Councillor sparks backlash after branding town centre a ‘complete dump’

Nation.Cymru staff

A Restore Britain councillor sparked a heated row after describing a town centre as a “complete dump”, prompting fellow members to accuse him of unfairly talking down local businesses and residents.

The remarks were made by Restore Britain Cllr Owain Clatworthy during a meeting of Bridgend County Borough Council, where members were reviewing progress on the authority’s Town Centre Masterplan almost five years after it was adopted.

Cllr Clatworthy said the town centre was blighted by anti-social behaviour and questioned what more could be done to attract higher-end retailers.

His comments drew an immediate backlash in the council chamber. Cllr Jon-Paul Blundell said the description was unfair to businesses working hard to make Bridgend “a great place” to work and visit, while Cllr Colin Davies pointed to the town’s thriving night-time economy and urged Cllr Clatworthy to reconsider his language and retract the remark.

The latest clash comes after a series of controversies involving Cllr Clatworthy’s social media posts. The 22-year-old Restore Britain councillor, who defected from Reform UK to Rupert Lowe’s party in March, has recently called for all town and community councils to be abolished, describing them as “another layer of bureaucracy sucking money out of hardworking British taxpayers”, despite praising members of Pyle Community Council just weeks earlier.

He has also criticised the Church of England for turning Jesus into a “timid woke wimp”, claimed Afghan nationals were being prioritised for housing ahead of British taxpayers and accused “the establishment” of targeting him because of his political views. The posts have prompted repeated criticism from Bridgend’s ruling Labour group and Independent councillors, who have described some of his views as “divisive” and “racist” – accusations he rejects.

Cllr Clatworthy has said his views on immigration, integration and British values are “lawful expressions of political speech”.

Masterplan

The 10-year masterplan, first published in 2021, aims to revitalise Bridgend town centre by increasing the number of people living there, improving public spaces, supporting businesses, enhancing transport links and protecting the town’s heritage. A report before councillors said the strategy remained relevant but should now be reviewed to reflect changes in the way people live, work and shop.

Council officers said the plan had already delivered a number of significant regeneration projects, including the new £60 million Bridgend College town centre campus, the Sunnyside Wellness Village and the council’s purchase of the Rhiw Shopping Centre.

They added that the strategy was designed to create a more vibrant town centre by encouraging more people to live there while boosting economic activity and improving public spaces.

Responding to concerns raised by councillors, officers said a “generous” grant scheme was available to help improve town centre buildings, in some cases covering up to 40% of development costs. They also highlighted ongoing work with partner organisations to tackle homelessness and anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Maxine Lewis asked what more could be done to encourage owners to improve neglected properties. Officers said around 70% of buildings in the town centre were owned by a single landlord and that work was continuing to bring properties back into use.

Cllr Ian Williams also questioned whether the council had listened to residents who had repeatedly called for parts of the pedestrianised town centre to be reopened to traffic during consultations over the past decade.

Major projects under way

Among the largest schemes is the £60 million Bridgend College town centre campus at Cheapside, which is due to open in January 2027.

The development will include classrooms, IT suites, catering kitchens, hair and beauty salons, dance studios, performance spaces, a 250-seat theatre and a café. Council leaders hope it will bring hundreds of students into the town centre each day.

Work is also nearing completion on the £20 million Sunnyside Wellness Village, which will provide 59 affordable homes alongside a three-storey health centre with a GP surgery, community dental services and a pharmacy.

The scheme, led by Linc Cymru in partnership with Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, the council and the Welsh Government, resumed after being paused between 2021 and 2024.

In March this year, the council completed the purchase of the Rhiw Shopping Centre for more than £5 million. Council leader John Spanswick has described the acquisition as a potential “game-changer”, with options including a new market, retail units, community facilities and additional accommodation.

The purchase followed the closure of the indoor market in 2023 after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was discovered in the roof.

Another key proposal would see housing association Valleys to Coast move around 300 staff into Wyndham House in Wyndham Street, converting the largely vacant building into its new headquarters while retaining existing ground-floor commercial tenants, including the Post Office. The plans also include the potential installation of new public toilets.

The masterplan also includes proposals for a heritage trail developed with Bridgend Library and Bridgend Town Council, as well as a parking survey commissioned to assess future demand amid concerns from residents and opposition councillors about the availability of spaces as more people are expected to live, work and study in the town centre.

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