Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea’s on-going regeneration throughout the pandemic has been a ‘real boost’ to the city, according to a local business. Hayley Davies and Keith Thomas, of JCP Solicitors, say the multi-million pound investments in the city mean Swansea’s business community is positive about the future. Regeneration being led by Swansea Council includes the £135m Copr Bay phase one development, featuring the 3,500-capacity Swansea Arena, a 1.1-acre coastal park, a landmark bridge, car parking, new homes and spaces for leisure and hospitality businesses. With Copr Bay phase one construction due for completion in the autumn, this follows on from a £12m transformation…

A number of measures used to help keep pupils and staff safe at schools in the Swansea Bay area last term are to be retained. Due to the high number of people across the region testing positive for Covid-19, public health leaders are asking schools to retain a number of precautions that were in place before the summer in line with latest Welsh Government guidance. This means that pupils and staff at comprehensives will continue to be encouraged to take twice weekly LFT tests and be expected to wear face coverings indoors although not in classrooms. Face masks will also…

A new tourism campaign fronted by Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (NPTCBC) is being launched this month. The Dramatic Heart of Wales campaign is hoping to attract tourists to the area for overnight stays towards the end of 2021 and into 2022. The campaign will highlight the rich natural beauty, world-class adventure activities and unique heritage that can be found within Neath Port Talbot – ‘The Dramatic Heart of Wales’. Tourism providers were invited to join together to offer tailored experiences that will appeal to a range of travellers from individuals, families, thrill-seekers and those looking for a slower-paced…

Carn Rovers FC has taken over responsibility for Cwm Garw Pavilion and Playing Fields in the Garw Valley after agreeing a 35-year lease with Bridgend County Borough Council. After securing the transfer last week as part of the local authority’s Community Asset Transfer (CAT) programme, Carn Rovers aim to make improvements to the existing pavilion and playing fields. The project will be funded in partnership with the council under the CAT Fund with funding of £10,883 made available for pavilion improvements as well as £10,000 towards the cost of pitch maintenance equipment. The typical size of a soccer field dimensions is 120 yards…

Work to support Welsh language skills and use will receive £2.4m in Covid recovery funding, to help keep Wales on its route to doubling the daily use of Welsh by 2050. In support of its 2050 Work Programme, the Welsh Government has today announced funding to support school-level late immersion Welsh learners and Welsh language skills development, along with helping the National Eisteddfod as Wales looks forward to welcoming the return of the festival in 2022. The announcement comes as the results of the Welsh Language Use Survey for 2019-20 show more than half (56%) of Welsh speakers aged three…

NEW jobs and new homes are being created in the South West of England as the Edenstone Group expands its operation with the opening of its first office outside of Wales. Headquartered in Magor, the ambitious business, established in 2003, is targeting turnover of more than £100 million by 2023 and aims to increase the number of homes it builds by 66% in the current financial year. The new office, overlooking Portishead Marina, will be key to the company’s growth plans. It was officially opened by Dr Liam Fox, MP for North Somerset. Dr Fox said: “North Somerset is a…

The best site managers in house building in Wales gathered to celebrate their achievements at NHBC’s Pride in the Job 2021 Awards which were held in Cardiff last week. Organised by NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, the awards are the most highly regarded in the house building industry. They recognise site managers dedicated to achieving the highest standards in house building and committed to building homes of outstanding quality for their customers. A series of regional events are taking place throughout September, October and November providing the opportunity to celebrate the Quality Award winners…

Sero today announces a partnership with entech pioneer Octopus Energy to power its zero carbon homes. The energy supplier’s industry-leading smart tariffs has the potential to give Sero customers cheaper, greener power throughout the year. Households will be able to reap the benefits from dynamic pricing based on half-hourly costs of wholesale energy, allowing them to use energy at off-peak times when there is less demand on the grid and energy is cheaper and cleaner. The smart tariffs available will integrate seamlessly with Sero’s existing smart energy systems, storage and renewable technologies. It means customers can choose their daily comfort…

Aldi is set to open a brand new store in Swansea on Thursday 30th September at 8am. The new store will be run by Store Manager Jo Scanlon, along with a team of 28 colleagues from the local community. As part of Aldi’s investment in local communities across the UK, the Parc Tawe store will offer more customers access to Aldi’s high quality, low-price products. The new store will offer fresh, Welsh meat products with weekly offers, Aldi’s award winning ‘Specially Selected’ range – which was recently voted ‘Favourite Premium Supermarket Range’ by readers of Good Housekeeping magazine for the…

Simon Wright, restaurateur, broadcaster, food writer, and consultant has been appointed to the role of Professor of Practice by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD). The title of Professor of Practice is awarded to acknowledge an individual’s academic and/or professional distinction in a field which is aligned to the University’s mission and strategic direction. Professor Simon Wright’s expertise will be pivotal in assisting the University to develop initiatives which aim to deliver economic, social and cultural growth linked to local food and hospitality, sustainability, agriculture and rural entrepreneurship. Professor Wright is a renowned champion of Welsh food and…