Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea Council has applied for a High Court injunction to halt the proposed deal between the Welsh Rugby Union and Y11 to buy Cardiff Rugby. If the deal goes ahead it would lead to the end of the Ospreys and men’s professional regional rugby in Swansea. The Council is seeking an urgent court hearing which could be as soon as this week. However, if, in the meantime, the WRU provides a written undertaking that it will not complete the deal the court hearing could be delayed to a later date. A Swansea Council spokesperson said: “The proposed deal between the…

Small and medium-sized manufacturers across Wales will now have access to funding to modernise their businesses and boost sales through £2.2m of new investment. The Tech Valleys Business Productivity Enhancement Programme helps engineering and manufacturing companies work efficiently and develop new products through cutting-edge technology. Over three years, eligible companies will receive a free business diagnostic. Those who qualify can then apply for a capital grant between £10,000 and £50,000. Recipients also receive a tailored support package covering skills development and export advice. The programme has a strong track record in enhancing productivity for Welsh SMEs. Between 2020 and 2023,…

Rhian Wilkinson has announced her squad for the opening 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying matches away to Czechia and home to Montenegro at Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli. An international friendly at Rodney Parade in 2019 was the last time Cymru played Czechia. Cymru last faced Montenegro in 2014 during the 2015 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign. Three uncapped players feature in the squad, including Plymouth Argyle duo Olivia Francis and Phoebie Poole. Lois Joel and Poppy Soper return to the squad following injuries. Laura Hughes, who earned her first cap for Cymru against Switzerland in December, misses out due…

A new clean energy project in Devils Bridge, Ceredigion, has joined a growing portfolio of innovation activity supported through Growing Mid Wales, exploring how locally produced green hydrogen could help cut emissions in the forestry sector. Led by Challoch Energy Ltd, the project will examine how wind power could be used to produce green hydrogen to replace diesel in forestry machinery and vehicles — supporting a sector that plays a vital role in the Mid Wales economy. The project is being supported through Growing Mid Wales’ Whole System Research for Innovation and Decarbonisation (WSRID) programme, which forms part of the…

A Welsh bakery has risen stronger than ever from the ashes of a devastating fire –investing £115 million and creating 700 new jobs in just seven years. Jones Village Bakery’s flagship headquarters on Wrexham Industrial Estate was destroyed by the huge blaze in 2019 but the company has made an “astounding” comeback. Instead of folding, the firm rebuilt “bigger and better” with a new 140,000 sq ft bakery that’s three times the size of the one that burnt down – increasing the number of staff from 350 to 1,050 in the process. A further 100 jobs will be created when…

A £3 million transformation of a former Carmarthenshire care home has created 55 jobs with the launch of a luxury country hotel. Andrea and Tudur Williams have poured their hearts into turning the historic Y Seren (The Star) property in Llangunnor into a 23-bed boutique hotel and restaurant. The venture has been backed by award-winning Harlech Foodservice whose team is supporting the couple as the ambitious business gets off the ground. The redevelopment has written a new chapter for the landmark building which dates back to the 1890s. According to Andrea, the new hotel has got off to a flying…

Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for snow across Wales, with disruption possible from late Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning. The warning is in place from 4pm on Wednesday 18 February until 6am on Thursday 19 February. Forecasters say a spell of rain and snow could move across parts of Wales later on Wednesday and continue overnight, bringing a risk of travel disruption and localised impacts. Snow accumulations of 2 to 5cm are possible quite widely above 150 to 200 metres. Higher ground above 250 to 300 metres in mid and south east Wales could see between 10…

With 87% of GPs reporting that they fear their rising workloads could impact patient safety, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) says closing the safety gaps must be a priority for the next Welsh Government. In its Safer Care for Wales – manifesto for change released today [18 February 2026], the PSA (the UK’s healthcare regulation oversight body) urges those seeking office at the 2026 Senedd election on 7 May 2026 to focus on three areas for improving health and social care services in the country. These are: Tackling the health and care workforce crisis by…

The Prime Minister is set to formally endorse the Transport for Wales vision for the future of Welsh rail today [Wednesday 18 February] – agreeing that it should set the framework for their pipeline of projects and committing the UK Government to work with the Welsh Government to deliver this pipeline as quickly as possible. This investment will see the further transformation of Wales’ rail network, building on the Welsh Government’s £1.1bn in upgrading and electrifying the Core Valley Lines and £800m investment in a new rail fleet. Together, both governments will provide better and more frequent services for passengers…

Work is well under way on the new Hollywood Bowl in St David’s shopping centre in Cardiff city centre, with the first signs now up and people starting to spot the arrival of the entertainment venue. This marks a major step forward for the project, which is set to bring one of the UK’s largest family activity centres to the heart of the capital later this year. The new site will stretch across 45,000 square feet over two floors and include a mix of bowling, interactive games and other activities. Inside, there will be traditional ten-pin and duckpin bowling lanes,…