With its quiet close-knit atmosphere and array of local businesses, Cefn-Coed-y-Cymmer is exactly what you'd expect of a traditional valleys village.
Located just on the edge of Merthyr Tydfil, it is the last community before you enter Brecon Beacons National Park. For decades the pubs, cafes, and shops have benefited from the village being a popular pit-stop for the motorists and cyclists who pass through it to the beauty spot.
But in 2021 business came to a complete standstill for some owners – and it's not because of the coronavirus pandemic. Rather it's down to the 11-mile stretch of major road works on the A465 that cuts through the village, business owners have said.
