Pontypool was a busy commercial and social centre - the Theatre Royal was built at the end of the 19th century and was originally called The Hanbury Rooms. It was remaned the Theatre Royal in 1903 with seating for 800 and a wide variety of programme. It later became a cinema, The Royal Cinema which closed in 1958.
Wildings was one of the impossing department stores in the town - it now houses Weatherspoons.