Barry is now Wales biggest town. Should it become a city?

The North Wales town, which has been given city status on its fourth time of asking, will pass the mantle of Wales’ biggest town down south and into Barry’s hands.

There’s a good argument that Barry has been Wales’ ‘best known’ town for many years, a large part of that coming from the success of the hit BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey, which brought Barry to a UK-wide audience.

With a population of almost 57,000, we asked readers of the Barry and District News if they were pleased with the town’s new honour and whether, one day, they’d like to see Barry become a city.

Lisa Elliot welcomed the new title, but questioned the need to go further.

“It’s fine remaining the biggest town in Wales,” she said.

“But I can’t think what benefits city status could bring us.”

“It’s just not big enough,” Chris Thomas said.

Other readers were more open to the idea of city status if there were economic benefits for Barry as a result.

“It depends on what benefits it would bring,” Nicky Dobson said.

“If it attracted big retail and business names into Barry to create jobs and the development of a better infrastructure then it’s worth a discussion or two.”

Maria O’Brien said: “Yes but it needs a lot of changes such as a cinema and bowling complex.

“More cafes along the waterfront maybe and a new camping site to bring holidaymakers back. But most of all it needs a clean up of the area.”

Sarah O’Brien said: “Supply entertainment such as a cinema and bowling so we have other places to go other than a pub, then yes make it a city, but not before.”

Lying just nine miles from Cardiff, some felt the town could be at risk of becoming a ‘district’ of Wales’ rapidly expanding capital city.

Chris Evans said: “It will get absorbed as another district of Cardiff.”

Matthew Long added: “It will be in 10 years, classed as a suburb of Cardiff, same as Dinas and Penarth.”

Joshua Watson said: “I think eventually it’ll be a district of Cardiff.”