Author: Rhys Gregory

A Caerphilly-based start-up that aims to support small businesses and fledgling freelancers has secured £150k in pre-seed funding from venture capital firm, SFC Capital. Revolancer is an online marketplace that connects businesses with quality-approved freelancers for digital projects, and is hoping to revolutionise recruitment in the digital skills market. The company was founded in January by Karl Swanepoel as a university dorm room project and has previously secured £13k from Aberystwyth University after winning their InvEnterPrize student enterprise competition earlier this year. Investing alongside SFC Capital is Edward Falzon, a Morgan Stanley veteran of 25 years, who will also be…

A holiday park in Borth is hoping to attract more visitors all year round after expanding its site with five new holiday cottages. Cambrian Coast Caravan Park used a six-figure loan from Lloyds Bank to purchase the farmhouse cottages, which are adjacent to its existing camping and static caravan site. The cottages can cater for groups of between two and ten people and are all kitted out with a stylish modern interior, two of which have been specifically tailored to ensure they are wheelchair-accessible. The business hopes to grow its annual turnover by around £150,000, as well as increase the…

New figures reveal the number of cigarette butts littered on Welsh beaches has more than doubled in a year, making Wales the worst nation in Great Britain for cigarette waste on beaches. The Marine Conservation Society 2021 survey of more than 3,500 meters of Welsh coastline show that despite a decline in overall beach litter, cigarette waste has reached an all-time high. The survey found an average of 64.2 cigarette butts per 100 metres of Welsh beach, a stark rise from 32.6 in 2019, and 9.5 in 2020. In response, tobacco control action-group, ASH Wales, and the Marine Conservation Society…

The NatWest Accelerator has empowered hundreds of business owners from across Wales to scale their businesses to the next level. Now, as the bank launches a specialist Wales Food and Drink Accelerator, NatWest Cymru Ecosystem Manager Gemma Casey outlines why now is the time to offer the sector this tailored support. Covid and climate –two very real crises facing the Welsh economy, not least the food and drink sector. No-one would deny that these global forces have, and will continue to, exert extreme pressure on the sector. Yet along with the inevitable challenges – closures, staffing, supply chain issues, skills…

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Cymru has announced that Jane Reakes-Davies, Managing Director at First Bus Cymru, and Paul Dyer, Managing Director at Cardiff Bus, have been appointed as Chair and Vice-Chair of CPT Cymru’s Bus Commission. Jane and Paul will take up their positions on Bus Commission in December and they will play a vital role in bringing together bus operators to help shape bus policy in Wales. Jane Reakes-Davies will be the first female to occupy the role of Chair. Jane has spent the past 8 years in leadership roles at First Bus Cymru, and her background…

Two professional pastry chefs who were crowned the winners of a hit TV baking show, have returned to their former college to share their culinary expertise. Michael Coggan and Andrew Minto, who both worked as pastry chefs for Cardiff Bay’s Gin and Bake, beat some of the country’s top professionals in the industry to win Channel 4’s Bake Off: The Professionals. After being announced the best patisserie team in the country, both chefs have chosen to come back to the college where they started their impressive careers to pass on their skills and knowledge to budding chefs at Coleg y…

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Bridgend welcomes Devon-born brand Saltrock. The new store recently opened and offers a broad range of casual womenswear and menswear for those looking to surf in the nearby areas including Porthcawl and Swansea Bay.  The surf-inspired brand was founded in 1988 by brothers, Angus and Ross Thomson using a homemade printing screen to create their range with a focus on induvial graphics and tie-dye techniques. With over 30 years’ experience within the apparel industry, Saltrock’s passion and focus has remained around unique design, functionality, and quality.  Passionate about their surf heritage, the new store is expected to bring the Devon free-loving spirit to McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Bridgend.   Richard Garratt, Centre Manager commented: “We are excited to welcome Saltrock to the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Bridgend family. Saltrock has…

Pembrokeshire County Council Leader Cllr David Simpson has welcomed the announcement that the planned closure of Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy, will be delayed until 2028. The Barracks, home to 14 Signal Regiment, had originally been due to close in 2024. The extension announcement was made by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace on Thursday, November 25. Cllr Simpson said: “Pembrokeshire and Pembrokeshire County Council is rightly proud of its long and close working relationship with the Armed Forces and especially proud to be home to 14 Signal Regiment at Cawdor Barracks. “The soldiers of 14 Signal Regiment are very much part of the…

Swansea Arena has been sparkling in recent days as early lighting tests continue at the venue. Over 1,600 gold-coloured panels have now been installed around the outside of the development, complete with 95,000 LED lights. Many thousands of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians will have noticed the most recent tests, with thousands of sparkling white lights giving the arena a festive look in the early evenings in the build-up to Christmas. Further preparatory tests will take place in coming weeks and months. The tests will help determine what works best on the arena’s façade to better understand how it can be…

Swimming pools in both Pyle and Pencoed are celebrating 40 years of service this November by offering discounted memberships. The pools, now run by Halo Leisure, both opened in 1981 at a time when no one had ever heard of Zumba, Aqua Aerobics or Boxercise. They have even been used as training facilities for Olympians with one of Britain’s most celebrated triathletes, Helen Jenkins, using the pools on her way to two Triathlon World Championship wins as well as three Olympic Games representing Team GB. Now, both facilities are vital to ensuring more local people get active more often and…