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Prince William and Catherine visited Island Leisure amusement arcade – the setting for “Nessa’s Slots” where Ruth Jones’s character Nessa worked
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have heard how businesses and families have struggled in the pandemic during a visit to south Wales.
The royal couple were at Barry Island which is home to TV comedy Gavin and Stacey, but William admitted he has never watched the show.
They also played games at an arcade which was the setting for Nessa’s Slots in the series.
Later, they met residents and their family members at a Cardiff care home.
Prince William and Catherine heard how people had struggled with being unable to visit their loved ones at the height of lockdown.
While the Duchess was pictured days earlier wearing a face mask during a visit to a baby bank in Sheffield, face coverings are not mandatory in Wales, except on public transport.
Last year about 424,000 visitors headed to Barry Island to play on the slot machines and enjoy the seaside resort, well known to fans of Gavin and Stacey.
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The royal couple visited the arcade where Nessa, of hit TV show Gavin and Stacey, worked
William and Catherine toured the haunts of the comedy drama’s characters – the arcade where Nessa worked and Stacey’s employer Marco’s cafe – but the duke confessed to never having seen the popular series.
“It’s one of the few boxsets I haven’t already watched. I’ve never actually watched it,” he said.
“But I know how much it has done for the economy here and it’s a wonderful series.”
Gavin and Stacey ran for three series and returned for a special last Christmas after a 10 year absence
With pubs, cafes and restaurants only able to reopen indoors from Monday, businesses told the royal couple how lockdown had impacted them.
The change in lockdown rules also meant groups of up to 30 people have been able to meet outdoors and many young children are able to play with their friends for the first time since lockdown began.
The royal couple also visited the beach huts on the promenade, installed as part of the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s £6m regeneration project.
William and Catherine wore face masks on their visit to a care home
Later in the day they travelled to Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff, where they spoke to staff, residents and their family members in the home’s garden.
In May, the royal couple hosted a bingo game for residents at the home via video link, and got to meet some of them in person during the visit.
At the time, Joan Drew-Smith, 87, made headlines when she said the royal bingo game “wasn’t as good as it should have been”.
And when the duke introduced himself during the visit to the home by saying: “Hello Joan, do you remember we did the bingo with you? You said we weren’t very good.”
She swore in her reply when describing what she thought of their efforts – which the couple laughed at.
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