Author: Rhys Gregory

There’s no denying it…the Internet has seeped into nearly every aspect of our lives. Google is the first place that people go to find out anything and everything. So, what does this mean for your local business? Owning a business in Wales is no exception to the norm – digital marketing is the key to grow your business. Whether you are opening up a new business or you feel stuck in your old one, creating digital content is key and it has never been more powerful and necessary. Digital marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach online…

Any seasoned entrepreneur knows that every penny counts, especially in the early stages of a business. After all, most startups generally have no more than a modest budget to work with as they try to find their footing in their respective industries. And because of all the equipment and services they need to operate, keeping costs down can be a tricky affair. Still, that isn’t to say it’s impossible.  On the contrary, with a few simple practices, you’ll be able to effectively trim some of your overhead expense — ensuring that your enterprise remains in good financial shape, and further…

Estyn has launched a survey to ask residents in Torfaen for their views on how well education services provided by the council supports schools and youth services. The survey asks parents, carers, learners, and anyone working or involved in education to help inspectors judge the effectiveness of the education services. Owen Evans, Chief Inspector, says, “Local views from those involved with schools and youth services are vital to give a picture of how well the council is performing. Inspectors will be considering how well the education services help pupils to achieve, support those who are vulnerable or have particular needs…

Post Office Ltd is providing a Mobile Post Office service to Resolven from today. The Mobile service will be located at Lyons Place Car Park, Resolven, Neath, West Glamorgan, SA11 4ND. This Mobile service is scheduled to commence from Tuesday 11 January. It will operate every Tuesday from 2.30- 4.30pm. This is a temporary solution whilst we continue to look for a permanent solution. The branch at 29 Commercial Road, Resolven, Neath, West Glamorgan, SA11 4NA closed temporary in November following the resignation of the postmaster.   A Mobile Post Office is a tried and tested way of serving smaller…

A nine-year-old pocket rocket from Anglesey is aiming to make a big splash in his second season in the mad and muddy world of motocross – on a bigger, more powerful bike. Kyle Jeffcoate, from Holyhead, cut a dash in his first year in the rough and tumble of this fast-paced sport and is looking ahead to more competition when the new season starts this spring. He has been backed by leading storage company Lock Stock Self-Storage who have 20 storage parks across North Wales and Cheshire including one in Holyhead where Kyle’s dad, Darren, provides the security service. Kyle…

A mum of two from Gwynedd who was paralysed from the waist down by a rare condition has gone on to run a 10k and become a weight-loss champion. Lois Morgan-Pritchard battled Guillain-Barré Syndrome to climb out of a wheelchair then and now the 33-year-old beautician was successfully put through her paces for S4C’s popular FFIT Cymru series, made by Caernarfon-based Cwmni Da. But for anyone fighting a losing battle with the scales after the festive season there’s good news as Cwmni Da are looking for new entrants for the next series of the popular reality show. Cwmni Da’s Siwan…

The headline NatWest Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – registered 53.4 in December, down from 57.6 in November. Although solid, the expansion in business activity was the slowest in the current ten-month sequence of growth. Nonetheless, the rate of increase was broadly in line with the UK average, with firms linking the upturn to sustained client demand. Private sector firms in Wales registered a solid expansion in new business during December, albeit at the slowest pace in the current ten-month…

Business advisory firm Quantuma has appointed new managing director Tim Sloggett, to further strengthen its offering in the South West and Wales region. Tim helps businesses that are underperforming and/or facing a cash flow crisis. Sloggett brings with him more than 20 years’ experience of helping businesses that are underperforming or facing a crisis, across a range of sectors and from local owner-managed businesses to large international corporates. He has spent most of his career working in Big Four firms, as well as five years at Barclays Bank in its turnaround and restructuring team. Sloggett has a wealth of experience…

Three directors, led by co-founder Ashley Davies, have completed the management buy-out of Bridgend-based A&R Services.  Ashley is joined by 25 year-old Chloe Stanford who first joined the company as an apprentice at the age of 18, and operations manager Dora Vasarhelyi. The deal was funded by the Development Bank of Wales with a loan and equity investment package from the Wales Management Succession Fund and Wales Business Fund.  With a background in finance, Ashley is a co-founder of A&R Services while Dora first joined as a commercial cleaner in 2014 before progressing to become a commercial manager then operations…

Wilko is to close 16 stores across the UK in what GMB Union describes as ‘another nail in the High Street’s coffin’. More than 330 jobs potentially lost as the shops shut over the next 12 months. The affected stores are Bournemouth, Stockton, The Fort, Shipley, Scunthorpe ,Narborough Road, Grantham, Redditch, Rotherham, Skegness, Sutton, Coldfield, Orpington, Edmonton Green, Llanelli, Merthyr Tydfil and Cleethorpes. Each store will have a 30-day consultation period, while permanent recruitment in the vicinity of each site will freeze. Roger Jenkins, GMB National Officer, said: “These closures are devasting for Wilko workers and the communities who use them. “It’s yet another nail in the High Street’s coffin and GMB calls on councils and landlords to review commercial leases and offer lower…