when they had to leave Iraq to escape Saddam's regime.

My dad say to me, "Run away, because not safe for you."

In the chaos that followed, the family was separated.

Over four years, I don't see my family.

Yeah. I live alone.

Sometime my wife say, "He's maybe died. Maybe he's not come back."

Eventually, with the help of the Red Cross,

Ayad managed to track down his family.

Their reunion made headline news.

It's difficult to tell you.

The feeling is so big, I can't say anything.

Crying.

Also, my wife only speak with the eyes.

My son, Rami, see me, he say, "Why you leave me?"

I said, "No, this is life."

HE SIGHS

Sorry.

Sorry.

Amir? Have good muscle! AYAD CHUCKLES

Today, Ayad is keeping his family close

as they prepare to open their Iraqi restaurant on City Road,

their new home-from-home.

People's friendly. The Welsh is nice.

You find all the world here on the City Road!

Immigrants like Ayad are not the only new arrivals

to have settled on City Road.

Oi, does anyone want a choc-ice? Oh, yes! Me, please.

Luke and his student friends live in a house just off City Road.

In the last 30 years, as the universities and colleges of Cardiff

have expanded, City Road's student population has increased fivefold.

Ice cream's not meant to snap. I told you it was frozen!

City Road, you've got, like,

a sex shop next to a barber's next to, like, the pub.

I don't know I can think of anywhere that compares to it, really.

Of course, they wouldn't be students if they didn't like

to wind each other up.

Three, two, one. BOTH: Eight.

YEAH!

LAUGHTER

This morning, Luke has lost a dare and has to carry

a cardboard pole with him to the shops.

So, yeah, I've got to take this for a walk!

Today, Luke is out to source some exotic ingredients

for the boys' dinner, all from City Road.

I'm making a stir-fry. Stir-fry.

Erm, it's like meat and vegetables and, like, noodles etc and a sauce.

Can you show what kind of stuff to get? Thanks, mate. Cheers.

Cos I have no idea.

Like, I've never, ever seen pickled mangoes before.

And you put this in the pan, yeah?

Er, yeah. What are they? Green leaves.

I have no idea how to cook them. What else? Chilli sauce. Yes.

Do you want? Is it very spicy?

Er, yeah. Cool. I don't think the boys like oysters.

I think we'll leave it at that.

I think we'll just give this a go. OK. OK? Cheers, mate. Thank you.

We're really not that fussy eaters. We just like food...

in general. So... Yeah.

Cheers. Thank you.

Haven't you forgotten something, Luke?

Oh, sorry. Oh, my God! Thank you!

LUKE LAUGHS Basically, I lost a dare. Oh?

Erm, I've just got to carry it round for no reason whatsoever.

But thank you for returning it to me. Cheers. Thank you very much.

We're four guys all in our, like, twenties.

We play pranks on each other, we try and get one over on each other.

HE BLOWS A TUNE

So, when I said I'd enjoy doing the dishes just now... You lied.

Oh, yeah. And this is boring.

And dinner time is the perfect opportunity for the boys to

get one over on each other...again.

What are the odds on you, Nick, eating a teaspoon of hot sauce?

'So, the odds game is where a dare is proposed.'

Ten to one. Ten to one? Yeah.

'The people have to say a number

'between one and the number which they gave, ten.'

Lads, count down, please. Three, two, one.

And after three, if both the numbers we say match,

he has to do it.

Oh, my God! Three, two, one.

BOTH: One.

'And once you lose the dare, if you don't follow through with it,

'you lose complete respect.'

LAUGHTER

It's boiling!

My eyes are watering. HE COUGHS

Chilli eating isn't the only challenge that's going down

on City Road.

Take your time when you're sparring.

At the Ultimate Fitness Centre,

under the watchful eye of owner Denzil... Take it easy.

We don't want no injuries, OK?

..two amateur fighters, Charlie and Mo,

are seven weeks into their training for a charity boxing event.

From the very start, Mo has felt quietly confidant.

When I first went to the gym, I looked at most of the boys

that was there and it looked like I could give them a proper go.

'It made me want to win, just to prove a point.'

But with just two weeks to go before the big fight,

Mo hasn't exactly been living like an athlete.

We were partying last night till, like, early hours of this morning.

LAUGHTER

How's your diet going? It was going all right until this week.

Different restaurants every day, bruv! Yeah?

No, but I told him, I told him, "You're going to get knocked out."

I don't lose, cos I don't like losing. Yeah?

One thing Mo did want to lose when he started boxing training

was some weight.

I think I have lost some, but I haven't weighed myself

since I started it, so I actually don't know if I've put on weight

or if I've lost weight.

Tonight... Here he is. ..all will be revealed,

as Denzil's son Levi is set to give Mo his fitness MOT.

Let's go!

Let's get your weight!

I know what I weighed at the start of the year, about 125,

something like that, so anything below that is a plus, to me.

125 kilos.

It's not a good start.

125.

And when Mo hits the gym,

Levi realises his weight isn't the only problem.

MO COUGHS

Have you been training outside here? Honestly? Just lifting weights.

You want to stop the weights and you want to do this,

what you're doing now.

Honestly, it's the fitness is what you need, see?

Without a basic level of fitness, Levi's worried Mo might

not even go the distance, let alone beat his opponent in the ring.

MO PANTS

He's not fit at all. He's finished, he is. Finished? Yeah.

The fight is coming up in two weeks and I want to win.

I want to get back in shape before the actual fight.

I just feel knackered now. Can't breathe.

Charlie, meanwhile, has a training session with Denzil.

Step into the ring.

OK.

I think she'll do well, because she's motivated,

she's got a drive, she's got a passion.

Jab, now catch my jab. Catch my jab.

Seven weeks ago, Charlie had never boxed before.

But these days, she can't wait to get the gloves on.

Boxing's become a little bit of an obsession for me.

I'm training six nights a week.

As it's coming closer, it's becoming more and more of a challenge.

Oh, back to the jab. One, two!

Come on, straight.

'She's a much fitter person than she was going back two months ago.'

And Charlie's a very aggressive woman,

so I haven't got no worries about her.

Jabbed me out! THEY LAUGH

I quite like punching people in the face now, to be honest!

It's the getting in the ring in front of loads of people

that bothers me.

There'll be 400 people there.

Yay(!) I know!

But one very important person won't be in the crowd.

Is your husband coming to watch you? No. He's not?! He's not.

He thinks it's a stupid idea. Are you serious? Absolutely.

For him to be there on the night would just make it for me,

to be honest. But he doesn't really want to go.

Boxing's not his thing.

Yeah, yeah. He doesn't want to see me getting punched in the face.

Which is fair. I can understand.

I'm sure I'll be OK. Yeah, you will be OK.

I don't mind getting hit now, so...

I think if I carry on doing it, I might even learn to like it a bit!

One, two. I'm on the ropes! THEY LAUGH

At Mesopotamia this morning... Hi, how are you?

..Ayad has managed to recruit two chefs to test-drive his new

kitchen, ready for opening.

OK? Come into the kitchen.

I'm very, very proud when I look in, everything done,

everything finish.

But all that building work has left its mark.

Ayad's dream restaurant looks more like a kitchen nightmare.

We need first of all to clean it up. We need to start from zero.

Yeah, absolutely. You need a lot of work to do, to be honest -

otherwise you're going to be poisoned!

So, I need to be nice and clean...

..make sure everything is clean.

In the cleaning frenzy, someone is notably absent.

Where's the boss? THEY LAUGH

Anybody there?

Hello?

He...llo?

Turns out a dirty kitchen isn't Ayad's only problem today.

Every day have some new problem.

I have leak. Jesus!

So, what you going to do about it?

Fix it.

He's done everything himself so far. Who needs a plumber now?

Be careful. I don't want to have a shower.

Ayad, perhaps.

Meanwhile, in the now-spotless kitchen,

Amir is grappling with the challenge of preparing

a Middle Eastern dish worthy of a place on Ayad's menu.

This is kebab.

Is very delicious.

I want to make Iraqi dishes for all the country.

I say, "Come to us and taste and see the Iraqi special dishes."

Khaled, on the other hand, is thinking outside the box.

What do you think if I do Mexican today, different things?

But don't tell the boss!

HE LAUGHS

Surprise! Hey! Hello!

Amir has a little something he prepared earlier...

..a surprise cake for the boss.

And a cake!

It just needs a finishing touch.

I want to write "Mesopotamia".

How you spell it?

Khaled? Yes, my friend? You know how you spell Mesopotamia?

Good job Khaled has it all laid out.

It's M-E-S-O-P-...

O-T-A-M-I.

Eh?

Mesopotami?

Should be A there.

Is it? Yeah, should be. Where is it? OK. I tell you what...

Ah!

THEY LAUGH

So, going to get changed and be back. "I'll be back"!

Finally, it's ready, steady...

Lovely jubbly. ..cook.

Ayad has roped in friends and family for the taste test.

In the Iraqi versus Mexican menu standoff...

You hungry?

..who will come out on top?

What you think about the test?

HE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE

How is it? It's great. You sure? Yeah. What's it called? Chimichanga.

Chimichanga. Cos they're Mexican, yeah. Mm.

Well, look nice, to be honest.

'I have good team now.

'They're good quality, good service. Yeah, therefore I open next week.'

I hope that!

While Ayad is still planning his big opening night,

for Denzil, the main event has arrived.

The club's going to enjoy it. They're going to love it.

I just can't wait!

At Cardiff's Swalec Stadium, the stage is set for the white-collar

boxing match, and event organisers Denzil and Robbie are impressed.

I'm blown away by this. It's amazing.

When the lights and all that are on, it's going to look amazing. Awesome.

All they need now are some fighters.

At home in Wenvoe, Charlie is preparing for the challenge.

I can't wait to get there.

There's been, er, much mirth about how I'm going to knock someone out

or not knock someone out.

That's proved the first lot right, yeah?

Charlie's already won a major battle this morning.

She's finally persuaded her husband, Dave, to come and watch her fight.

So, Dave, what do you reckon? Yeah, it'll do. It'll do? Yeah.

I'm really happy that he's going, but I'm sure

he will be relieved when it's all over and he can get his wife back.

Meanwhile, back at the stadium, Mo arrives in good time,

though perhaps not in good form.

How are you feeling, Mo? Just tired, man.

I worked a 12-hour shift last night, innit? Yeah?

Well, at least he's turned up, anyway.

For Mo, just standing in line for the medical is exhausting...

I'm so tired. Literally, I could fall asleep right here.

..and hungry work...

I need to get some food, man. A nice, juicy rump steak.

Oh... Potatoes, everything, brother.

..although he's still talking the talk.

I'm confident I can do this.

Go on, Mo. You have to be, innit?

You can't walk in here without no confidence.

What's the point of walking inside the ring?

As for Charlie...

Ah! Yeah, looking forward to it.

Always something's got to go wrong, though, hasn't it?

Let's hope that something isn't Dave.

So, is he coming, then? Yes, he's been conned into coming.

It's got to be quite difficult, though, seeing your better half...

Seeing your wife getting punched in the face? Yeah, exactly.

I wouldn't like it, mate. I'll be honest, like.

I'd probably just jump in there and drop him.

My husband's more horizontal. Oh, is he? Yeah. Fair enough.

It's going to be pumping in here.

It's going to be an amazing atmosphere. All right?

Everyone happy?

At the ringside photo shoot,

our fighters get a chance to check out the opposition.

Charlie will be fighting Sophie "The Knockout" Carlsson.

Get used to the feeling of these ropes, girl! Oh, YOU'LL be on 'em!

Cos you'll be on 'em!

I'm less nervous than I thought I was going to be coming in,

to be honest with you.

Mo, on the other hand...

Yeah, fam, to be honest, I'm getting nervous now!

..has to take down Phil "The Bomber".

I heard he's a good fighter, but I've never actually seen him fight.

I sparred with him a couple of times, but that's it.

Phil "The Bomber". He's a big lad, strong boy.

But so's Mo.

I'm going to try and stay away from him, so he don't catch me.

That's the game plan.

Yes, it's going to be exciting.

Or maybe not.

I'm going to chill out for a bit, have a little kip. Sort my hair out.

Y'know what I mean?

While Mo recharges his batteries...

back on City Road, in student land, the energy is high.

Where's my fucking bottle opener?

PARTY MUSIC PLAYS

Tonight is Luke's 22nd birthday, and he's celebrating in style.

# You should be my honey... #

I can't wait to go to bed.

For guests, there's a wide choice of beverages.

And the birthday boy is struggling to keep up.

Get it down ya!

We're going to go out and we're going to cause carnage somewhere.

Oh, the cab's waiting.

WOMAN SHRIEKS

We're going to have some fun tonight. It's going to be awesome.

Haven't you forgotten someone, guys?

The birthday boy's stranded!

Not the end of the world. Shall we walk towards the road?

Yeah, let's walk to City Road.

Hello, could I get a taxi to Mill Lane, please?

It's the morning after, and the house is slowly waking up.

You OK?

Tried to get into about three places, but they wouldn't let us in,

for some reason.

I'm assuming we came home then. I don't...

Personally, I don't fully know.

You all right? Food soon. Yeah.

'Usually, the score is,

'when we're hungover and we can't be bothered to cook anything,

'we usually end up going to Granny Macs for a fried breakfast.'

Once again, Luke has lost a dare

and has to wear pink glasses to breakfast.

OK... I'm starving.

But there's always time for one more dare.

This time it's a pile of old rubbish.

No way. Jump in...? No...

Three, two, one. BOTH: Four.

Oh! Oh!

It looks like Luke will have to take the plunge.

Oh, I hate today.

Is there anything hard in it?

Yeah, that's fine. This is the best day ever!

LAUGHTER

Oh, I just had a waft, a disgusting waft.

'It's so childish. The thing is, you'd think we'd

'grow out of it and the game would

'get boring, but I think we've been playing it for maybe...

'a year and a half, two years.

'Probably going to play it for the rest of our lives.'

Granny Macs with no white or black pudding?

Yes, please. That looks massive.

I still feel like...

rubbish.

And I smell like rubbish, too!

Very happy.

Three, two, one.

BOTH: Seven. LAUGHTER

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Please make some noise for Mohammed "Spider-Man"!

At the charity boxing event, hopefully well rested after

his afternoon nap, in the blue corner, Mo is up first.

Will Mo "The Spider-Man" spin

a web that stops Phil "The Bomber" in his tracks?

Move! Get out!

Forward!

Forward, Mo!

Meanwhile, Charlie is fighting her own battle...

Hello? Where are you to?

..trying to track down her husband, Dave.

Dave's gone and lost his shoes.

A bit concerned he's not going to get in.

The man infuriates me sometimes!

Come on, Mo! Work!

Come on, Mo! Jesus Christ! Switch on now! Listen, breathe, breathe.

Phil just seems to be a little bit fitter than him.

But you never know, the last round, Mo, y'know,

might pull something out of the bag.

In the final minute, Mo gives it his all.

BELL RINGS

But is it enough?

It was a good bout. Mo put up a good fight. A good fight.

In the red corner! CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Phil "The Bomber" has it.

Unlucky for Mo. Unlucky.

That was hard. I expected to win,

but, obviously, the best man on the night won.

Could have gone either way. We both threw big punches, both connected.

I left myself too open for him.

Now it's time to enjoy the rest of the night and go and have a beer.

Mo, you're buying, ain't you? LAUGHTER

Next up is Charlie, who couldn't be happier,

because, despite those trainers,

her husband has made it into the building...

and is sat in the crowd.

Nice one, Dave.

# I got the eye of the tiger... #

So, it's time!

# Dancing through the fire

# Cos I am the champion, and you're gonna hear me roar... #

Uppercuts, as well. Go on, Charl!

SHOUTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

She's looking OK.

Yes, Charlie. Good!

If she keeps on, she'll be OK.

# You're going to hear me roar... #

BELL RINGS

And the champion is...?

In the blue corner!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

That's a new trophy for my, like...

Actually, it's the ONLY trophy for my trophy shelf.

I love you, Dave!

Denzil's charity boxing event has been a knockout.

Everyone will take something home from today,

so, y'know, I'm happy.

And with over ?30,000 raised for charity, everyone leaves a hero.

You only get out what you put in. That's what life's all about.

It certainly seems to be what life on City Road is all about.

The street may have seen better days, but it remains Wales's

most colourful, diverse and surprising road of retailers.

After seeing out a century of change, there's still money,

friends and plenty of laughter to be had here.

And whatever the world throws at it, one thing is for certain -

City Road won't go down without a fight.

# I can feel your heart

# I can feel your heart

# Open from the start