Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea Bay has become home to a host of up-and-coming food and drink producers, with new ventures booming across the region. Many are being helped by Cywain – a Menter a Busnes project that supports the development of growth-orientated businesses in the food and drink sector in Wales. In recognition of the rapidly growing number of small and new food and drink businesses singing up to the project, Cywain has appointed a dedicated Development Manager covering Swansea, Neath, and Port Talbot. Ffion Jones will continue working with existing Cywain clients, bring on new clients  and enhance Cywain’s network of support,…

SMART Towns specialist Clive Davies has been appointed by Antur Cymru Enterprise to head up a new department for Digital Development which will be exploring opportunities presented to both towns and businesses from adopting IoT technology. Clive Davies an established member of Antur Cymru Enterprise and the Telemat IT Support team, brings a wealth of experience as a pioneer of SMART Town methodologies. Antur Cymru will work not only with towns to install and maintain technologies such as LoRaWAN, a low-cost system that facilitates a wide range of monitoring applications but also with businesses to explore further applications for the…

Taco Bell; the world-famous Mexican-inspired restaurant brand will open a new restaurant in Talbot Green on Friday 14th May for take away and click and collect orders, and Monday 17th May for dine in. The launch will mark the brand’s 59th UK restaurant opening. Customers will be able to order in advance via the Taco Bell app or use the digital kiosks in-store to takeaway. Delivery via Uber Eats will be available from Monday 24th May. Local Llantrisant residents are invited to say ‘Hola’ to Taco Bell with a free taco offer when customers download the Taco Bell UK app.…

Residents living near Brombil Reservoir in Margam, Port Talbot, have been suffering from a huge rise in the reservoir’s popularity largely due to people seeking to post photographs of it on social media. It has led to frequent blocked access and severe parking problems for local residents and access for any emergency vehicles has often become blocked. There are also issues involving littering and dog mess. As a result, Neath Port Talbot Council is politely requesting that recreational visitors stay away from the reservoir while a solution to the parking and other problems is worked on. Police, councillors and others…

Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) has been working with Porthcawl Town Council to help provide temporary additional toilet facilities in the town. With many cafes, pubs and restaurants not open fully due to Welsh Government coronavirus restrictions, there is a reduced number of toilets available for visitors under the local authority’s comfort scheme which involves small grants to local businesses in return for the business opening up its toilets to non-paying customers. Earlier this month, temporary toilets were made available at Griffin Park Community Centre as well as the sports pavilion at Rest Bay Playing Fields with both facilities open…

Merthyr County Borough Council has been handed the keys to the new Merthyr Tydfil bus interchange by main contractor Morgan Sindall ahead of the building’s opening next month. All bus services will transfer from the current station in Victoria Street to the new site in Swan Street, which will also feature a base for South Wales Police, independent café Bradleys and takeaway coffee shop Milk & Sugar.  The interchange is then expected to open in mid-May. Construction work began in July 2019 and was completed in 91 weeks.  The £11m station is fully electric, with plans to build on its…

Residents in the Cefn Fforest and Blackwood areas are being asked to give their views on proposals to install a new skate park on the Showfield site. Caerphilly County Borough Council is carrying out consultation on the proposals as part of its Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) programme, which will see around £260 million invested into tenants’ homes and their local communities. An initial consultation was carried out during September 2020, a more comprehensive exercise is being carried out over the coming weeks to gauge the opinions of residents.  The Council will be giving residents the opportunity to complete a…

Newport City Council has pledged its support for Plantlife’s No Mow May campaign. The campaign encourages individuals, councils and stakeholders to help bees, butterflies and other wildlife by letting wild flowers grow on lawns and green spaces throughout May instead of mowing them. The council has pledged its support in recognition of our status as a Bee Friendly City, and on our duty to enhance nature and take actions that help counter the impact of climate change. The move to support the campaign follows on from successful trials of different measures of grass management, and different wildflower seed mixes in…

Cardiff International White Water will re-open on Monday (3rd May). Cardiff Riding School and the council-operated Channel View Leisure Centre will re-open from Tuesday (4th May) as Coronavirus restrictions ease. Cardiff International White Water – all activities (including Park & Play and SUP Social sessions) are pre-bookable online via www.ciww.com where you can view live availability and have full control of the time and date you would like to book. If you need to discuss a booking (or have a gift voucher to redeem, email: [email protected] Channel View Leisure Centre – socially distanced fitness classes and one hour gym slots…

The new Chief Nursing Officer for Wales (CNO) has been confirmed as Sue Tranka, who will join the Welsh Government in summer 2021. Sue’s appointment follows the retirement of Dr Jean White who held the CNO role for ten years. Sue is currently the Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for Patient Safety and Innovation at NHS England and Improvement. She will be the first Black and Minority Ethnic Chief Nursing Officer in the UK. Sue has over 29 years of experience in nursing and has spent the last 22 years working in the National Health Service with her career spanning both…