Bridgend

Bridgend (Welsh: Penybont ar Ogwr) is a town in Glamorgan, South Wales. It is the principal town of the County Borough of Bridgend and has a population of around 40,000 people.

Bridgend has developed from a small, vibrant market town to a major regional industrial and service centre. Bridgend's position roughly equidistant between Cardiff and Swansea has made it a popular dormitory settlement for commuters to both cities.

Bridgend was perhaps most famously home to a Ford Motor Company engine plant (now closed), that was one of the area's biggest employers, but it also used to have a significant presence by Japanese electronics giant Sony.

Get in

By plane

Cardiff Airport (CWL IATA) is some 15 miles (25 km) to the south east of the town. An hourly train service runs from nearby Rhoose to Bridgend and is served by a shuttle bus from the airport terminal. Buses also run to Cardiff where you can make a simple connection to Bridgend either by train or by bus.

Bristol Airport (BRS IATA) which serves a greater number of destinations than Cardiff Airport is a further 30–40 miles east.

You are most likely to fly into the United Kingdom at either Heathrow Airport (LHR IATA) or Gatwick Airport (LGW IATA), both near London. In this case it is probably best to make a public transport connection to Wales at one of the major terminuses in London.

By train

There is one major train station in the town. 🌍 Bridgend railway station is within a 3-minute walk of the town centre. A taxi rank and a bus stop are outside. The station is fully staffed and has ticket sale facilities, refreshments and toilets. Entry is controlled by ticket barriers so you will require a ticket to enter/exit the platforms.

The footbridge at Bridgend railway station is a listed building and hasn't been upgraded to the statutory requirements for travellers with disabilities. To access platform 2 for Cardiff and London bound trains, use the other footbridge on platform 1 which has lifts on either end

Bridgend is a scheduled stop on the GWR service from London Paddington to Swansea. This is an hourly service.

All other services are run by TFW . These services connect Bridgend to Cardiff, Barry, Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Manchester, Birmingham and Western England. There is also an hourly service to the nearby town of Maesteg.

The other station in the town is Wildmill, an unstaffed station serving the districts in the north of the town. It is a scheduled stop on the hourly service between Maesteg and Cheltenham.

By car

Bridgend is best accessed by car from Junctions 35 and 36 of the M4 motorway running from London to Carmarthenshire.

There are numerous pay-and-display car parks in the town centre and free ample parking at the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet about 2 miles from the town centre at Junction 36 of the M4.

By bus

Bridgend has a 11-bay Bus Station located in the centre of town. Buses are primarily run by First Group but there are also services by Stagecoach and Veolia. These services mainly serve the towns and villages around Bridgend.

Some services of note however are:

X1 Bridgend-Swansea - running via Pyle and Port Talbot.

X2 Porthcawl-Cardiff - running from Porthcawl to Cardiff via Bridgend and Cowbridge.

224 Bridgend-Pontypridd- running via Pencoed, Llanharan and Talbot Green.

The pick up/drop off point for National Express long-distance services, is at the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet near the Odeon cinema. This is about 2 miles from the town centre, which can be easily reached by connecting local bus services.

Get around

By foot

Bridgend has a compact town centre and can easily be walked around in 15 minutes. The town centre is pedestrianised and between 10AM and 6PM is vehicle free.

There are numerous public footpaths linking to areas in and around Bridgend like Merthyr Mawr, Ogmore, Penyfai and Coychurch.

By cycle

Bridgend is linked to the National Cycle Network (Celtic Trail) by a signposted, mostly segregated cycle lane from the town centre (near the Brewery Field) to Tondu.

There is also a segregated cycle path running east-west from the suburb of Brackla to the village of Laleston with a connection to the Bryntirion area of town.

The vast bulk of the roads in Bridgend are safe to cycle on, with extra care required at the larger roundabouts.

By taxi

There are several taxi companies serving Bridgend, including:

See
  • The Castles of Bridgend: dating back to the Norman conquest of South Wales (12th century), these three castles were built to provide a "defensive triangle".
    • 🌍 Newcastle Castle. Dramatically positioned on the hill overlooking the town centre, accessible via a set of stairs on Tondu Road opposite the Brewery Field. Entrance is free. The area around Newcastle is a conservation area that includes period properties and various other listed buildings of interest including St Illtuds Church. 
    • 🌍 Coity Castle. In the village of Coity about 2 miles to the north east of the town. Free entry. 
  • 🌍 The Old Bridge. The bridge from Bridgend got its name. Not as spectacular as the original bridge but an important and iconic local landmark. 
  • 🌍 Merthyr Mawr. An idyllic village with authentic, traditional thatched roofs 
  • 🌍 Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes. This is a large network of dunes, among the largest in Europe. This area was used to film the movie Lawrence of Arabia. It's also well used for cross-country running, wildlife spotting and even live action role-play! There is a charge to use the car park. 
  • 🌍 Newbridge Fields. A large, maintained open space in the centre of Bridgend and is popular with dog-walkers and anglers. 

Do

Sport
  • Football: Penybont FC play soccer in the Cymru Premier League. That's the top tier within Wales, but mostly amateur and on a par with England's fifth tier National League. Their home ground is Bryntirion Park northwest side of town.
  • Coed-y-Mwstwr Hotel & Golf Course. About 3 miles east of Bridgend, in the grounds of a Victorian mansion turned hotel. Parkland course. 18 holes. 
  • St Mary's Hotel & Golf Club. A championship-standard course located near M4 Junction 35 near Pencoed, complete with a hotel. Parkland course. 18 and 9 hole courses. 
  • Bridgend Golf Club. Just off the A48 road to south of the town. Includes a driving range. Parkland course. 9 holes. 
  • Bridgend Recreation Centre. near the town centre has timetabled public swimming sessions between noon-3:45PM and approximately 6-9PM on weekdays with extended sessions at weekends. It costs around £3.50 for casual swimming. The Recreation Centre also has a fully equipped gym and sports hall. Ask staff for details. 
  • Darren Fawr Mountain Trails Garw Valley. Mountain biking. 

Entertainment
  • Odeon Cinema. A 9-screen cinema in the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Village. Prices per film range from £6.30 to £7.45 for an adult and £4.30 to £5.10 for a child depending on the time of day. (updated Mar 2015)
  • Bryngarw Country Park. A 113-acre country park located at Brynmenyn, around 5 miles from Bridgend town centre. Various outdoor events take place during the year, especially the summer. The park includes various woodlands and grasslands, and a Japanese garden. (updated Mar 2015)

Events
  • Bridgend Festivals. Several themed festivals take place every few months in the pedestrianised area of Bridgend town centre. They've included a Celtic Music Festival, French Market, Mardi Gras, Christmas Market and Street Running/Fun Run. 
  • Bridgend County Show. An annual summer (June or July) agricultural and animal show that takes place at Pencoed College grounds about 4 miles from Bridgend. 
  • Glynogwr Agricultural Show. In August. 

Buy
  • 🌍 McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Bridgend. A factory outlet store 2 miles north of the town centre. There are over 90 stores selling designer brands at discount prices. 
  • 🌍 The Rhiw Centre, Nolton St, CF31 3BL, ☏ +44 1656 658704. The main shopping centre in Bridgend town centre and contains Bridgend Market. It's home to various high-street chain shops. 
  • Brackla Street Shopping Centre. The second main shopping centre in the town focusing on value retailers and home to larger stores such as Argos and Peacocks. (updated Dec 2017)
  • Adare Street. The main open-air shopping street in the centre of town; it houses most of the main high-street chain stores and banks. 
  • 🌍 Siop yr Hen Bont, 2 Old Bridge, CF31 1JH. Near the Old Bridge is a shop specialising in Welsh literature, gifts and presents. (updated Mar 2015)

Cardiff and Swansea are home to the bigger brand names/department stores.

Eat

Restaurants & bistros

There are no distinctly "upmarket" restaurants in the town, and you can expect to pay between £15-30 for a three-course meal.

Takeaways

Most takeaways are clustered around Wyndham Street and Nolton Street in the town centre.

Cheese and Chips seems to be something of a local post-alcohol delicacy.

  • Olympic Kebab House, 100 Nolton St, ☏ +44 1656 669366. A cheesy chips eatery. 

Cafes

Chain restaurants
  • Domino's Pizza, Tremains Road. 
  • Domino's Pizza, Quarella Road. 
  • Harvester's (The Derwen). 
  • Subway, Caroline Street. 
  • Toby Carvery, South Road. 

McArthur Glen Designer Outlet has a food court home to McDonald's, Starbucks, Harry Ramsdens, Pizza Hut, KFC, Sidoli's Ice Cream and Fat Jacket's.

There is a second McDonald's and a second KFC at Bridgend Retail Park to the south of the town.

Vegetarian food is popular in the town centre and the shopping outlets. Veganism is rarer but not absent. Your best bet would be the Bridgend town centre itself.

Drink

Bridgend town centre is an alcohol exclusion zone meaning alcohol drinking is restricted to pubs, clubs and other licensed premises. Police have the power to confiscate alcohol from and issue fines to persons drinking alcohol outside the designated areas.

Public houses
  • Angel Inn, Park Street. 
  • Coity Castle, Morfa Street. 
  • Jaggers Toll House, Derwen Road. Live music. 
  • Old Castle Inn, Nolton Street. 
  • O'Neills, Nolton Street. Irish pub. 
  • Phoenix, Wyndham Street. Converted church. 
  • Princess of Wales, Market Street. 
  • Red Dragon, Litchard Hill. Family friendly gastro-pub. 
  • Tair Pluen, Quarella Road. Sports pub. 
  • The Railway, Derwen Road. 
  • Riverside Tavern, Brewery Lane. 
  • The Roof, Market Street. Pub and nightclub. 
  • Three Horse Shoes, Queen Street. 
  • Ty-Risha Inn, Penycae. 
  • Wyndham Arms, Dunraven Place. Wetherspoons chain pub. 

Nightclubs
  • Cody's, Derwen Road. 
  • Hobos, Queen Street. Live music, especially rock/alternative. 
  • Lava Ignite, Derwen Road. 
  • Tom's Bar, Market Street. Live music. 

Sleep

Budget

There are numerous bed and breakfasts/guest houses scattered around the town.

  • 🌍 The Wyndham Arms, Dunraven Place. A Wetherspoons lodge in the heart of the town centre. Rooms cost £40-45 a night.. 

Mid-range

Camping & caravan

Stay safe

Bridgend is a relatively safe town by Welsh and UK standards. Care should be taken when in the town centre at night as alcohol related violence is a fairly common sight. Pickpockets have been known to target shoppers, especially the elderly in Bridgend town centre.

Respect

Bridgend has come under the spotlight of the media due to drama film about a cluster of suicides among young adults in the area between 1996 and 2010. The vast bulk of suicides took place not in the town, but in the county which also shares the name Bridgend and has a population of over 130,000. Although the number of suicides was high, and unusual, the figures didn't vary wildly from the average for an area this size. Many in the town felt that Bridgend had been misrepresented and that media outlets were exacerbating the situation. It would be rude to bring up the suicides in casual conversation as an outsider.

Go next

Glamorgan Heritage Coast consists of the coastline stretching from Porthcawl to Aberthaw(Gileston) in the Vale of Glamorgan. It includes some spectacular cliff faces, sheltered beaches and a collection of small villages. There is a coastal footpath following the coast. The Glamorgan Heritage Coast Centre is in Southerndown, around 7 miles from Bridgend.

  • Porthcawl
  • Southerndown and Ogmore Castle
  • Cowbridge
  • Afan Forest Park. The network of mountain trails is considered to be among the best in Western Europe. The park is in the Afan Valley around 12 miles north of Bridgend and 5 miles north of Maesteg. Many of the trails are described as being only suitable for experienced or expert mountain bikers.
  • Maesteg
  • Llangynwyd Historic Village
Routes through Bridgend
Swansea ← Port Talbot ←  W  E  → Cardiff → Bristol
Follows until Pont Abraham ←  W  E  → Cowbridge → Cardiff


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