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Businesses in Bargoed have decorated their exteriors in a bid to win a local flower festival this July. 

Bargoed in Bloom is a competition that encourages businesses to decorate their windows, and shop fronts in an effort to make the town more colourful and appealing to visitors.

Set up by Murray’s Bar and Grill, the initiative has also gained support from Bargoed Town Council with the town Mayor funding prizes.

Rian Watkins, 35, who runs Murray’s with her partner Ryan Banwell, previously told Caerphilly Observer more about the competition. 

Rian said: “Anyone with a business in Bargoed can do a display outside.

“It’ll be exciting for people to come and look at.”

A big influence on the competition has been the positivity and footfall that was brought into the town by the Bargoed May Fair on May 13. 

Rian said: “It was amazing to see so many people come to Bargoed. Everybody was so positive. 

“I just want to keep that going.”

Hancox’s Pies, the New Continental Cafe, Bargoed Fish Bar, Square Royale and Barnardos are some businesses which have gotten involved.

Hancox’s Pies, an authentic Portuguese bakery in Gilfach, has had its window decorated with handmade flowers by local schoolchildren. 

Alex Hancox, owner of the bakery said: “It’s a community thing.

“It’s nice that all the children have painted [them].”

This comes alongside greater efforts to make the area a place to visit with the town being entered into Wales in Bloom. 

Winners will get a plaque and Rian hopes that this will become an annual event that will bring the “spirit back” to Bargoed shopkeepers – and also to the town itself. 

“It used to be a thriving town,” said Rian, “If people could see how good Bargoed can be it might encourage people to come here.”