Author: Rhys Gregory

People are being encouraged to pull on their walking boots and put one step in front of the other this Spring to support Hope House and Ty Gobaith Children’s Hospices by taking part in its ever-popular Llangollen Canal Walk. The 12th annual walk, sponsored by Principality Building Society, will take place on Sunday, March 12, and will see walkers join a special 10-mile walk taking in the stunning scenery, including the world-famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Encouraging people to sign up for this year’s event is Jane Williams whose son Evan died suddenly in his sleep weeks before his 13th birthday in…

Swansea residents and businesses have influenced a design for a redeveloped, greener Castle Square Gardens which has secured planning approval. Public feedback from several rounds of consultation was taken into account when designers created the new look for the location that’s a focal point at the heart of the city centre. Planning approval, sought by Swansea Council, has now been secured. The plans will see Castle Square Gardens get: An increased number of trees An increased amount of other greenery, including new lawns, ornamental and biodiverse planting Two pavilion buildings for food, drink or retail businesses – one with an…

Secondary school students taking part in Young Enterprise’s flagship Company Programme in Wales will set up trade stands and sell their products at St David’s Cardiff. The students will showcase their own business ideas, selling products they have designed themselves to guests in the city shopping centre on Wednesday 15th February. The stands will be located in the Atrium area of St David’s Cardiff, close to Boots, Pravins and H Samuel. Funds raised from the sale of any products will go towards the school and future projects. Young Enterprise is a national charity that motivates young people to succeed in…

A new survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) reveals firms are facing the highest level of recruitment difficulties on record. The data for the BCC’s Quarterly Recruitment Outlook for Q4 2022 was drawn from a survey of more than 5,600 businesses, 92% of whom were SMEs. Attempted recruitment in Q4 remained virtually unchanged from the previous quarter, with 61% of firms looking to find staff. Overall, over eight in ten firms (82%) attempting to recruit reported difficulties, up from 76% in Q3. While recruitment problems persist across all sectors, the survey found that firms in the hospitality sector…

Pembrokeshire based family business; Bewitched Interior Designs founded by Marie Tate, is the latest tenant to take advantage of the test-trading facility in Shared Spaces Haverfordwest. Bewitched Interior Designs specialises in décor to suit all occasions, owner Marie prides herself on the personal touch she offers by assisting and advising customers on the most suitable pieces of décor to select, based on their individual requirements. Marie Tate, owner of Bewitched Interior Designs said, “We’re a family-run business just starting out in the area, offering advice and guidance to help you find décor personal to your needs. Whether you’re looking for…

An innovative scheme which helped wine lovers to discover independent bars and restaurants in the Welsh capital is returning this month, following a successful pilot last summer. The Cardiff WinePassport was a physical, 16-page keepsake booklet costing £25 – upon purchasing a passport, holders could use it to claim a wine ‘flight’ from six different independent bars and restaurants around the city centre. Last year more than 550 passports were sold, generating more than £10,000 in revenue for the small, independent venues who took part; over the course of six weeks, more than 3,500 glasses of wine were sipped and savoured as…

A community interest company is encouraging businesses of all sizes to bring employee wellbeing into focus, as it expands its services for 2023.  RCS, which offers a portfolio of specialist wellbeing training, has launched a commercial division of its support and training programmes for businesses throughout Wales and across the border. The expansion builds on the organisation’s successful delivery of free wellbeing training and support to nearly 300 small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) in North and West Wales through its In-Work Support Service, which was part-funded by European Social Funding through Welsh Government. Rhyl-based RCS encourages employers to improve…

Heritage office furniture designer and manufacturer, Bisley, has launched a new bespoke package to service the evolving needs of workspaces across the world. And the company is celebrating the launch of the new service with a new contract win at the Googleplex headquarters in California. Bisley has a long track record of designing and manufacturing furniture solutions from their Newport factory. Over 15,000 items per week leave the factory to destinations across the globe, and in more recent years, the company has made successful inroads into the consumer market and recently signed a new e-tail partnership with John Lewis. The…

Global Centre of Rail Excellence Ltd has today further strengthened its company board with the appointment of experienced industry executive Will Wilson as an independent Non-Executive Director. The former Siemens Mobility Chief Executive joins the GCRE board with a wealth of rail experience. He became CEO of Siemens Mobility in June 2019, having previously been its Managing Director. Prior to this he was a Senior Vice President at Invensys Rail after studying at the University of Glamorgan and living and working in Wales in the early part of his career. GCRE Ltd is constructing a major new rail innovation facility…

The cost to park at district car parks across Cardiff will change on Monday, February 6th, under plans to help residents and shoppers secure parking which is currently being taken up by commuters. The first two hours of parking will remain free of charge at all district car parks across the city, but prices will then rise dependent on how long someone parks. Under the current system, after the first two free hours, in the majority of these car parks, a flat rate is charged for all-day parking. The new system will only allow five hours parking in total. The…