Maesteg is a town and community in the ceremonial county of Mid Gamorgan and in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. It is located at the north end of the Llynfi Valley, near to the border with Neath Port Talbot. Like the rest of Wales, the English and Welsh languages make up the town's official languages. Whilst a considerable proportion of inhabitants are natural English speakers, there is a small portion of the community that speak Welsh. Of the 20612 inhabitants noted in the 2011 Census, 11 percent of the town's population speak Welsh. There are major variations between age groups, with 27.9 percent of 3 to 15 year olds speaking Welsh, 8.6 per cent of 16 to 64 year olds, and the lowest percentage being among the over 65s at 5.3 percent. The opening of ironworks in the 1820s and 1830s promoted the expansion of the town. Between 1890 and 1925, Maesteg held an international status as a manufacturer of Admiralty-grade steam coal, high quality cooking coal and the best house coal in South Wales. By the early 1920s, 7000 miners operated in the town. With the decline of the coal market and the closure of the last pit in 1985, the town is now characterised as being more residential and domiciliary in nature, mostly for the Port Talbot, Bridgend and Cardiff journey to work areas. Founded in 1881, Maesteg Market continues to be a well-attended market, which is set on the ground floor of Maesteg Town Hall and a large range of goods are offered. The town is also identified for its strong music and singing tradition, being home to several choirs and bands. For all your house upgrades, make certain to make use of respected specialists in Maesteg to make certain of quality.