Author: Rhys Gregory

Palé Hall, the independently owned luxury country house on the edge of Snowdonia, has been awarded a coveted spot in the Top 50 Boutique Hotels in the UK 2023.  Back for the third consecutive year, the Top 50 Boutique Hotels 2023 list was announced on 22 November 2023 on the brand’s Instagram page. The much-anticipated list is curated and voted by leading industry experts, hoteliers, travel writers and influencers. The Top 50 boutique Hotels 2023 span the full length and breadth of the UK from Cornwall, to Wales, to Scotland to Norfolk. Palé Hall was a new entry, at number 31 on…

£160M funding from UK Government and Welsh Government announced in the Autumn Statement to support intensive economic growth in Southeast Wales. The UK Government has announced in Wednesday’s Autumn Statement that the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) is to host one of the UK’s refocused Investment Zones in a joint funding package with the Welsh Government. The joint package is worth £160M over a period of between five to ten years and will be delivered by the South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee from 2024 onwards. In addition to the Cardiff Capital Region, North Wales has also been selected for an…

Space research, manufacturing and testing facilities across the UK will get a boost thanks to a new fund from the UK Space Agency. The Space Clusters Infrastructure Fund (SCIF) has awarded more than £47 million for 12 projects which will be doubled by match funding from the sector, representing over £98 million of new private/public investment in space research and development infrastructure. Further projects will be announced in the coming weeks. Not only will the funding support the growth of UK space businesses and create new jobs, but it will enhance the UK’s offering of space capabilities and services to…

In this year’s Autumn Statement, the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, announced the steps the Government propose to take to protect lower earners and make pensions more productive for the UK economy. Pension ‘pot for life’ The Government announced plans to tackle the proliferation of small pension pots that can build up when people change jobs frequently.  Currently, every time someone starts a new job they are given a new pension pot, which they and their employer pay into.  The Government will consult on a system where instead people will be able to nominate an existing pension pot to be used.  This…

Plans for a £4bn renewable energy project that will place Swansea at the forefront of global green economy innovation have taken a major step forward. Land agreements have now been finalised between Swansea Council, DST Innovations and Batri Ltd. The agreements – subject to planning permission – will lead to: The expansion of the Fabian Way park and ride site to create a green energy transport hub to potentially include a hydrogen manufacturing station for hydrogen-powered transport, an abundance of electric vehicle charging points, and restaurants and flexible working areas for visitors to enjoy. A new manufacturing facility on the…

Animal abandonments incidents have soared to a shocking three year high as the RSPCA warns unwanted pets face a bleak winter – with incidents in Wales contributing to the crisis. The animal welfare charity has this week released shocking new stats that show abandonments have been spiraling amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. Already this year, up to the end of October, the animal welfare charity has received 17,838 reports of abandoned animals across England and Wales – which, if such trends continue, would equate to 21,417 reports over 2023. This compares with 16,118 reports during the whole of…

Port Talbot has received more than £27m in the latest round of UK Government Levelling Up funding. It has been announced £14,835,600 has been awarded to regenerate Port Talbot town centre, with improvements to the town’s Civic Square, the refurbishment of the Princess Royal Theatre and improvements to green space at Riverside. And a further £12,166,268 has been allocated to restore and reopen the Grade II listed Newbridge Road Bridge in the town to boost active travel locally and to improve local dock access and upgrade Newbridge Road and Riverside Road. The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve…

A SERIES of major school building and refurbishment projects could be under way in Neath Port Talbot including a new-build replacement for the evacuated Godre’rgraig Primary School and a new build special school to replace Ysgol Hendrefelin. On November 20th, 2023, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet agreed to seek permission – via council education officials – for ambitious new school project submissions to be included in the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning funding programme (formerly known as 21st Century Schools). The proposed new submissions are:  A new-build, English medium, £17m replacement for Godre’rgraig Primary School at Gnoll Road, Godre’rgraig,…

All Pembrokeshire County Council town car parks will once again be free to motorists on Saturday and Sundays this December. Parking will be free on December: 2nd and 3rd 9th and 10th 16th and 17th 23rd and 24th 30th and 31st Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “We are pleased to be able to provide free parking in our Council car parks for weekends in December again this year. “We hope people will take advantage of this and support our local shops and businesses this Christmas.”

A crane will be installed at upper Taff Street in Pontypridd on Sunday, outside the Llys Cadwyn development, for scheduled work to the roof of 2 Llys Cadwyn. The crane will be located on the lane nearest the building – temporary arrangements will allow traffic to use the outside lane, with the taxi rank and loading bay suspended. The work will begin at 5am on Sunday, November 26, and could last until 10pm – however, it is likely that all site activity will be completed much sooner in the day. The work is subject to fair weather. Access will be…