Author: Rhys Gregory

Greggs’ first drive-thru site in Wales has opened in Maesglas, Newport. The much anticipated bakery giant’s new-build drive thru’ is looking forward to welcoming hungry drivers – its opening hours are 6.00 am to 7.00 pm Mondays to Saturdays and 8.00 am to 5.00 pm on Sundays. Steve Jones, Estate Surveyor at Greggs said, “We are delighted to open our first drive-thru in Wales in Newport.  Our drive-thrus conveniently provide our customers with all their usual Greggs favourites on-the-go and we are continuing to pursue other new drive-thru sites across Wales to support our shop estate’s growth plan in the…

Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid have launched a series of international trade training courses to help Welsh businesses overcome supply chain issues and develop skillsets. The Chamber is known for curating end-to-end supply chain connectivity across global markets and has designed the courses to provide businesses with the skills and confidence to deal with fundamental trade processes and documentation. The training will help businesses export and import successfully, particularly following the introduction of new Customs regulations and controls this month. Keith Moore, International Trade Executive at Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid, said: “Whether in…

Lovell has been selected as the preferred developer to deliver a new design and build scheme on the former council office site in Pontllanfraith. Pobl Group has chosen Lovell as their preferred partner to build 123 new homes on this strategically important site, including a mix of 40 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom homes for open market sale, 40 affordable shared ownership homes and 43 affordable homes for social rent. The land was owned by Caerphilly County Borough Council, who have played a pivotal role in the partnership which will see the development of these high quality, mixed tenure homes.…

Sharon Williams, Managing Director of Pia has been appointed Chair of the Board at Chwarae Teg – Wales’ leading gender equality charity, as it celebrates its 30th Anniversary. Having joined the board in 2018 and become Vice-chair two years ago, Sharon will take on the role following the departure of Alison Thorne – who has served as Chair since July 2019. An enthusiastic advocate of Chwarae Teg’s work, Sharon has guided Pia to achieve Exemplar Employer Status through Chwarae Teg’s Agile Nation and Agile Nation2 programmes. She previously worked to implement the Welsh Language Policy of a local authority, before…

In the first study of its kind, researchers at University of South Wales (USW) have found that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) athletes may be at less risk of causing long-lasting injury to the brain than previous studies have suggested. BJJ is a popular martial art that exposes participants to recurrent intermittent asphyxiation due to controlled application of neck chokes. Unlike several combat sports, BJJ categorically prohibits strikes to the body, especially the head, favouring limb manipulation and neck chokes to coerce an opponent into submission. Concerns have been raised regarding the potential link between repetitive neck chokes, structural brain damage and…

Aimed at further driving economic prosperity across South West Wales, a new committee has held its first meeting. Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, has been elected chair of the Corporate Joint Committee for South West Wales for the next 12 months following its formal constitution on Thursday January 13. The Committee also includes the Leaders of Carmarthenshire Council, Neath Port Talbot Council and Pembrokeshire Council, as well as senior representatives of The Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire National Park authorities. Cllr Emlyn Dole, Carmarthenshire Council Leader, has been elected vice-chair. Tasked with preparing transport and strategic development plans for the…

Sweet-toothed music lovers will be fizzing with joy at the world premiere of a new composition inspired by popping candy. The tasty piece has been written by acclaimed composer Guto Pryderi Puw and will be one of eight new works being premiered at Bangor Music Festival next month. Popping candy is a confectionery item that reacts by bubbling on contact with the moisture found on the tongue or lips. First created in 1956 by an American chemist, it was the result of a failed attempt to produce a ‘tablet’ to make an instant carbonated drink. Guto, who is also the…

Peter Lynn and Partners Solicitors have helped facilitate the sale of a regional franchise of Pass the Keys – the award-winning Airbnb property management company. Pass the Keys Swansea was, until recently, run by local property expert Hannah McCartan, founder and owner of McCartan Lettings however after growing the franchise, she decided the time was right to hand it over to a new team. “Pass the Keys has been an amazing part of my business life,” said Hannah. “I’m so proud of what I started here in Swansea and am blessed to have met some wonderful people along the way, both…

rom anticipated Welsh language horror, Gwledd, set in the hills of Snowdonia, to the transgender community of New Delhi in documentary Hijra – eight eclectic films are set to bring Welsh talent and stories to the big screen in 2022. The eight films offer audiences a chance to discover something new about Wales, from unknown local Welsh stories such as the fight to save The Lyric cinema in Carmarthen (Save the Cinema), through to global narratives of the African National Congress told through the eyes of Welsh storytellers like Gordon Main and John Giwa-Amu (London Recruits). Through their Made in Wales strand, Film Hub Wales (FHW) are working with distributors, Welsh cinemas and film festivals to promote films to wider audiences.   Hana Lewis,…

ProCare Wales, the Denbighshire-based provider of care and support services within the community, has launched an ambitious recruitment drive, as it prepares to open its third residential site in early 2022. The organisation, which is celebrating its 20th year in business, is looking to create more than 70 jobs within the region over the course of the next six months, with 15 jobs immediately available at its existing residential locations in Rhuddlan and Conwy. The support worker roles will be based at both Plas Llorna and Arnold House – two unique residential settings for adults, aged 16 to 64, who…