Llanelli Story
Llanelli is a home to invention and reinvention. The town has developed many entrepreneurs and industries over the last 300 years. Let their stories inspire you to consider an invention of your own.
The geography and natural resources of the area provided the first opportunities for people to develop and grow the town. Coal and tin deposits drove a rapid growth in industry and population, which in turn supported other businesses, like shops and suppliers. The coastal position of the town encouraged entrepreneurs to build docks to export products and raw materials and railways to connect with other parts of south Wales.
That spirit of creativity and innovation continues today. Llanelli is now home to businesses as diverse as Tinopolis, one of the largest independent television production companies in the UK, and Jenkins Bakery, a family business with more than 30 outlets across south Wales. The founder of the global optical retail chain Specsavers, Douglas Perkins, was born and raised in the town. That business became the largest privately owned company in the world by 2012.
What’s your big idea? We’re inviting you to draw or write down your thoughts and hang them on our creative wall. It doesn’t matter how small or unlikely it is – share it with others and spark someone’s imagination!
Discover the Llanelli Story at Parc Howard Museum – a lively, family-friendly exhibition about a town shaped by innovation, entrepreneurship and constant reinvention. Travel back to the 18th and 19th centuries, when bold investors helped turn Llanelli into an industrial powerhouse, transforming mudflats into docks, building tramroads and railways, and drawing people in with new jobs and opportunities.
Meet the characters behind the change – from big-name industrialists and business owners to enterprising local people who spotted a gap in the market. Then follow Llanelli’s talent for ‘making do and making new’, from clever inventions like the first spare wheel and a simple pipe support, to modern success stories in TV production, transport, steel, and family bakeries.
The exhibition also explores how rapid growth reshaped everyday life: new streets and housing, public health challenges, and the improving infrastructure that followed. Get hands-on with the stories behind familiar street names, and see how community life grew alongside industry – through faith, sport, arts and entertainment, and a proud tradition of speaking up for fairness.
There’s plenty for children to spot and map. Come for the big ideas, stay for the surprising details – and leave with a fresh view of Llanelli.