Author: Rhys Gregory

A LANDMARK city centre building in Swansea is set to be brought back into use following its purchase, thanks to Welsh Government funding. Swansea Council is to receive £2.85m funding from the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme to help purchase the former Debenhams store in the heart of the Quadrant Centre. Now the purchase has been completed, the council will begin its search for retail tenants for the high-profile site, following initial discussions with a number of parties. Swansea’s Debenhams was one of many of its stores across the UK which closed down in 2021 after the company went into…

Some of Britain’s most historic wartime aircraft are set to delight crowds at Swansea’s Wales Airshow this summer. World-famous fighters the Spitfire and Hurricane are to join a Lancaster bomber over Swansea Bay as part of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF). It’s the third display to be confirmed for the free two-day spectacular due to take place over Swansea bay on July 1 and 2. In recent weeks it was announced that the Red Arrows and the RAF Typhoon Display Team will be making an appearance on both days of the Airshow. There’ll also be many other…

Cricket in Pembrokeshire schools continues to go from strength to strength with an impressive performance from seven county girls’ teams in a major competition. The teams took part in the ECB National Indoor Cup for Under 13 and Under 15 age groups. Entering were Ysgol Greenhill (two teams), Milford Haven, Haverfordwest High VC, Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi, Ysgol Caer Elen and Ysgol Harri Tudur. The Pembrokeshire Competition was held at Milford Haven Leisure Centre and thanks go to the Leisure Centre staff who were extremely helpful. Valero Pembroke Refinery generously sponsored the event and the continued support is greatly appreciated. Feedback…

Eva Clarke, who survived the Holocaust, has this week officially been awarded the Freedom of the County Borough of Blaenau Gwent, at the General Offices Ebbw Vale. The honour was presented by Councillor Steve Thomas, Leader of Blaenau Gwent, in recognition of the significant work that Mrs Clarke does in sharing testimonials of her family’s experiences for future generations. Mrs Clarke regularly speaks publicly of her family’s experiences during the Holocaust and volunteers as a speaker for the Holocaust Educational Trust. Through her testimonials, she hopes people learn from the Holocaust and combat modern day instances of racism and prejudice.…

A £3.4 million housing development offering 26 one-bedroom flats, in Newtown, has been officially opened. All the flats will be let on secure contracts, giving tenants a real opportunity to make the energy efficient apartments their ‘forever homes’. Rents will be among the lowest in Powys, helping people to better manage the cost-of-living challenges many now face. Guests were given a tour of the new homes which have been built for Powys County Council by Pave Aways Building Contractors on Wednesday morning (5 April). The new three-storey development known as Y Lawnt, or The Green, has been built on a former…

An appeal to support voluntary sector organisations in the cost-of-living crisis is to benefit from a £1m donation from the Welsh Government. ‘Our Communities Together – a cost of living crisis appeal’, set up by Community Foundation Wales in partnership with Newsquest, will support grass roots voluntary organisations to cover rising costs and meet higher demand levels. The appeal will provide support through grants of £2-5k per organisation, to the grass roots voluntary sector so they can continue to support the most vulnerable people in our communities. These services include the provision of help and advice; access to food, clothing…

The Welsh Government is making £206,000 of additional funding available to help former 2 Sisters factory staff on Anglesey find new jobs, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething has confirmed. The funding will boost the Welsh Government’s Communities for Work Plus programme (CfW+) on Anglesey and in Gwynedd. The service provides employability support to those facing barriers to employment, helping them overcome those obstacles and gain sustainable employment. The programme is delivered primarily through local authorities but with a small number of third sector bodies also involved, including local employment charity Môn CF on Anglesey. The additional investment will: Enable Môn CF and…

The Welsh Government has announced the sale of a 30-acre site on Baglan Industrial Estate to Glass Systems Limited, which will safeguard 500 jobs plus also create 100 new jobs. Located in the Port Talbot Enterprise Zone, the new development will benefit from Welsh Government business support, allowing for investment in machinery, equipment and site expansion. Glass Systems Limited currently has six sites located throughout the UK, employing more than 1,000 people. The company manufactures and delivers on average 100,000 insulated glass units per week to the UK window market. Originally founded in the 1980’s, Glass Systems Limited has been…

Cadw has announced a proposal to list St David’s Hall, Cardiff, as a building of special architectural and historic interest. A consultation on the prospect of  listing is now underway. The hall, which opened in 1983, is one of the youngest buildings to be proposed for listing in Wales.  It was built between 1978 and 1982 and was one of the first large-scale concert halls to be built outside London since the Second World War.  It was a pioneering design for a concert hall, with its polygonal shape and seating arranged in terraces around the stage contributing to its internationally…

Last year, the Welsh government made buying a home more attractive by increasing the threshold for land transaction tax from £180,000 to £225,000. Since then, the average property price in Wales has hit £249,076. As a result, an increasing number of home buyers have been forced to pay land transaction tax. But by hunting for a home in some of the most affordable parts of the country, you could avoid paying this tax altogether. So, where are the most affordable homes in Wales located? The South-East There’s a lovely area in South-East Wales where property prices are affordable. If you want to be near…