A WALKING tour revealing the tales behind the doors of one of Barry’s shopping areas is now underway in the town.

The creators of the popular free Victorian Barry Dock walking tour have built on the success of the Barry town centre route to bring residents and visitors a taste of the district’s independent business area - in a new High Street Quarter walking tour.

The High Street tour begins outside Barry railway station, in Broad Street, and follows Windsor Road, York Place, High Street, East Street, and Island Road, illustrating some of what went on during the years spanning 1890 to 1910 – Victorian and Edwardian times.

Suitable for all ages, with adult supervision for youngsters, the tour reveals a history of fires, explosions, crimes, trading trends, architecture, landmarks, business uses and the thoughts and feelings of the people who lived during those times.

Those, who took part in the High Street tour, discovered, among other things, how mice led to a premises burning, what caused an explosion, and what brought Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the British suffragette movement and activist for women’s rights, and eventual prime minister, David Lloyd George to Barry.

Tour participants Andrew and Alison Bisping had done the original Victorian Barry Dock tour, but were intrigued to discover High Street.

“Mr Bisping said: “It brings the history to life and is a way of finding out what was happening in their lives.”

Mrs Bisping added: “It was a brilliant way to spend our 33rd wedding anniversary evening.”

Bob Armstrong, who has traded in High Street as Doctor Bob’s Balloons for more than 20 years, said: “I found it absolutely fascinating.

“I learnt so much.

“I would definitely recommend it to people.”

Tour guide, Nic Hodges said: “It's fun to see how the shopping area developed over time and to point out some of the things which have survived.

“We now have two tours Victorian Barry Dock and the High Street Quarter.

“Local people come along as well as people form Cardiff.

“An Australian woman changed her holiday dates just to fit a tour in.”

The next free Victorian Barry Dock walking tour will take place at 3pm on Sunday, April 28.

Meet in the Thompson Street car park.

The next free High Street walking tour will take place at 6pm on Friday, May 3.

Meet outside Barry town railway station, in Broad Street.

For further details, search Victorian Barry Dock on Facebook.