Author: Rhys Gregory

Adrian Jones, previously US president of Merlin Entertainments, the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, has joined North Wales adventure company Zip World as CEO. Jones has over 30 years’ experience in the visitor attraction sector and played a key role in Merlin’s aggressive growth in the USA from 2007-2019. He draws on extensive experience in marketing, sales, and strategic partnerships as he takes the helm at Zip World, joining the company at a pivotal time amid ambitious growth plans. Zip World is best known for its flagship adventure, Velocity 2, the world’s fastest zip line, which is based in Bethesda,…

A pioneering researcher whose work on chest trauma has had a global impact has scored a first-in-Wales appointment. Morriston Hospital-based Ceri Battle has become Honorary Professor in Trauma and Emergency Care with Swansea University’s Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science. She is the first woman in Wales and only the fourth in the UK from any profession to achieve this position. Professor Battle has been a critical care and emergency medicine physiotherapist in Swansea for 20 years. Following the completion of her PhD in 2013, her role evolved into a clinical academic post. Her main research interests are trauma…

Swansea-based Business Butler has been chosen by the city’s university as the delivery partner for their pioneering Graduate Start-Up Scheme. This bold initiative has been devised to encourage entrepreneurship among graduates while improving their chances of succeeding in business. The scheme is a 12-month programme starting on 30 January 2023 and will support Swansea University Graduates in starting or expanding their own business, social enterprise or career as a freelancer. Early-stage entrepreneurs who have graduated during the past three years will qualify for the scheme, which will provide a package of business support worth up to £5,000 to help their…

Tennis Wales has this week announced £74,820.00 funding from Welsh Government to create a new, national tennis programme which will support more young people from ethnically diverse communities to access the sport. Delivered as part of the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) SERVES initiative – a UK-wide project supporting under-served communities to take part in tennis – the new programme will include weekly tennis sessions across twelve locations in Wales. Not only will the sessions invite new players to take part in fun, introductory tennis activities, the programme will also provide long-term development opportunities for young people hoping to forge a career…

A Cardiff businesswoman has been named one of the UK’s most inspirational female entrepreneurs by the f:Entrepreneur ‘# ialso100’ campaign. Sara, who founded public relations and content consultancy Sara Robinson Comms in 2019, is profiled alongside 99 female entrepreneurs from across the country as part of the campaign to celebrate the multi-achievements of women running businesses in the UK today. The f:Entrepreneur campaign was launched in 2017 to raise greater awareness of the impact of female business owners across the country and help provide inspiration to the wider small business community. Delivered by Small Business Britain – the leading champion of small businesses in the UK…

An independent scientific report assessing three different types of weed killer to manage plant growth on Cardiff’s highways and pavements has concluded that glyphosate is “the most effective and sustainable weed control method currently available.” The scientific trial assessed the viability of two ‘eco-friendly’ alternatives to the glyphosate-based approach used by the majority of local authorities in the UK. It found that glyphosate has a smaller overall environmental footprint than the two alternatives trialled, which were acetic acid (a highly concentrated vinegar) and a hot foam treatment (a plant-based product whichcombines hot water with a biodegradable foam). Glyphosate was also…

Blaenau Gwent Council Planning Committee today approved the planning application submitted by property developer Mercia Real Estates (MRE) to alter the buildings and change the use of the former shopping mall site at Festival Park, Ebbw Vale into a mixed use business centre. The details specify that the principal focus of the development is to provide premises for businesses, trades, small storage and logistic operators which fall into the ‘Use Classes’ categories of A, B and D. There are no changes proposed to the access points from the surrounding road network to the site or to any of the wider…

Hundreds of potholes caused by bad weather have been repaired by highways maintenance teams in Swansea Swansea Council is keeping to its promise of repairing potholes reported online within 48hrs and is urging the public to report any potholes to they encounter so they can be dealt with as quickly as possible The council stated that severe weather during November and December has provided the perfect conditions for potholes with heavy rain and frost breaking up road surfaces overnight in some cases Latest statistics show that in December almost 500 potholes were repaired with the majority completed within 48hrs. The…

Local private sector landlords are invited to the launch of a new scheme enabling them to lease their property to Pembrokeshire County Council for between five and 20 years, in return for a guaranteed monthly rental income and full property management service. Leasing Scheme Wales (LSW) is funded by Welsh Government and managed by Pembrokeshire County Council. The scheme will be launched locally at the Pembrokeshire Landlords Forum on Tuesday, 24th January at 6pm in County Hall in Haverfordwest. The scheme aims to: improve access to homes in the private rented sector Access to affordable and good quality homes in…

Improving resilience to flooding continues to be a priority for Rhondda Cynon Council, with more than £14M spent on infrastructure upgrades and £20M on storm repairs in recent years, since Storm Dennis in 2020. Climate change is resulting in more frequent storm events than ever before and for this year alone (2022/23), more than £6.4M Welsh Government funding is secured for Storm Dennis works, plus around £3.9M for flood alleviation works. The Council has also secured more than £8m from the Resilient Roads Grant over the past three years for targeted flooding resilience road schemes in the Cynon Valley and…