Author: Rhys Gregory

Yismaw Dillu smashed the men’s Oysho Cardiff Half Marathon course record as Miriam Chebet defended her crown in the Welsh capital. The Ethiopian Dillu marked his half marathon debut in style as he shaved more than seven seconds off the previous record set by Leonard Langat back in 2019 to finish in a time of 59:22. The 20-year-old broke clear of Kenya’s Ismael Kiprono and compatriot Fikadu Liche after the 10K mark in Cardiff Bay, and never looked back to take the title. Kiprono (01:00:04) and Liche (1:00:33) stayed strong to finish second and third respectively. “It was my first…

Popeyes® has become synonymous with queues around the block on opening day, and Swansea was no different – the highly anticipated opening saw fans eagerly queuing to get their hands on the famous Louisiana chicken. One superfan began queuing the day before opening at 5pm, waiting for 18 hours to be the first to try the iconic Chicken Sandwich. Second in line was Brandon, a Swansea local who queued from 6pm. Brandon commented: “I first tried Popeyes® in America, where I used to live, and I loved it. I’m so excited that we’ve got one in Swansea now – I…

Fresh handmade cosmetics company Lush is giving away two products to help Cardiff half marathon runners get back on their feet after the gruelling 13.1 mile race. Lush on Queen Street will be giving away the brand’s Cold Water Soother Epsom salt cube, and After magnesium solid massage oil bar, which has 84 five star reviews on the brand’s website, as well as a 10% discount voucher for the Lush Spa. Lush’s ‘After’ solid massage oil bar (worth £10) is a self-preserving, packaging-free alternative to massage oil which melts on contact with the skin, created to care for aching muscles.…

When we heard that Empire Indian Restaurant in Cardiff had just been crowned ‘Asian Restaurant of the Year’ at the prestigious Asian & Restaurant Awards, we knew we had to try it for ourselves. Nestled on Albany Road in Roath, Empire has been serving locals since 1992, making it the longest running Indian restaurant in the city. But does it really live up to its latest award? We went along to find out. Empire is something of a local legend. Originally founded by Mohammed Mujib after he moved to the UK in 1985, it’s now run by his son Sammy…

Two local entrepreneurs have secured a £1.8 million loan to reopen and transform the Holm House Hotel on the Vale of Glamorgan coast, which closed last year. Holm House is an iconic 1920s coastal retreat located on Penarth’s Marine Parade – famously known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’. It operated as a luxury hotel from 2004, hosting celebrities including Tyson Fury, David Hasselhoff, Daniel Craig and Harry Styles. However, having struggled to return to profitability after the Covid-19 pandemic, in early 2024 it announced it was closing its doors.  But not for long. Kashif Ahmed and Rushna Ghaznavi, who as their day…

A 33-year-old mum from Cardiff will be running the 2025 Oysho Cardiff Half Marathon to raise awareness of her daughter’s rare genetic condition. Becky Lewis’ daughter, Ella, is the only person in Wales to have Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SYS) – a rare genetic disorder that affects aspects of development. When Ella was born in June 2020 she spent a lot of time in hospital having tests. It wasn’t until mid-December that she was finally able to come home for the first time. Becky said: “Everything was fine during my pregnancy but then Ella came early at 29 weeks. Initially there wasn’t…

Owner Lord Newborough has taken the decision to sell part of the Estate’s site at Glynllifon, near Caernarfon, opening the door for others – particularly the next generation of farmers – to bring fresh energy, skills, and investment. By passing on stewardship of around 1,000 acres of productive grassland in instalments, Rhug Estate is ensuring this historic land can continue to thrive under new hands while freeing up resources and focus for its core assets. The farmland represents the jewel of the Glynllifon Estate and is being brought to the open market by the North Wales office of national property…

With three weeks to go until the Caerphilly by-election on Thursday, 23 October, BBC Cymru Wales has announced plans for its coverage. The coverage in English and in Welsh will take the temperature from the constituency as voters prepare to cast their vote. Join Nick Servini on Wednesday, 15 October on BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer for the Your Voice, Your Vote debate from the Caerphilly constituency at 7pm. Nick will be joined by six of the candidates standing in the Senedd Caerphilly by-election on 23 October. Those interested in being part of the audience for the BBC Wales…

Space Wales, the trade association for the Space Sector in Wales, has announced a funding call for Welsh space businesses. Together with the Welsh Government, the association has secured funding from the UK Space Agency amounting to £247,000. This dedicated funding is providedthrough the Devolved Administrations Programme, specifically to help deliver on the ambitions outlined in Wales: A Sustainable Space Nation – Wales’ space strategy published in 2022. The government set out an ambition in the National Space Strategy to build one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world, which includes building a whole-UK space ecosystem…

Cardiff’s most recognisable landmarks have been lit up in purple this week to mark the launch of City Hospice’s annual Light up a Life appeal. From Cardiff Castle to Roath Park’s lighthouse, Mermaid Quay and the Norwegian Church Arts Centre, the city skyline has been transformed to show support for the campaign, which runs until 31 December and helps people honour and remember loved ones. Sue Newcombe will be remembering Tanya Balch, her partner of 27 years, by supporting the charity’s Light up a Life appeal. City Hospice provided specialist palliative care to Tanya, who had been diagnosed with inflammatory…