Author: Rhys Gregory

Dial M For Murder is best known for the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock film, despite its origins being that of English playwright Frederick Knott. The new production of Frederick Knott’s stage and screenplay is directed by Anthony Banks. Although this particular version has been doing the circuit since early 2020, it has been a regular in theatres since the mid 50s. However, this particular theatre production stands out. Those familiar with Frederick’s work will know that the playwright is renowned for his complex crime thrillers, which this one is not. Instead, it takes on Hitchcock’s style of a simple plot, which…

Almost twice as many new businesses have opened up than have shut in Swansea City Centre the past 20 months, according to new data from Swansea BID (Business Improvement District), with many of the new ventures helping to make the area a mecca for foodies. New retail and hospitality ventures that have opened their doors in the heart of Swansea from February 2020 include: T&S nails Toyland Inspire Training Positinao Express Pappudoc Millie Foglia Flamingo Vintage Driftwood Lotus Nails Albania kitchen Bambino’s Taco Bell Chester Swan Ace of Fades The Entertainer Lux nails FSD training Phone Store Belman Paris One…

National training provider Learning Curve Group (LCG) is delighted to announce the acquisition of Cardiff-based Motivational Preparation College for Training (MPCT), in a move which will complement its existing academy provision. LCG, who already have pre-uniformed services academies across Yorkshire, will see the addition of a further 30 locations and 180 employees across England and Wales as part of the transaction, becoming the largest military training organisation outside of the Ministry of Defence themselves. MPCT was founded in 1999 by ex-Army Officer Huw Lewis MBE and has helped tens of thousands of school leavers gain the practical and academic skills…

Principality Building Society has partnered with environmental experts ClimatePartner to help the member-owned organisation measure, reduce and offset the carbon footprint of its operations. The largest building society in Wales, which employs more than 1,000 people and has 71 branches and agencies, has an ambition of being carbon neutral from 2021, and has set a net zero business operations target by 2030. ClimatePartner, who have been helping companies around the world take climate action for the past 15 years, will support Principality in creating a detailed carbon reduction roadmap including a corporate carbon footprint assessment. This will then inform specific…

A mum of two who is severely dyslexic and left school at 16 with no qualifications has landed a top job at one of Wales’s leading care organisations. Nicola Brantley, 37, has been appointed Deputy Care Operations Officer, for the award-winning Pendine Park care organisation which looks after 450 residents at eight homes in Wrexham and Caernarfon and employs over 800 staff. The Birkenhead-born healthcare specialist left Rock Ferry High School with a blank CV. She said: “At school, I was basically left at the back of the classroom because I was considered to be a non-starter academically speaking.” “Leaving…

Chopstix, the Pan-Asian noodle chain, has announced it will be opening its doors in Swansea on Thursday 11th November, bringing Pan-Asian delights to the city! Located at 806 Oxford Street, Swansea, SA1 3AF, the store will include the brands ‘living wall’ and some new screen features including the debut of the ‘animated Chopstix Anime Girl’ along with the now famous decor reflecting the quirky and fun ethos of the Chopstix brand. Customers will be able to enjoy a host of Pan-Asian flavours including Salt ‘N’ Pepper Chicken, as well as customer favourites Chicken Katsu Curry and Caramel Drizzle Chicken. Throughout…

Rare wildflowers are thriving in Denbighshire thanks to the results of a biodiversity project. Denbighshire’s biodiversity team behind the Wildflower Meadow project has revealed that a total of 268 different wildflower species have been recorded across the project sites over the last two years. Amongst the wildflowers recorded, nearly a quarter were classified as a scarce and/or rare species within the Denbighshire. As part of Denbighshire County Council’s ongoing commitment to enhancing biodiversity across the county, nearly 60 sites, including highway verges, footpath edges, cycleways and amenity grasslands, are being managed to create wildflower meadows. These sites, along with the…

Investment in full fibre and mobile connectivity in Wales could unlock 24,000 jobs, boost the economy by more than £2.46 billion by 2026 and help tackle inequality according to new research from Virgin Media O2 and economic modelling experts Oxford Analytica. The research reveals investment could provide a multi-million-pound economic boost to regions across Wales, with the Cardiff Capital Region (£896m), North Wales (£407m) and Mid Wales (£99m) all set to see sizable economic uplifts. The findings are revealed in the first ever Digital Connectivity Index which uses thousands of OECD datapoints to measure how individuals and organisations can connect…

A FLIGHT attendant who was made redundant during the Covid-19 pandemic has landed a new job at the Welsh Ambulance Service. Sarah Goulding, of Connah’s Quay, Flintshire, has joined the Trust as an Ambulance Care Assistant after an illustrious 32-year career with British Airways. The mother-of-two was one of 10,000 British Airways workers to have lost their jobs at the height of the pandemic. Sarah, 54, was inspired to re-train for the ambulance service having given life-saving first aid to dozens of passengers over the years. She said: “I had an amazing career with British Airways and was fortunate to…

The Original Factory Shop, the UK’s leading local, value brand retailer, has partnered with the Co-op to open a new concession inside their Lampeter store, creating seven new jobs in the local community. The brand new concession, which occupies 3,467 square feet, will see the retailer bring its range of bargain-based clothing, pet products, electricals, homewares, a party shop service and reserve and collect to the local community in a shop within a shop concept. As a result of the move, The Original Factory Shop will be creating seven jobs. The Original Factory Shop area manager Nigel Elliot says: “We’ve got a fantastic…