The Bottleneck

A Memory of Pontypool.

This view of Goerge Street was taken before the "bottleneck" was re-developed. The store in the right in the foreground was demolished and a new Tesco was built there in the early 1960s. The "bottleneck" was not wide enough for 2 vehicles to pass but was always thronged with shoppers on a Saturday when Pontypool was the major shopping centre in the area and had a first class rugby team. Ray Prosser, Malcolm Price and Benny Jones were local heroes. In George Street was an Italian cafe called Savinis (Jakes) that sold wonderful italian ice-cream. Further up the street on the right was "Sharpies", - Cyril Sharps. A tiny shop that sold all the things any young lad (and those not so young) could wish for - Rugby kit, Fishing rods, footballs, Air pistols, darts - oh everything. I believe that Cyril was actually a cobbler as he also sold leather.