Pubs are at the heart of our communities and, years after they close down, people still remember them with great fondness.
Like in many other towns across the UK, the Neath area has seen several pubs shut down in recent years - according to the the Neath Antiquarian Society, there used to be 82 pubs in the town centre and Melyn area of the town back in 1894. Out of those 82 pubs, only 17 survive as pubs.
New pubs have opened, bringing a breath of fresh air into the town, but here - with the help of David Michael, chair of the Neath Antiquarian Society - we remember some of the key pubs we used to love but have now disappeared...
Full Moon, Neath
Located in the centre of the town, in The Parade, The Full Moon used to be a popular pub but it now lies empty.
Having been there since the 1800s when it emerged around the town's cattle market, the pub closed around the late 1990s.
It is located right next to another former pub, The Buebell, which has now been turned into a hotel .
The Hope & Anchor, Neath Abbey
The boozer, in New Road, also dated back to the 1800s and at one time it was very well-liked.
It is understood to have closed around 2011 and the picture above shows what it looked like back in August 2016.
In 2016, Neath Port Talbot Council granted a planning application to convert the building into four commercial units with two residential flats above. A Greggs occupies one of the shops now.
The Builders Arms
A purpose-built pub in Old Road, the Builders Arms was hugely popular for a number of years. The empty establishment - which has been a feature of the town since the late 1800s - is still there.
In 2007, planing permission was granted to turn the pub into five apartments.
The Dulais Rock Inn, Aberdulais
Situated off the A465 at Aberdulais and right next to the River Dulais, many people drive past this derelict pub every day.
A sign above the door suggests the building dates back to the 17th century, but it has now been empty for at least 10 years and the building is surrounded by overgrown vegetation.
In council documents dating from June 2009 , it states that the Dulais Rock had closed due to "market forces" and outside of the control of the local planning authority.
The Lamb and Flag, Bryncoch
Once a popular village pub, the Lamb and Flag Inn in Main Road, Bryncoch, closed in March 2017 .
The pub was a long-standing feature in the area but after several years of decline, it was acquired by Co-op, who opened a supermarket there.
The Star
An 18th century pub, The Star in Pen Y Dre was demolished and converted into houses a few years ago.
In 2014, planning permission was granted to build seven two-storey houses on the site.
The White Hart
Located in Duck Street, the pub was in Neath's town centre from the 1700s up until the early 1980s. It was an important pub for the town, with lots of different things happening there, such as the Masons meetings.
The building is now part of the Morrisons car park.
The Grandison Hotel, Briton Ferry
The iconic Briton Ferry boozer closed in 2009 , after serving the people of the town for generations from its imposing premises on Pant yr Heol.
The pub - affectionately known at "The Grando" - attracted a crowd of loyal regulars to say their last goodbyes to the pub.
The Tunnel Tavern, Neath
From Kasbah to The Tunnel Tavern, this pub at the junction of Cribb's Row with Commercial Street had many names over the years. Its original name in the 1800’s was The Commercial, and it then became the Welsh Bard.
The establishment was knocked down at some point between 2011 and 2015.
Melin Manor, Melincryddan
Compared to some of the other pubs, the Melin Manor was a more short-lived pub as it traded for about 10 or 15 years. Located just off Old Road, the pub has now been turned into a housing development.
The Apple Tree
Located in Elias Street, off Windsor Road, The Apple Tree was an interesting pub in the town as it was a converted ordinary house in a terraced street.
Having closed a while ago, it is now an ordinary house again.
