Author: Rhys Gregory

Pan-Asian noodle chain Chopstix is ready to ‘wok’ and roll as it reveals an updated look for its Bridgend store. Situated at McArthur Glen, Derwen, Bridgend, CF32 9SU, the revamped store, which is part of the brand’s continuing Welsh expansion, has seen a number of new features added, including a living wall, sparkling star lights and a timber clad counter, with the decor reflecting the quirky and fun nature of the Chopstix brand. Wok Masters can be seen creating fresh Chopstix dishes, all served from an eye-catching wok station, ready to ‘wok and go’. Customers will once again be able…

Families in Wales may be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare to help pay for breakfast and after school clubs as children go back to school. Families are eligible to save money on their childcare and benefit from a government top-up worth up to £2,000 every year, or up to £4,000 a year if a child is disabled. In June 2021, about 10,445 families in Wales benefited from using Tax-Free Childcare, but thousands are missing out on this opportunity. Tax-Free Childcare is available to eligible parents or carers who have children aged up to 11, or 17 if their child is disabled.…

Swansea-based homelessness and food poverty social action project Matthew’s House (of The Hill Church Charity) is today (31 Aug) launching a new smartphone app called Hope in Swansea – the first of its kind in the UK – connecting people in need of hope with the organisations in Swansea who provide it. Signposting support available for housing, mental health, food poverty, isolation, abuse, seeking asylum, discrimination, or even a warm shower, this free app will provide location-specific, cross-organisation information with one simple click of a button: “Hope is just a click away”. This directory of support services for vulnerable people…

The Royal Mint, inspired by Disney, has today unveiled the next coin in their Winnie the Pooh and Friends collection. The latest collectable 50p coin features a group shot of the loveable characters, celebrating 95 years since the beloved bear first began his adventures. Created by the Original Maker of UK coins, the commemorative design features Winnie the Pooh and his trusted friends; Piglet, Owl, Eeyore, Rabbit, Tigger, Kanga and Roo on a 50p piece. Last year, The Royal Mint released the first three designs, featuring Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin and Piglet. The design of the coin is inspired…

The Red Dragon Centre is joining organisations nationwide to celebrate ‘One Great Day’, a charity fundraising event in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH) and local children’s health charities. Alongside raising money for GOSH, The Red Dragon Centre will again fundraise for local Welsh charity Tŷ Hafan, with all funds raised being split equally between the two charities. The popular entertainment centre in Cardiff Bay is inviting visitors to enjoy a great day out this September and support its fundraising effort by donating at the QR point underneath the One Great Day balloon arch. Alternatively, Ty Hafan…

Conwy County Borough Council is digitally transforming its business management and finance systems, which are used by thousands of employees, after awarding a contract to enterprise SaaS provider software company TechnologyOne. The Welsh unitary authority, which employs over 4,400 people and provides 118,000 residents with services ranging from education, leisure facilities, social services, waste management and highways maintenance, will replace on-site legacy systems that date back many years and switch to new state-of-the-art OneCouncil Software as a Service (SaaS). The move to the new software will help the council improve real-time financial decision making and business reporting. TechnologyOne’s SaaS technology will provide…

To celebrate Love Lamb Week 2021 (1-7 September) PGI Welsh Lamb have teamed up with leading London chef Francesco Mazzei in what is sure to be a tasty fusion of high-end Italian and Welsh cuisine. The industry-wide initiative is now in its seventh year and will focus on the sustainability of lamb production in this country and the role it plays in maintaining the unique landscapes that we know and love. Fresh from his appearance on ITV1’s ‘Cooking with the Stars’, where he teamed up with celebrity Denise van Outen, Francesco will be sharing four of his favourite Welsh Lamb…

Orchard Street Investment Management (‘Orchard Street’), the specialist commercial property investment manager, has signed a c.4,000 sq ft letting with Thai restaurant chain Busaba at the Brewery Quarter, one of Cardiff’s leading leisure destinations. The company has agreed to a 15-year lease across the ground and terrace floors of the property, which will be home to Busaba’s first restaurant in Wales. Spread across more than 65,000 sq ft, the Brewery Quarter has been purposefully designed to maximise both inside and outside space, a feature which has retained its popularity following the rise in outside dining during the past year, and…

BGF – the UK and Ireland’s most active growth capital investor – has announced a £14 million investment in Victorian Sliders, a South Wales based business which is the UK’s only fully integrated, specialist manufacturer of uPVC sash windows. Victorian Sliders’ end-to-end production facilities, from recycling of raw materials through to extrusion and fabrication, provides it with an excellent position in the growing home renovation market. The company delivers a high-quality, fully customised, eco product in industry leading timescales. Established in 2005, Victorian Sliders is led by its founder and CEO, Scot Starkey. With a strong focus on customer service…

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Planning Committee has granted Persimmon Homes West Wales conditional planning permission to build 137 homes on the site of the former Afan Lido Leisure Centre on the Aberavon Seafront. The development on the spectacular beach front location will include two, three and four-bedroom houses as well as a range of two-bedroom flats. The Afan Lido Leisure Centre, officially opened by The Queen, was burned down by a fire in 2009 and the prime site has been unused since then. Over the past two decades, Neath Port Talbot Council has been undertaking a major regeneration of the…