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There was a mixture of excited anticipation and trepidation in south Wales on Wednesday as more than 60 world leaders began arriving for the Nato summit.
Some shopkeepers and residents were preparing to batten down the hatches ahead of a protest march from the city centre towards the Celtic Manor resort, where the summit will formally open on Thursday.
Others were working out ways of making a profit out of the largest political gathering of global leaders in the UK – and hoping that the devolved government is right to claim that the event will trigger an economic boom for the country.
Certainly, business people and householders who live closest to Celtic Manor in Newport were a little nervous at the prospect of thousands of people marching on the resort tomorrow to protest against what they see as Nato aggression around the world.
An anti-Nato protest camp is pictured in Tredegar Park near Newport. Photograph: Carl Court/AFP/Getty Images
"We're going to take tomorrow and Friday off," said car salesman Michael Evans. "There's not much point in us being here. I can't see the protesters or the delegates being in the market for a car."
Ayaz Badat, who works in the Lifestyle Express convenience store close to the heavily fortified Celtic Manor gates, said police had promised to stand guard outside the shop. "We may have to close for a bit if there is any violence. But I think it's good for Newport. There's not much goes on here – this will help put us on the map."
Some businesspeople will directly benefit from the summit. Jon Powell, who runs the newsagents in the city's bustling covered market, has been chosen to sell ice cream and local newspapers up at Celtic Manor. "My accreditation has just come back – good job I've been a good boy," he said.
The Fudge Fairy's sweet shop in Caldicot, Monmouthshire, has been chosen to supply goodies to delegates' welcome packs while the vegan Secret Garden Cafe has produced a mushroom-based "peace burger" that may be to the taste of some of the anti-Nato protesters.
A report by Barclays (pdf) on the summit has said there will be short and long-term economic benefits for the economy of the whole of Wales.
Simon Gibson, director of Celtic Manor, argued that Wales did not have the global presence of Ireland or Scotland, and the summit was a "fantastic opportunity for brand Wales".
There will also be nice photo opportunities. The White House has confirmed that Barack Obama will visit a school in Newport on Thursday while children elsewhere have prepared postcards with messages about how they would like to see the world changed. Kian Wyn Thomas, 10, from Caernarfon, in north Wales, wrote: "When I am grown up I hope that everyone is treated equally, whatever the colour of their skin."
At the peace camp in Tredegar Park, protesters from the UK and rest of the world began to arrive in force.
Darren Carnegie, from Glasgow, who was camping with his father, Andrew, and dog Grace, said he had not found anyone in Newport who supported the summit. "It's just not wanted here," he said.
More than 1,000 people joined a march in Newport last Saturday. The leader of the Green party in Wales, Pippa Bartolotti, said: "When we marched at the weekend, children and grannies were coming out of their houses and joining us. I think actually Nato may have done us a favour by coming here. We've made so many friendships and links."
Full-size models of military vehicles are displayed on the golf course of the the Celtic Manor Hotel in Newport. Photograph: Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images
Meanwhile, the security effort around Newport and Cardiff continued to increase.
Almost 10,000 police officers, many of them wearing special-issue light blue berets – they are supposed to look non-threatening, said one wearer – have been drafted in to combat the threat of terrorist attack and in case Thursday's march turns nasty.
They are guarding all approaches to Newport and Cardiff, where a working banquet is due to take place on Thursday evening. They are patrolling the cities on foot, horseback, by bicycle, in helicopters and every type of marked and unmarked car available.
The police have also commandeered sites including the Gwent Dragons' rugby ground in Newport – where some officers were seen whiling away the time ahead of the main event by throwing around a ball and a frisbee.
Cardiff council said on Wednesday that parts of the capital would be "locked down" by the security services early on Thursday morning.
The city council made it clear it was not driving the measures, which have been criticised by some residents as over the top.
Councillor Ramesh Patel, cabinet member for transport and strategic planning, said: "This event is hosted by the UK government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the security requirements are unique and aren't determined by the council. We are working with our partners to minimise disruption to residents, businesses and commuters."
Newport council rejected the idea that there would be traffic chaos during the summit. One factor that will help is that almost all the city's schools and nurseries will be closed to pupils.
Across the river Severn in the English west country, the effects of the Nato summit are also being felt with hotels in Bristol, Cheltenham and Bath doing good business.
And there was great excitement among plane-spotters around RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire amid rumours that Obama would be landing there before being whisked into Celtic Manor. When Obama finally arrives in Newport he will be the first serving US president to visit Wales.
The Welsh first minister, Carwyn Jones, said the hosting of Nato was a historic moment for Wales.
He said: "This week's Nato summit is the largest political gathering of world leaders ever to be held in the UK, and I am immensely proud Wales is the host nation."
Stephen Crabb, the secretary of state for Wales, said: "The Nato summit in Newport is a huge and historic opportunity for Wales to be seen on the global stage."
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