Author: Rhys Gregory

Independent accountancy firm, Kilsby Williams, has promoted Jonathan Harrhy to partner.  Jonathan joined Kilsby Williams in 2007 and since then has established a wide portfolio of clients. As an associate in the business services department, Jonathan was responsible for carrying out audit, business valuations and financial due diligence on behalf of clients.  In his new role Jonathan will continue to oversee client accounts as well as being more closely involved in the day-to-day running of the business, including onboarding new customers.   In 2021 accountancy and taxation specialist Kilsby Williams celebrated many lucrative client wins including both Newport and Cardiff…

Secondary school children struggled to concentrate and engage with schoolwork in the move to online learning during lockdown, negatively affecting their confidence and wellbeing, according to a new study. Researchers from Swansea University and Cardiff University surveyed a total of 407 pupils aged between 11 and 18 during November 2020 when schools had reopened. Lead author Professor Nicola Gray of the Faculty of Medicine, Health, and Life Sciences at Swansea University said: “We wanted to examine if there were differences in concentration, motivation, and engagement from a pupil’s perspective during online and classroom-based teaching. So we asked pupils to compare…

A rare opportunity to acquire a notable Grade II* listed Georgian country house estate has been brought to the market by Savills.  Orielton is an impressive 23 bedroom Georgian mansion dating back to the seventeenth century and is set within 118 acres of private land. The estate also includes a Grade II listed former stable and coach house complex and three detached four bedroom cottages.  The property has been owned by the Field Studies Council since 1963 and used as a centre for exploration, fieldwork, enjoyment and research, with the mansion house providing accommodation.  Prior to this Orielton was owned…

A review will be held in the near future to gather information and facts about the post-16 education provision in Ceredigion. The review will coincide with the reforms made through the establishment of the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research (CTER), which is responsible for overseeing the post-16 sector in Wales, along with the recommendations made by Estyn Thematic Review on post-16 partnerships. The last review on post-16 provision in Ceredigion took place in 2007-2008, therefore it was agreed during a Cabinet meeting held virtually on 11 January 2022 that it would be timely to undertake a further review. Councillor…

A Welsh travel agent says business is taking off again with a “big surge” in bookings after the rules on Covid testing for international travellers were eased. Don Bircham, the managing director of Wrexham-based Hays Travel (North West) which has almost 50 branches across the region, said the changes announced by the UK government had opened the floodgates to meet the pent up demand for summer holidays in the sun. The company has stores in Wrexham, Mold, Flint, Prestatyn, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay. Popular destinations included Greece, Turkey, Spain, the Balearic and the Canary islands along with Florida. There was…

A police boss has made an impassioned plea for a law to prevent miscarriages of justice like those suffered after the Hillsborough disaster. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin spoke out after the screening of the powerful TV drama, Anne, based on the tragedy and its aftermath. The campaign for a Hillsborough Law has widespread support from the families of the victims, politicians and celebrities. Mr Dunbobbin says that public authorities like the police should be legally obliged to be proactively honest if anything goes wrong. At the same time, ordinary people should be provided with a legal…

Where would you find a Stormtrooper costume, a trumpet, a marriage certificate, six Bridesmaid dresses and a Galleon made of matchsticks? Where else but Travelodge’s Lost & Found offices in Wales! Today, the UK’s first budget hotel chain, Travelodge, has revealed some of the interesting items left behind in its 582 hotels over the last 12 months incorporating its 26 hotels in Wales. With millions of people annually staying in a Travelodge hotel across the length and breadth of the UK, detailed below are some of the unusual treasures that have been left behind in Welsh properties: A lucky Buddha…

Today, Barratt and David Wilson Homes South Wales has donated a total of £102,930.50 to two chosen charities ― the housebuilder’s charity of the year, Mind Cymru (receiving £43,930.50), and children’s charity, KidsOut (receiving £59,000.00). The financial impact of the pandemic has been especially devastating for the charity sector, with Barratt Developments South Wales taking the early decision to extend its 12-month partnership with Mind Cymru by another year ― to maximise fundraising opportunities. The South Wales housebuilder is also a longstanding supporter of KidsOut ― the fun and happiness charity which provides positive experiences to disadvantaged children in refuge.…

Sero, a Cardiff-based energy technology and services company, has secured a £5.5m investment from Welsh business Hodge and leading finance services provider Legal & General to support the transition to net-zero across the residential housing sector in Wales. The investment will help support Sero in its next stage of growth, as well as its aims to support the delivery of net zero financial products with institutional partners. Sero develops industry leading digital tools and expertise to design and deliver cost effective low carbon solutions for both new build and existing homes. In November 2020, Sero was one of a major…

Three house styles are now on show at a new neighbourhood which is taking shape in Lisvane, near Cardiff. The three-bedroom Birch, plus the four-bedroom Chestnut and Sycamore showhomes have been unveiled at Bellway’s Longwood Grange so potential homebuyers can get a feel for the spacious layout of typical properties at the development. There has already been a lot of interest in the site, off Maerdy Lane, which will provide 270 new homes for the area – comprising a mix of 216 two, three, four and five-bedroom houses for private sale and 54 one, two and three-bedroom affordable homes available…