Author: Rhys Gregory

Parking in town centres in Neath Port Talbot will be free for the month of August 2021 to give support to town centre based businesses whose trade has been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Members of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet approved the idea at their meeting on Wednesday, July 28th  where it was argued as well as helping businesses, the move could also give some assistance to families suffering hardship during the pandemic. Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Ted Latham said: “Unfortunately the pandemic has taken a heavy toll on businesses with many surviving but a number closing…

Bridgend County Borough Council has further extended its concessionary rent scheme for market traders and occupiers of small industrial units. The current 50 per cent discount will run until 31 August 2021, after which a 25 per cent reduction will begin. This will remain in place throughout September, and rents will return to their normal rates in October. The move will mark the conclusion of a phased series of concessionary rates introduced at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 to support small and medium-sized businesses. From an initial rent-free period, this later became a 75 per cent reduction…

A poignant memorial to the victims of the Aberfan mining disaster by acclaimed artist Nathan Wyburn has been installed at A Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park. Visitors to the award-winning attraction are encouraged to spend time at the striking display, called 21.10.1966 144 9.13AM, 2021, to reflect and appreciate the significance of the creation. Made from concrete and steel, the artwork contains 144 clocks – the same number of adults and children who died when a colliery spoil tip collapsed into homes and Pantglas Junior School. Each of the clocks are set to 9.13am, the exact time…

To ensure that a multi-million pound transport and regeneration scheme in Tudor Street can be completed on-time and on-budget, the street will be made one-way for 11 months to ensure that vital street works can take place. The council’s contractor – Knights Brown – is already on-site and has visited shops and businesses on and around Tudor Street to tell them about the temporary arrangements to ensure that excavation works take place on-street to deliver the improvements. The new scheme will see new wider pavements for pedestrians, a new two-way segregated cycle lane; sustainable drainage (SuDS) with rain gardens; a…

The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List – making it the fourth World Heritage Site in Wales. First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford said: “Today’s announcement recognises the significant contribution this part of North Wales has made to the cultural and industrial heritage not only of Wales, but of the wider world.  Welsh slate can be found all over the world. “The quarrying and mining of slate has left a unique legacy in Gwynedd, which the communities are rightly proud of. This worldwide recognition today by UNESCO, will help preserve that legacy and…

The Wales Angel Co-investment Fund has partially exited Coincover, the Cardiff-based platform providing cryptocurrency cover and recovery services, enabling the company  to raise $9.2m in a Series A round led by global venture capital fund Element Ventures. This is the first exit for the Wales Angel Co-Investment Fund which backed a syndicate of business angels led by Ashley Cooper with the maximum amount of £250,000 early stage funding in Coincover in two rounds beginning in November 2018. The Wales Angel Co-Investment Fund  will retain its part of its shareholding  while the Development Bank of Wales will invest a further £390,000…

Industry experts discussed the changing face of the working environment, sharing their experiences and strategies in the latest virtual event facilitated by leading business membership organisation Chambers Wales. 80 businesses registered for the session which was chaired by Rachael Flanagan, Managing Director of Mrs Buckét Cleaning Services and featured Gemma Archibald, COO of Alcumus; Cecilia Fritz, Senior Manager of the People Department at Sony UK Technology Centre; Kevin Mashford, Sales Director at Paramount Interiors; and Mark Siddons, Associate at Cooke & Arkwright. An in-event poll revealed that 41% of businesses are still working from home full time, 59% will not…

Small and medium enterprise (SME) owners in Wales are feeling more optimistic and are keen to invest in growth but are being frustrated by the mix of financial options open to them, according to a survey from ACCA UK (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and The Corporate Finance Network (CFN). Small businesses in Wales have had a strong return to trading with accountants reporting all clients had found trading levels at or above expected levels, compared to 57% of businesses across the UK. They have also shown a surge in confidence over the last few weeks, with 60% of…

With the delayed 2020 Olympics finally underway and Team GB already securing a wealth of medals in Tokyo, a Welsh family-run business is chomping at the bit to see Britain’s athletes bring home even more honours following their efforts in providing expert training facilities in Tokyo. After an operation two years in the making, a team from Absolute Performance in Cardiff recently flew out to Japan to create three optimum strength & conditioning training spaces for Team GB which cater for a vast array of athletic disciplines. The facilities, at Todoroki Stadium, Keio University and the Performance Lodge at Odaiba, have…

No matter your current career, you might feel that changing jobs is the best way for you to move forward. Perhaps you are no longer interested in the field you are in. Or you might have gotten to know a different field and feel it can better utilize your skills or interests. It can be challenging to change your career, but the good news is that you might not have to completely re-learn skills. You might be able to take some of your soft and hard skills to a new position. Learning New Things Improving your skills will allow you…