Author: Rhys Gregory

A police boss has pledged to put more bobbies on the beat in North Wales. The region’s newly-elected police and crime commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin, says he will increase the number of officers and staff during his three-year term of office. He also promised to improve the technology at their disposal so police officers could spend more time out and about in communities across North Wales, rather than having to return to their police stations to complete form filling or search for information. Mr Dunbobbin gave the assurance in his first Police and Crime Plan which sets out the overall strategy…

Ceredigion County Council has recently won a second award for tackling fuel poverty in Ceredigion and it has also launched a new project to assist 120 residents Working in partnership with Welsh firm, City Energy, Ceredigion County Council delivered significant benefits to 137 vulnerable residents in the area through the Cozy Caron scheme which installed energy-efficient measures in homes last year. The success of the scheme has been recognised by the GO Excellence in Public Procurement Awards Wales and the Regional Energy Efficiency Awards where both organisations were jointly awarded ‘Best Contract Delivery’ and ‘Large Scale Project’. As a result…

Toolstation, one of the UK’s fastest growing and largest suppliers of tools and more, announces the opening of the Abergavenny store on Monday 20th September, based at Mill Street Industrial Estate – creating seven new roles in the area and bringing essential products to local trade and DIY customers.  The opening follows on from Toolstation’s recent 500th UK branch opening in New Malden, Surrey, as the multi-channel business continues to move forward with growth ambitions of opening over 60 branches in 2021, creating over 450 job opportunities. Toolstation offers a wide range of leading brands and trade quality products at…

Major plans for a new £132m life science, well-being and sports campuses project in Swansea that’s expected create over 1,000 jobs are gathering pace. The project is one of nine forming part of the £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal investment across the Swansea Bay City Region. Estimated to be worth more than £150m to the regional economy, the two-site, phased project includes: * The creation of a 700 square metre Institute of Life Science space at the Morriston Hospital site, which will include commercial and academic collaboration alongside clinical research and development * Planning for a new access road from…

Future phases of Swansea city centre developments and investments have been unveiled as a mixed-use destination with investment in lifestyle, family experiences and retail to help increase the number of visitors. Aimed at helping create a more vibrant and sustainable city centre in coming years, a number of proposals have been put forward to build on a multi-million pound investment programme that’s already under way. Led by Swansea Council, the investment programme includes the £135m Copr Bay phase one development, the £12m transformation of The Kingsway and the on-going £3m Wind Street improvement project. Further supporting this investment, the new…

LIMB-Art, which designs and makes ‘the world’s coolest prosthetic leg covers’, has won the Manufacturing Start-up of the Year at the 2021 Wales Start-up Awards. The annual awards showcase the best new businesses in Wales and is open to companies under three years old. Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, who founded the Wales Start-up awards in 2015, said: “The creativity, innovation and sheer hard work demonstrated by all the finalists suggests that entrepreneurial talent in Wales can overcome almost any barrier and thrive in the most difficult of conditions. “Not only have many of the finalists for this year’s awards had to…

The New World Trading Company (NWTC) is bringing its expanding The Club House brand to Mermaid Quay, Schroder UK Real Estate Fund’s (‘SREF’) popular 150,000 sq ft mixed-use destination on the waterfront in Cardiff Bay. The new relaxed dining bar/restaurant will be located in the heart of Mermaid Quay, as part of a high-profile, 9,000 sq ft two-storey unit – complete with balcony area overlooking Tacoma Square and Cardiff Bay – previously occupied by S.A. Brain & Co’s Salt bar.  S.A. Brain & Co’s successful The Dock Bar & Kitchen, operated by Marston’s, will continue to trade at Mermaid Quay.…

Youth movement Urdd Gobaith Cymru is pleased to announce that applications are now open for its brand-new choir – Côr yr Urdd – which will travel to Alabama in 2022. The choir will be formed to mark the Urdd’s centenary in 2022 and offer a once in a lifetime opportunity for young people across Wales to come together and perform in Alabama. Any individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 can apply to be part of the choir and grab a seat on the exclusive trip. There is no need to be a member of a choir already or…

Red Dragon Pubs has added two new pubs to its pubco portfolio – The Pemberton in Burry Port and The Gwesty in Brynmawr. After officially launching at The Aubrey Arms in Ystradgynlais last month (August), Red Dragon Pubs now owns 10 pubs in the Swansea and Gwent Valleys, with plans to expand its portfolio by even more in the coming months. The company is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur James Hunt who, along with a group of investors, have ambitions to acquire and invest in pubs across south Wales in a bid to make Red Dragon Pubs the most familiar…

A TALENTED musician who launched a creative business in lockdown is shooting for start-up success.  Rob Grey is making waves with his new venture, Rad Stuff Photo Video. With the support of Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council’s (DVSC) Change Makers project, the 29 year-old is now winning contracts and clients across North Wales and beyond. Based in Rhyl, Rob is lead singer of pop-punk band Everyone and Anyone and discovered his flair for the visual while on tour with another group who needed someone to capture their performances on camera. Just months later he was making plans to unveil the business…