Author: Rhys Gregory

The Vale of Glamorgan Council – in close partnership with Penarth Town Council and the local community – has published new plans that will help shape the town’s future. Placemaking is a people-centred approach focused on enhancing our towns and  community spaces to make them more welcoming, vibrant, and enjoyable places for everyone. It could involve a wide range of efforts – from major infrastructure upgrades to cultural events and small-scale local projects that are all designed to foster a strong sense of belonging and connection within the community. These plans are the result of an extensive programme of engagement…

A Port Talbot Indian Takeaway Restaurant has been closed after environmental health officials discovered an active infestation of cockroaches there. As well as the cockroach infestation, “filthy” conditions were discovered at the Mirchi Masalla restaurant on Commercial Road, Taibach, which presented an imminent risk to public health. On July 21st, 2025, Environmental Health Officers of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Food Safety and Health Protection department issued a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice served under Regulation 8 of the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 during a visit to the business. This required the restaurant to shut its doors to the public immediately. Officers…

Library services will return to Pill from the beginning of August thanks to a partnership between the council and the Yemeni Cultural Association. It will host a pop-up library in its centre in Temple Street that will be available to all residents in the area. It will feature a small display of books which can be borrowed using a self-service checkout machine. Library users can also reserve and collect items from the centre. Other library activities such as the summer reading challenge and book clubs will also be offered at the venue. Councillor Jason Hughes, Newport City Council’s cabinet member,…

The future is looking bright for one of Caerphilly County Borough’s most cherished heritage sites, Llancaiach Fawr Manor House in Nelson, following the announcement that a preferred operator has now been selected to take over the running of the popular venue. The historic 16th-century manor house, a major tourist attraction and educational resource, closed its doors at the end of December 2024. The closure came as Caerphilly County Borough Council explored alternative delivery models in an effort to reduce the venue’s significant running costs, which included an annual subsidy of approximately £500,000. As part of a formal procurement process, several…

Brand new electric trains offering travellers an improved customer experience are now being used on Transport for Wales services between Coryton, Caerphilly and Penarth. An additional five new tri-mode Class 756 trains, which are part of the Welsh Government’s £800m investment in new trains, will join the fleet that are already transforming passenger’s experiences on the Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert lines, taking the total of brand-new electric trains in service daily to 19 (with 24 in the total fleet). The new trains, which provide 50% more capacity and improved accessibility, including level boarding, are being introduced after a successful trial…

When the first wave of electric vehicles (EVs) hit the roads, many drivers marvelled at the silence, the instant torque, and the sense that they were stepping into the future. But one of the quieter revolutions in EV ownership has unfolded not on the road, but in the garage. For decades, car servicing followed a familiar rhythm: oil changes every few thousand miles, regular spark plug replacements, timing belt concerns, exhaust system repairs—the list went on. These scheduled rituals were almost sacred in the ownership experience. With EVs, that calendar is getting torn up and rewritten. Fewer Moving Parts, Fewer…

Deal or No Deal’s return to our television screens has turned out to be the reboot that the British public didn’t realise it needed. The reborn edition of Deal or No Deal, hosted by Stephen Mulhern, has proven to be one of the surprise hits on ITV in recent months. The infectious energy of Mulhern, coupled with a string of high-drama games, has breathed new life into the classic show. In fact, it appears to have reignited the same engagement and excitement in viewers as the original led by Noel Edmonds. There have been several memorable winners from Wales during…

A pioneering net-zero scheme is set to pump over £600,000 into the Vale of Clwyd economy over the next five years. Phase One of Net Zero Horizons programme was rolled out last year on the Colomendy Industrial Estate in Denbigh where over 40 businesses received free training and consultancy to help them cut their carbon emissions with 13 of them attracting over £300,000 in grants for renewable schemes. The businesses involved are forecast to cut their energy bills and save themselves £250,000 over five years and Phase Two could add another £375,000 to that impressive figure. The scheme is again…

Young cricketers in Denbighshire chalked up a thrilling win against local rivals in a nail-biting finish which saw them get home with just seven balls to spare. It was a fine win for Ruthin Under-13s and they certainly look the part when they take the field against St Asaph thanks to a sponsorship from fast-growing local law firm Swayne Johnson which has seen them kitted out in smart new white shirts. Swayne Johnson boast their own cricketing heritage just up the road at Denbigh where the firm has a long association with the town club and an early partner, Guy…

The renowned bluestone boulders of Stonehenge were transported from Pembrokeshire to Salisbury Plain by humans and not glaciers as previously claimed, according to new scientific research. A team of experts led by Aberystwyth University – in collaboration with scientists from University College London, the University of South Wales and the University of Exeter – has revisited arguments around whether the large stones were moved more than 200km from west Wales to Wiltshire by ice or people. They focused their study on a distinctive piece of rock known as the ‘Newall boulder’, which was excavated at Stonehenge in 1924 and which…