Author: Rhys Gregory

Tŷ Hotel Newport will set new sustainability standards when it opens later this month as the largest all-electric hotel in Wales. With 146 bedrooms, Tŷ Hotel Newport will be the only hotel in Wales with more than 100 rooms operating without any natural gas, and among only a select number of large hotels across the United Kingdom to run on all-electric energy. Opening on 31st May as the latest addition to The Celtic Collection, the new hotel will source its electricity from 100% REGO-backed renewable sources.  Solar panels mounted on the hotel roof will also create renewable electricity, contributing around…

An 83-year-old loan shark has been ordered to pay back over £173,000 of her ill-gotten gains, with more than £35,000 returned to her victims in compensation. Tabitha Richardson, from Newport, will have to sell her home to raise the funds a Proceeds of Crime Hearing at Cardiff Crown Court was told yesterday (April 29). If the money isn’t paid back within three months she potentially faces 21 months in prison. The case came to light in August 2020, when Richardson’s property in Nash Road, Newport, was raided by officers working for Stop Loan Sharks Wales. £6,500 in cash was found in…

A partnership has safeguarded an extremely rare tree found in Llangollen for future generations to enjoy. Pupils from Ysgol Dinas Bran, Gwernant and Bryn Collen have been learning all about the Llangollen Whitebeam, a very rare tree which only exists at two locations in the world. In 2017, a project ran in partnership between the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape, Chester Zoo and Natural Resources Wales (NRW), commissioned a detailed survey to determine the population of this species, as well as to gauge their condition. In total, only 315 of the trees were recorded, 307 were found at…

Business leaders say a new “common sense approach” to the default 20 mph speed limit and road schemes will boost the economy in North East Wales. According to Wrexham Business Professionals, the plan unveiled by Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s new Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport was potentially a “game changer”. Mr Skates, who is also the Senedd Member for Clwyd South, outlined his vision at a meeting of the group that’s made up of successful businesses and skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and shine a light on the enterprise and expertise that exists in…

Planning permission has been granted to replace the damaged Feeder Pipe Footbridge located between Abercynon and Quakers Yard – with an upgraded structure designed to be wider and also more resilient to future storm events. On Thursday, April 25, members of the Council’s Planning and Development Committee agreed with officer recommendations to approve the application – which covers the bridge replacement and all associated temporary work. The bridge deck and parapets were previously removed after significant damage was sustained during the unprecedented weather of Storm Dennis in 2020. The footbridge spans the River Taff between Alexandra Place in Abercynon and…

Sker Ritual, a gothic horror game with a strong Welsh backstory, was one of the best-selling PC and console games in the world following its launch last week– reaching the top 3 on Steam, top 5 on Xbox and top 10 on PlayStation. Ranking above globally established games such as FIFA 24, Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto, Sker Ritual is Penarth-based Wales Interactive’s follow up to the 2020 game Maid of Sker which is inspired by the Welsh folk song Y Ferch o’r Sger. The song tells the story of Elisabeth Williams, a young woman imprisoned by her…

A trio of now dilapidated former South Wales tin miners’ cottages are being sold at auction with a guide price of £nil. Sited in an overgrown location near the quaint South Wales village of Machen, between Newport and Caerphilly, Wesley Buildings, on Wesley Hill, are only accessible on foot. Gemma Vaughan, of Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “Wesley Buildings offers the opportunity to acquire a building which we’re told was originally three cottages. It has a very interesting history. The vendor advised me that he bought the cottages back in 1979 when he arrived back from Saudi Arabia as a carpenter. “He…

Business confidence in Wales rose 22 points during April to 51%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in Wales reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up six points at 51%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 37 points to 50%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 51% (vs. 29% in March). Welsh businesses identified their top target areas for growth in the next six months as entering new markets (43%), investing in their team, including hiring new people and investing in training (41%), and introducing new technology…

Significant works to redevelop and improve facilities at Moorland Primary School in Splott have been completed. The £7million investment has seen a new 20 place Specialist Resource Base established at the school for pupils with Complex Learning Needs and a replacement Early Years Unit which was in essential need of updating. A new Flying Start provision, Twinkle Star, has also been delivered increasing the number of places from 32 to 40 with the potential for 6 childcare offer spaces for 3 and 4 year olds available in due course. This will allow children to move over from the current Flying…

A young badger cub who had fallen onto rocks at Porthlysgi Beach, St Davids, has been released back into the wild after a period of RSPCA specialist care. The male cub – which weighed just 1.455 kilograms (3.2 pounds) – which is the same weight roughly as three loaves of bread – was found on Saturday 20 April at around 1pm. He was understandably in a frightened state and was making distressed noises. RSPCA Inspector and Wildlife Officer Keith Hogben attended the location – a rural cove off the Pembrokeshire Coast Path – to collect the badger and take him…