Author: Rhys Gregory

This week, audiences in Cardiff are in for a real treat, as the creators of The Play That Goes Wrong return with another catastrophic but award-winning disaster. In fact, if this was any other play or pantomime, it would be a complete and utter nightmare. There are stage and costume malfunctions, as well as a few surprises in the auditorium, so keep those eyes peeled! Lines and queues will be missed, there will a blatant disregard for health and safety (in any other setting), as well as backstage antics put in the spotlight for all to see. If it could…

Plans for a proposed new building on the University of South Wales’s (USW) Treforest Campus in Pontypridd have taken a big step forward with the appointment of the construction company BAM. They will help to develop the detailed designs for the building which is scheduled to begin construction later this year. The proposed new academic building will provide teaching, research, and support space for Computing, Maths, Engineering, and Technology. A design team from Stride Treglown architects and Arup engineers has been working with the University to develop the plans, which have been formally submitted to be considered for planning permission.…

Specialist hotel property adviser, Christie & Co has been instructed to market the Minffordd Hotel, in Tywyn, Gwynedd. Set within a 2.1 acre paddock surrounded by stunning riverside scenery, the Minffordd Hotel is an ideal location for campers, glampers and tourists looking to explore the Welsh countryside. The boutique hotel is on the Mach Loop, a well-known testing ground for RAF jet fighters, and therefore is also a popular destination for aviation enthusiasts. The charming property features a sizeable restaurant and breakfast room with stunning period features, a cosy snug room with a wood-burning stove, and a main bar area…

n eminent harpist was reunited with an old friend when she performed at a music-loving care home. Virtuosa Elinor Bennett staged a mini concert at Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd care home in Caernarfon as a thank you for the support they have given to Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias (William Mathias Music Centre) which she was instrumental in setting up. Elinor said: “I’ve visited Bryn Seiont Newydd several times because it is only a short distance from my home in Bontnewydd and I am in awe of the work they do here with residents. “I have meant to bring my…

Penrhyn Castle and Garden are working to develop a new experience in the Stable Block to share stories of Penrhyn’s industrial history and bring to the forefront items in the collection that haven’t been shared before. Built in the early 19th century, Penrhyn Castle’s formidable architecture, opulent interiors and fine art collection lean on a long history of sugar and slate fortunes, social unrest and the longest-running industrial dispute in British history. The Penrhyn Slate Quarry and Port Penrhyn, established by the Pennant family, dominated the Welsh slate industry for almost 150 years which ripped apart a community and changed…

More than 20,600 start-ups were launched in Wales in 2023, according to new research from R3, the UK’s insolvency and restructuring trade body. R3’s analysis of data provided by Creditsafe shows 20,675 firms were set-up in Wales in 2023 – a rise of 13.8% from 2022’s total of 18,170. March was the busiest month in Wales for start-ups in 2023, with 1,992 new businesses launching that month – but this figure was lower than March 2022, the previous year’s busiest month, when 2,116 new firms were set up. Wales and the West Midlands saw the joint-third largest yearly increase in start-up…

A new grant has been launched for Swansea businesses looking to develop new products, commercialise ideas or develop processes which support innovation and growth. Funding of up to £10,000 can now be applied for, thanks to the Innovation Grant scheme now available from Swansea Council through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. Examples of eligible projects include: Support for developing and testing new products or services, including prototyping. Patent drafting and filing costs. Research and development of processes, products or services. Testing of innovation ideas. Market research, scoping projects or competitor analysis to test and identify gaps in the market.…

Two men have been disqualified from keeping animals for 10 years after they admitted to failing to provide a suitable environment for 24 cats. Martin Clowes and Gavin James Cromwell both of Margam, pleaded guilty to one offence under the Animal Welfare Act in that they both failed to meet the needs of 24 cats in terms of a suitable environment. The court heard that the RSPCA were called by South Wales Fire & Rescue Service on 22 March last year – to assist them at a property on Pyle Road following a house fire. Tragically a total of 11…

An event to celebrate the successful conclusion of a pilot programme for therapy practitioners at Hywel Dda University Health Board was held on Friday evening at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD). The Therapy Assistant Practitioner (TAP) Diploma is the first of its kind in Wales and is a collaboration between UWTSD, Hywel Dda, Agored Cymru and Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW), the strategic workforce body for NHS Wales. Following the successful pilot, the programme is now being offered across Wales via the Welsh Government’s Apprenticeship Framework through Coleg Sir Gar. Participants already enrolled onto the programme…

The regeneration of Atlantic Wharf took another step forward this week, with a new report providing an update on the proposal to redevelop The Red Dragon site which – along with the new indoor arena – is a key project to stimulate the next-phase regeneration of Cardiff Bay. In January 2020, Cardiff Council acquired The Red Dragon Site so that the council had full control over the land required to enable the development of a new 15,000-capacity indoor arena, and to facilitate the investment into the wider Atlantic Wharf site. The 30-acre site, which includes the Red Dragon site and…