REIMAGINATION
The Llanelli Story
Welcome to
LLANELLI
This is a story of our town. Llanelli. It’s an introduction to what makes us special. The place and the people. Our past present and future. We hope it will make you want to pay us a visit to find out more.
This is Llanelli
This is reimagination
Our story is a story of change. From hill fort to coal port. From tin to tourism. From heavy industry to creative industries. From Llanelly to Llanelli! But through this change, some things remain the same. Our sense of belonging and our togetherness. Our love of culture, and the arts. Our determination to stand up for ourselves, for what’s right. And we still like to win, in rugby, in everything.
Did you know?
Llanelli means The Parish of St Elli. Depending on which account you read, Elli was either female or male. But according to one legend Elli was a daughter or granddaughter of King Brychan. Elli founded a church on the banks of the River Lliedi. The name was officially changed from Llanelly to Llanelli in 1966.
Resourcefulness = REIMAGINATION
The resilience of the town, our ability to respond, to overcome challenges and to find a new role has kept the place, strong. Always resourceful, we accept change and we move on. Today we are rejuvenating the environment and embracing new industries.
We have an irrepressible appetite for renewal. As tourism and technology replace heavy industry, people are once again drawn to the area as a place to live visit and work.
Made of Wales
Llanelli has always made things. The coastline was once a long belt of factories, foundries, mills and kilns. From cogs for clocks, to wheels for vehicles. From pottery to strong iron and steel casting. All of these things were Llanelli made. But what makes Llanelli? We think there is a vital element, a building block of DNA, the element that binds us together. That special ingredient is the people of Wales.
Did you know?
During the mid-20th century that Llanelli was known as the largest town in the world where more than half the population spoke a Celtic language.
Where Wales Comes Together
Llanelli. Where east meets west. Where industrial Wales rubs shoulders with rural Wales. Where the valleys almost reach the sea. And where you will hear the Welsh language as well as English spoken in homes, pubs and the market. Almost all the things you associate with Wales, you will find in Llanelli.
Where Wales
Comes Together
Llanelli. Where east meets west. Where industrial Wales rubs shoulders with rural Wales. Where the valleys almost reach the sea. And where you will hear the Welsh language as well as English spoken in homes, pubs and the market. Almost all the things you associate with Wales, you will find in Llanelli.
People with Passion
If something’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly. We know what we like and we like doing it. We stand up for Llanelli and for each other. Never half hearted. No half measures.
Perhaps this passion goes all the way back to our tradition of non-conformism. The people of Llanelli witnessed many fervent preachers in the pulpit, in chapels such as Tabernacle, Siloah, Bethal and Calfaria. Many chapels remain as listed buildings.
We feel strongly about causes too. The Railway Riots and the Rebecca Riots showed that we will stand up against injustice and for what we believe in.
People with Passion
If something's worth doing, it's worth doing properly. We know what we like and we like doing it. We stand up for Llanelli and for each other. Never half hearted. No half measures.
Perhaps this passion goes all the way back to our tradition of non-conformism. The people of Llanelli witnessed many fervent preachers in the pulpit, in chapels such as Tabernacle, Siloah, Bethal and Calfaria. Many chapels remain as listed buildings.
We feel strongly about causes too. The Railway Riots and the Rebecca Riots showed that we will stand up against injustice and for what we believe in.
We are Llanelli
Community matters in Llanelli. It always has, and always will. Together we care. Together we are strong. Together we belong. Be part of it.
The Scarlets have been one of the most successful rugby regions even though the population of the town itself is only about 40,000. Perhaps that says something about the community and sense of belonging in Llanelli.
"There is a real pride in Llanelli people. This can be linked to the tin works. This pride and togetherness is still best represented through the Scarlets. Whether people are English or Welsh speaking they still sing 'Yma O Hyd' and the Welsh National Anthem"
Great Place Scheme Llanelli Consultation 2020
Home of innovation
Perhaps it’s down to our non-conformist traditions, but we like to defy established thinking and challenge the status quo. You could say invention is in our blood. The world’s first spare wheel – the Stepney Spare Wheel - was created here: just one of many wheel innovations linked to the area. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Britain’s first can of beer was opened here. Cheers to the innovators, past and present, who chose to call Llanelli home.
Britain’s First Beer Can
Today, sipping beer from a can is quite normal. But in the 1930s, the idea was revolutionary. Felinfoel Brewery became the first in Britain to produce beer in a can. As the home of tin plate in Britain, it’s not surprising that the local brewery was the first to adopt the idea. But it was a close-run thing. Buckley’s, another local brewery, was also in the ‘space race’ to produce Britain’s first beer can. The key to success was preventing the beer from reacting with the metal by coating the inside of the cans with wax.
The Stepney Wheel
The Stepney Spare Wheel was invented in Llanelli in 1904: prior to this, cars were built without a spare wheel. T. Morris Davies had the brilliant idea to make a spokeless wheel rim fitted with an inflated tyre. The business grew very quickly with agencies all over the world. In 1909, the Stepney Spare Wheel became a fixture in all London Taxis, with the business eventually moving to London to cope with demand. Soon car manufacturers began to provide spare wheels with their cars, and sales of the Stepney began to decline. However, the name lives on. Today, a ‘Stepney’ spare wheel is still known as that in India, Bangladesh, Malta and Brazil; in these countries it is called an ‘estepe’.
Home of innovation
Perhaps it’s down to our non-conformist traditions, but we like to defy established thinking and challenge the status quo. You could say invention is in our blood. The world’s first spare wheel – the Stepney Spare Wheel - was created here: just one of many wheel innovations linked to the area. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Britain’s first can of beer was opened here. Cheers to the innovators, past and present, who chose to call Llanelli home.
Britain’s First Beer Can
Today, sipping beer from a can is quite normal. But in the 1930s, the idea was revolutionary. Felinfoel Brewery became the first in Britain to produce beer in a can. As the home of tin plate in Britain, it’s not surprising that the local brewery was the first to adopt the idea. But it was a close-run thing. Buckley’s, another local brewery, was also in the ‘space race’ to produce Britain’s first beer can. The key to success was preventing the beer from reacting with the metal by coating the inside of the cans with wax.
The Stepney Wheel
The Stepney Spare Wheel was invented in Llanelli in 1904: prior to this, cars were built without a spare wheel. T. Morris Davies had the brilliant idea to make a spokeless wheel rim fitted with an inflated tyre. The business grew very quickly with agencies all over the world. In 1909, the Stepney Spare Wheel became a fixture in all London Taxis, with the business eventually moving to London to cope with demand. Soon car manufacturers began to provide spare wheels with their cars, and sales of the Stepney began to decline. However, the name lives on. Today, a ‘Stepney’ spare wheel is still known as that in India, Bangladesh, Malta and Brazil; in these countries it is called an ‘estepe’.
Tinopolis
In the 18th and 19th Centuries Llanelli grew very quickly to become one of the largest industrial towns across Wales. Most famously, Llanelli became known as Tinopolis because of the vast quantities of tinplate produced.
The Dafen Tinplate Works started production in 1848. By the middle of the nineteenth century, south-west Wales had become the world’s biggest tinplate producing region. By the end of the century there were around twenty tin plate works in and around Llanelli, producing 90% of the world’s tinplate. The biggest market was the USA which imported around 75% the tin-plate produced. In 1900 around 5000 people worked in the tinplate industry. This was a huge proportion of the town’s 20,000 population.
From Tinopolis to 
Tinopolis an international TV production and distribution group, is one of the most successful companies in Llanelli. The company produces a range of programmes notably in the field of light entertainment, award-winning factual programmes, critically acclaimed drama, and groundbreaking live sports coverage. It is therefore no surprise that the company chose the name Tinopolis to reflect a sense of pride in its hometown base.
Did you know?
People from Llanelli are known as Turks, but the origin of the term ‘Turk’ is uncertain. One of the most popular theories is linked to the tin-plate works. Tin-plate production was hard and sweaty work. Because of the heat workers wrapped towels around their heads to absorb the sweat which would look like a turban thus leading to the nickname Turks.
For the love of rugby
Llanelli is one of the most famous rugby towns in the world. And rugby is a key part of Llanelli culture.
The meeting to discuss forming the club happened in the Athaneaum in town, in the autumn of 1875, and the first game was played in January 1876, appropriately against arch rivals, Swansea. They once played at the famous and atmospheric Stradey Park. These days they share a ground with The Scarlets the professional rugby region and play at Parc y Scarlets in Pemberton.
Today, The Scarlets build on Llanelli’s rich rugby heritage and promote the name of the town across Europe and the world. Llanelli rugby supporters are renowned for their passionate support of their team... and for their singing.
Sospan Fach
Perhaps the song most associated with Llanelli rugby is Sospan Fach. It is one of the best-known and most often sung songs in the Welsh language. Llanelli’s association with Sospan comes from the tin-plate industry which supplied saucepans to the whole of Britain. The Sospan can still be seen to this day at the top of the goal posts at Parc y Scarlets.
The Day the pubs ran dry
Perhaps the most famous day in Llanelli rugby history is 31 October 1972, better known as “The Day the Pubs Ran Dry”. On this day the Scarlets beat the mighty All Blacks. The day and the 9-3 score line is part of rugby folklore. 9-3 was the title of a song by famous Welsh singer and poet Max Boyce.
Llanelli-on-sea
Llanelli is located on the north coast of the Loughor Estuary, which opens out into Carmarthen Bay, and the Bristol Channel. Llanelli’s coastal location was a key reason that the town grew into such an important industrial town.
Llanelli and Pembrey were ports for hundreds of years, and many buildings and place names survive to this day as reminders of the area’s maritime heritage. Burry Port grew as a port from which to export coal mined in the Gwendraeth Valley and other surrounding coal mines. Today the town has reconnected with the sea, but now it’s not coal, tin or copper which make their way to the coast, it’s visitors. People head to the Millennium Coast Path and our wide open beaches for leisure pleasure and wellness.
A tale of two links
Llanelli boasts not one, but two championship links golf courses. Each is very different.
Ashburnham
is a traditional links, originally designed by five times Open
Champion, J H Taylor, in 1894. American golf legend Harry
Vardon rated Ashburnham as his favourite course in Wales The
course has hosted many prestigious championships including
the Schweppes PGA Championship in 1969, and the Martini
Tournament in 1976. Visit the Ashburnham Golf Website
Machynys Peninsula
is a modern links which opened in 2005.
This Nicklaus designed championship course has
hosted four Ladies European Tour Championships.
Ryder Cup star, Tommy Fleetwood described the
Monks Island course as “possibly the best-man
made links in the world”. Visit the Machynys Golf Website
A Community of Communities
Llanelli is both a town and a wider collection of villages. Some were mining communities, some were fishing villages and ports. But together they make up "Greater Llanell".
"The sea and the countryside cradling a
collection of villages. Together, they have a strong sense of identity and affiliation."
Great Place Scheme Llanelli Consultation 2020
What a performance!
Over the years, Llanelli has built a strong reputation in visual and performing arts; creative media; literature; and music. The large number of local dramatic, choral and musical societies in the area are testament to this. Whether is one of the events created by Ymlaen Llanelli or a performance at the Ffwrnes Theatre, the people of the town still enjoy a great show and attend in great numbers to support culture and creativity in the town.
The Future Manifesto
We are Llaneli. Proud of our past and positive for the future. The world is changing and we will respond. Our resilience and our resourcefulness will help us re-imagine Llanelli. We will transform from heavy industries to tech and creative industries. We will breathe new life to our town centre. And reconnect our town with the coast and the beauty that surrounds us. We will bring all communities together. Celebrating our love of arts music and culture. And we will share the Llanelli story with the world. We like to win, and we’ve always punched above our weight. In the future it will be no different. We’ll make progress with passion. And we’ll do it together.
Llanelli. Yma O hyd. Ymlaen.