Port Talbot is a town synonymous with its steelworks, but this week, many workers have been receiving their final paycheques. The decision was made months ago to cease most of the operations at the plant, and now the town are dealing with the impact of the closure. So we get some thoughts from locals.
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00:00It's going to be hanging on by a thread for quite a while yet, unless they change
00:06their minds again, which is quite possible. But I think the lack of forethought is appalling.
00:12If they'd just managed to keep the last furnace open for another couple of years until
00:18the other plant's up and running, it would have made such a difference.
00:22You know, it's very sad for those who are going to lose their jobs, or have already
00:27lost their jobs and given redundancy. It's very difficult for them.
00:32People here in Port Talbot today have all said the same. It's a sad day for the workers
00:36and also a sad day for the town, and many fear the knock-on impact that it's going
00:40to have on other businesses here in the centre.
00:43So it is a big concern for the town, you know, and I think other businesses might go down
00:49as a result. I hope not. It's bad enough now with unemployment here.
00:55You either had family or your neighbours. It was a community and it's very, very sad.
01:02It's going to kill the town, I think so.
01:04I think it's a very sad day for the town. There are loads and loads of little enterprises,
01:12little shops, cafes and things like that, that are really going to feel the pinch over
01:15the next months. I think we're going to lose a lot of them. I think that's really appalling.
01:23Port Talbot is built on the steelworks. People I've spoken to all seem to either know someone
01:27who's worked there or worked there themselves, and they say it's a loss to the community
01:31in the town.
01:32I don't actually live in Port Talbot now, but I grew up. Steelworks was everything.
01:38My dad, my brother, social life. They used to go to the steel company wheels. It was
01:46a family. My friend's son-in-law just had his last pay packet. It's awful.