Author: Rhys Gregory

First Minister Mark Drakeford will today (Friday 31 July) set out changes to the coronavirus regulations in Wales making it easier for families and friends to meet outdoors. From Monday (August 3), up to 30 people will be able to meet outdoors and children under 11 will no longer have to maintain a 2m distance from each other or from adults – in line with the latest scientific evidence about lower transmission rates in this age group. Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes will be able to re-open indoors from Monday, as will indoor bowling alleys, auction houses and bingo halls.…

Corporate law firm Greenaway Scott (part of the GS Verde Group) has been named as Wales’ most active legal team for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the first half of 2020, in a report by Experian Market IQ.      The Experian Market IQ report compiles UK, European and Global M&A activity and corporate finance research. The report tracks deal activity throughout the year and the ranking outlines the most active advisers in each region.  Greenaway Scott was previously named as Wales’ most active M&A adviser for the full calendar year 2019 and the results for the first half of 2020 mean…

Accountancy firm Bevan Buckland LLP has announced the appointment of Andrew Knott as Senior Executive Tax Manager. Andrew brings over 14 years of expertise to the Bevan Buckland LLP team, along with more recent experience as a former Deloitte employee. The bright and articulate CTA qualified tax advisor started his career in a mid-sized local practice before moving to a Big 4 firm to specialise in partnership tax. Here he progressed to become Associate Director, a heavily client-facing role that focused on managing high-value relationships and tendering for new work. “After 14 years of working in tax in both local…

Even in these unusual and challenging times, Wales is still able to welcome its latest cohort of law graduates into the world of work. But now the focus turns to securing that first job, which is the next challenge for university leavers. With Welsh job vacancies down 55% year-on-year in June, competition for opportunities is going to be fierce this summer. Not that it should put off prospective applicants, though. There are still some useful ways to enhance your prospects. Got a particular field in mind? To start with, it can be a huge advantage if you know which branch…

This week sees work begin on installing Transport for Wales’ (TfW) branding to its brand-new headquarters at Llys Cadwyn in the heart of Pontypridd’s town centre. TfW announced back in 2017 that it would be moving out of its Welsh capital location and creating a new home for its workforce in the South Wales valleys, as part of its commitment to support Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s ambitious regeneration plans and inward investment activities. James Price, Transport for Wales CEO, said: “We’ve been planning our move to Pontypridd for over three years, so having our branding displayed in the heart of…

Openreach has outlined plans to make ultra-reliable and gigabit-capable full fibre broadband available to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in 45 market towns and villages across Wales. The new locations, including Aberystwyth, Llanelli, Abergavenny and Bangor will be upgraded by Openreach, without taxpayer subsidy and it’s hoped having access to some of the fastest broadband speeds in Europe will boost their post-covid economic recovery. Work is expected to get underway in many of the announced locations within the next 12-18 months, although due to the size of the build, some places will see work continue into 2024.The new…

Customs intermediaries can apply for £50 million of new funding, first announced in June 2020, to increase their capacity to make declarations ahead of 2021. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which is running the scheme, is encouraging customs intermediaries and traders who make their own declarations to take advantage of the funding now. After the transition period ends, intermediaries, such as brokers, freight forwarders and express parcel operators, will play a critical role for businesses, and the government wants to create conditions for a diverse market. HMRC had already made up to £34 million available to bolster the intermediary sector,…

South Wales Police is appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision that occurred at around 6:45pm on Tuesday 28th July 2020 on Boverton Road at its junction with the B4265 Llantwit Major. A Black ‘07’ registered Honda Civic car was in collision with a male pedestrian  As a result of the collision the man passed away at scene. The driver of the Honda Civic was unhurt. South Wales Police is appealing for any witnesses to contact them. The Police would like to speak to anyone who witnessed the collision, who stopped to provide assistance, or anyone who may…

A mother and daughter are hosting a Macmillan Coffee Morning with a difference – a drive through! With the coronavirus making a face-to-face World’s Biggest Coffee Morning a challenge, Cerys Jones and her daughter Lowri Parsons decided to host theirs as a drive through. Veteran Macmillan supporters Cerys and Lowri, 16, have asked attendees to order their tasty treats in advance of the event on Saturday 1 August. They can either collect them from their home in Pencoed via drive through while socially distancing or the duo will deliver them for an additional donation to Macmillan. And they have already…

Mrs Buckét, the specialist cleaning operation in Wales and the South West, has appointed Claire Storer to its senior team. After nearly two decades in sales and recruitment across London and the Middle East, Storer wanted to look for a new challenge away from the numbers-focused culture, instead pivoting to a much more person-centric role. Storer’s new role with Mrs Buckét revolves around HR, recruitment and retention. After four new accounts won solely over the past three months, an impressive growth of 20 per cent, Storer joins at a time of fast-paced expansion for the cleaning specialist. She is responsible…