Author: Rhys Gregory

Residents and visitors looking forward to attending Swansea’s annual Christmas parade on November 21 are being urged to plan ahead. Thousands are expected to enjoy the free council event that will feature a vibrant mix of local community groups, spectacular professional entertainers, marching bands, magical floats, colourful film characters and festive inflatables. Santa will be there too – to switch on the improved and expanded city centre Christmas lights. The council is encouraging those planning to attend to check the arrangements, plan ahead, aim to arrive in good time for the start – and spread out along the route to…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet have approved extending the current Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to include banning all dogs from council owned marked sports pitches. Since the introduction of the PSPO in October 2017 over 2136 complaints of dog fouling have been investigated. 64 Fixed Penalty Notices have been served for either dog fouling or for failing to carry bags to clean up dog waste. There have also been 28 prosecutions of those who refused to pay the fine. A ten-week consultation with residents and key stakeholders including Gwent Police, Dogs Trust, the Kennel Club was held earlier this…

Cardiff Council has begun the ground investigation works to Roath Park Dam to make sure one of Cardiff’s most loved parks can be enjoyed safely now and for future generations. Following a regular inspection (under the Reservoirs Act 1975), it was found that the spillway, which is the waterfall beside the café, would not be large enough to withstand a theoretical extreme flooding event and improvement works are now required. Cardiff Council has appointed engineering consultant Arup to undertake a detailed study to identify the best options for ensuring the future effectiveness of the dam. Listed Building Consent has recently…

Applications for primary school places to start in September 2022 open this week, (Monday 15 November 2021) and parents are encouraged to make use of all three preferences to get the best chance of securing a school they want. Cardiff Council is also appealing to families to apply on time and to remember that a child is not automatically entitled to a reception place at a primary school where they attend the nursery. A new application must be made for a reception class place at primary school. Further guidance has been issued byCardiff Council’s School Admissions team whohave identified 7…

A new £51m package of support will help families facing the cost-of-living crisis to pay their bills this winter, Welsh Ministers announced today. The Welsh Government is releasing extra funding from its reserves to target support towards lower income households, providing immediate support for people facing rising living costs this winter. The first phase of the Household Support Fund will target heating and eating – providing families with extra help to pay their energy bills over the winter and giving extra funding to foodbanks and community food schemes. It comes as the UK Government has refused to reverse the cut…

Wales is a beautiful country, so it is not surprising people from all around the globe decide to visit.  The ongoing pandemic has forced a lot of people to ditch their backpacking plans, but countries like Wales are trying to get back to ‘normal’, so tourists are once again welcome to visit the country. The country’s coastline is extremely popular amongst backpackers. The green valleys are also a popular destination for tourists who enjoy the great outdoors. There are lots of unique small villages worth checking out, and the local people are often friendly, and seem to enjoy meeting new…

If you are looking to buy a property, you might have noticed that some properties marketed on selling platforms, such as Zoopla or Rightmove, have been sold using the Modern Method of Auction. But what does this actually mean? The Modern Method of Auction is a hybrid approach to property selling: a cross between traditional selling via estate agents and an auction. The seller sets the rules for the property auction with the help of the estate agent/auctioneer, which includes: Setting a commencement date for the auction to start Choosing the time frame/duration of the auction (typically 28-30 days, although…

The University of South Wales (USW) has announced an industry partnership with award-winning record label Libertino, offering Music students access to masterclasses, bespoke business briefs and a graduate award for excellence. CEO of Libertino Records, Gruff Owen, will bring his considerable experience to the University’s MA Songwriting and Production course, having helped the label grow considerably in recent years to boast more than 20 internationally-renowned artists who create and perform through the medium of Welsh and English. Libertino is home to the mighty Adwaith, who won the Welsh Music Prize in 2019, along with Keys, N’famady Kouyate, Sister Wives and…

One of the nation’s best loved Strictly Come Dancing professionals, Robin Windsor, is coming out of retirement to star in Come What May, one of the UK’s most exciting theatre productions touring across the UK in Spring 2022, is at Swansea Grand Theatre on 19 February 2022. Come What May – The Ultimate Tribute to Moulin Rouge and other hit movie musicals, including Rocketman, The Greatest Showman, A Star is Born, Burlesque and more, has announced full casting. Joining Robin Windsor are Charlotte Gallagher, David Wyatt, Ollie Augustin, Óscar Fonseca, Chloe Gatward, Emma Jane, Georgia McEnaney, Hannah Morcos, Stuart Rouse…

On May 14th, Paul Weller released his 16th solo album since his self-titled debut in 1992, his fourth in as many years and his second in just under twelve months following June 2020’s magnificent, chart-topping On Sunset. It’s not hyperbole to state that this new album, titled Fat Pop (Volume 1), is among his most compelling collections, bar none, including all of his era-defining work in the 1970s and ‘80s with The Jam and The Style Council. It’s an absolute scorcher. The show at Swansea’s Singleton Park that will feature work across his prolific career & his brilliant new material,…