Author: Rhys Gregory

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…

More than 20 additional trainee teachers will be in Bridgend County Borough schools this autumn term as part of a new Welsh Government placement scheme. Aimed at supporting newly-qualified teachers by providing them with a term of employment to support their transition into teaching, the scheme will also allow schools to increase capacity and free up other teachers to provide extra help to vulnerable learners. Within Bridgend County Borough, 17 primary, secondary and special schools will benefit from a total of 21 trainee teachers. We know the last 18 months has been incredibly difficult for learners and teachers with schooling…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has today (1st September) unveiled plans to begin reopening its buildings. Its Penallta House headquarters is likely to be the first to open its doors to members of the public in September, whilst assessments are carried out in remaining buildings and a further report considered by Cabinet on 29th September. The plans are being undertaken in line with the move to Alert Level Zero in Wales and associated guidance from Welsh Government. Since the onset of the pandemic the Council has continued delivering critical services from locations such as residential homes. All libraries in the…

If you think of the MMORPG genre, one name is sure to jump to mind: World of Warcraft. For almost two decades it has reigned supreme as the archetypal MMO, to the point that its fair to say most games in the genre which came after were heavily influenced by its design—for better or for worse. Since its release in 2004, it has kept a strong player base despite retaining a notably high subscription price. Many of these players, of course, have been here for the long haul—veterans who have pumped tens of thousands of hours into the game. While…

Year after year, more and more gambling sites are flooding the UK market. For first-time players this can make choosing an ideal place at which to play mighty difficult. To take some of the guesswork out of your search, we’ve assembled the best gambling sites available – and have explained how we chose them. Table of Contents: BetVictor 888casino Mr. Play Betway Bet365 Casimba PlayOJO Mansion Casino The Grand Ivy Grosvenor What Makes a Good Gambling Site? Summary FAQs You can jump to any of the featured online gambling sites to get the low down on their advantages and disadvantages…

A leading Welsh cheesemaker has delivered a record year with operating profits of £3.4 million on sales of £61.5 million. South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC) has achieved that alongside starting work on a major expansion at their headquarters at Chwilog, near Pwllheli, which will be completed by 2024. It will increase capacity at Wales’s largest farmer-owned dairy co-operative from the current 15,000 tons of cheese a year to 23,000 tons and create an extra 30 jobs, taking the workforce to 160. Managing Director Alan Wyn Jones said: “Our main priority in the pandemic has been the health and well-being of our…

Focus Newtown Enterprise Hub is to hold a ‘She Can Start 2’ virtual conference following the huge success of the first event in February, which saw more than 100 people hear the inspirational journeys that women have taken to launch businesses. The conference, on September 10 from 10am to 4pm, will feature five, award-winning speakers. The aim of the event is to stimulate fresh ideas, create genuine collaboration and a focus on the practical ways in which we can all work together. The speakers are Dr Sarah Beynon, founder of The Bug Farm, Hannah Hoskins, owner of Not Your Grandma’s,…

THE Welsh Ambulance Service is appealing to the public to use its services wisely as it recovers from a busy Bank Holiday weekend. More than 4,200 calls were made to 999 over the three-day weekend, up three per cent from the same weekend last year but down six per cent from the spring Bank Holiday weekend in May. More than 370 calls (nine per cent) were immediately life-threatening ‘Red’ calls – but almost a fifth (19 per cent) were non-urgent ‘Green’ calls. Among them was someone who said they had lost a toenail, someone who had gashed their shin by…

More than 150 of Wales’ historic sites, landmarks and hidden gems will offer visitors free entry, events or guided tours this September, as 2021 marks the return of Open Doors. Funded and organised by Cadw, the ever-popular festival of Wales’ built heritage will this year, encourage Welsh residents and visitors alike to explore some of the country’s lesser-known and smaller-scale sites ― several of which are usually closed to the public. The 2021 programme will feature events at a range of historical venues, including Margam Stones Museum, Denbigh Library and Pembrey Training Dome. What’s more, 18 Cadw sites are taking…