A new outdoor shipping container marketplace is the first in a series of ambitious plans to reimagine the historic Valleys town. Hannah Collins gets the lay of the land on Ffos Caerffilli’s opening day.
After several delays, the shipping container marketplace Ffos Caerffili finally opened its doors at the start of April. Those who’ve frequented Cardiff Bay’s Tiger Yard, Newport and Swansea’s indoor markets or Barry’s Good Sheds will be familiar with the premise: combining a market stall set-up with our post-pandemic appetite for street food, where patrons have their pick of rotating vendors. “The colourful container-style market will be a vibrant new focal point for the town,” said Cllr Jamie Pritchard, deputy leader of Caerphilly Council just before its opening.
Ffos (meaning ‘moat’, its location by Caerphilly Castle, or ‘ditch’, depending on who you ask…) is the first of its kind in the region. Unlike the venues above, it also has more of a high street set-up than an outdoor market. Located on Park Lane, Ffos’ entrance – a great green arch – beckons you inside a completely redeveloped patch of urban land comprising 15 vendors, including food and drink from Two Shot Social, Bab Haus, Bao Selector, Doughnutters and ACME Burger, retail from Joe’s Plant Place, Lock Up Bottle Shop and Upmarket Butchers Surf & Turf, and business incubators Town Square and Welsh ICE.
Ffos is just the tip of the iceberg for its funder, Caerphilly 2035. “Caerphilly is a town with potential,” proclaims the ambitious ‘master plan’ of regeneration announced in 2019. As noted in the proposal, funded by the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns initiative, Caerphilly has a unique money-making advantage thanks to its 13th-century castle, the largest in Wales. Attracting around 100-120,000 visitors per year according to Cadw head Gwilym Hughes, the castle is also undergoing a £5 million investment to bolster its place among world heritage sites.
Alongside Cadw’s efforts, Caerphilly 2035 aims to re-capitalise the town’s central claim to fame, attracting more tourists and giving them a reason to return. Located to cater for footfall between the train station, castle and town centre, Ffos aims to hit that last point by providing space work as well as shop. Permanent rooms overhang the market street, which concept art envisions could be rented as office space.
This is only the beginning. Upcoming projects include an overhaul of Caerphilly’s public transport interchange, Pentrebane Street and a Caerphilly Cultural Centre. Similar to Ffos, the Pentrebane Street redevelopment will give the area an indoor market, while adding retail, co-working and residential space to create an all-inclusive living area. Created in partnership with Linc Cymru Housing Association, there will be 64 net zero-carbon apartments in total, half of which will be allocated for social renting. Caerphilly Cultural Centre, meanwhile, is being planned in partnership with Caerphilly Workmen’s Hall to incorporate a 500-seat capacity performance hall, at least one cinema, and what the project page describes as “versatile areas designed for cultural events, food and drink, production space and diverse activities.” It also says support for the project, scheduled for completion in 2028, has “overwhelming” support from the community.
Most of these plans align with the ‘15-Minute City’ concept, conceived by American urbanist Dan Luscher under the simple premise that essential services in every town or city should only be a 15-minute walk or bike ride away. Luscher believes designing urban areas with this in mind promotes greener, safer and less stressful environments. Where Ffos is concerned, questions of sustainability and identity linger over convenience. Complaints about vendor prices have already surfaced online, implying locals are worried about being priced out of their changing town. The challenge for the Caerphilly of the future will be the tension between the old and the new, gentrification and revitalisation. Continued community collaboration will surely be the key.
Info: ffoscaerffili.com / caerphillytown2035.co.uk
words HANNAH COLLINS
