Author: Rhys Gregory

Nando’s has opened a further 54 restaurants across the UK and Ireland, taking the number of locations to almost 100. There’s good news if you live in Cardiff, as Nando’s in the Brewery Quarter is open for both delivery and collection. According to the Nando’s website, the St David’s 2 restaurant is open for deliveries only, also. The chicken chain has introduced a number of safety measures for staff and customers, including daily briefings with staff before they start work, reduced the number of people working, along with reduced opening hours. In a statement on the Nando’s website, a spokesperson…

Business confidence in Wales increased 17 points during May to -35%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank. Companies in Wales reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, albeit still a negative recording at -27%hen taken alongside their views of the economy, this gives a headline confidence reading of -35%. The Business Barometer questions 1,200 businesses monthly and provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. In an illustration of the impact COVID-19 is having on the region’s business, the majority of firms continued to see demand negatively affected during May, but with…

Eight people in Cardiff are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode. The Lynton Terrace neighbours in Llanrumney netted the windfall when CF3 4BS was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Thursday 28th May 2020. People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson sent his well-wishes to the winners. He said: “What a surprise to start your day! Congratulations to our winners, I hope they enjoy their winnings.” A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to date for…

Caerphilly based X4 Software Limited has secured follow-on investment of £175,000 from the Development Bank of Wales and the backing of business angel investors.   X4 Software trades as SourceMogul. Introduced by Angels Invest Wales, David James is the latest investor to support the business. He previously led Hudman Solutions, an award winning software development business, through two funding rounds as an investor and Managing Director before successfully selling to Advanced in 2017. SourceMogul’s software analyses over 20 million products globally each month to enable online arbitrage professionals to make smart, customised buying decisions. It automates the search for products…

A top trailer maker has helped turn up the heat to create a new luxury sauna on wheels. Finnmark Ltd, which counts celebrities and movie stars among its clients, has launched a fully functioning wood-burning sauna using box van  from Ifor Williams Trailers. The company, run by brothers’ Jake and Max Newport, who are still in their twenties, was launched four years ago and evolved from their shared love of Finnish sauna culture. Their ambition is to make sauna bathing a full-blown event in the UK, as it is in Finland, importing traditional materials from the country and working with…

National Trust gardening experts have shared their top tips for creating a wildlife-friendly space at home. From building bug hotels to growing plants for pollinators, there are a whole range of things to try. As many of us spend more time caring for our gardens, allotments and window-boxes during lockdown, the conservation charity has revealed how just a few small changes can make a big difference for wildlife. Changes that are already being put to good use at Trust places across Wales. Wildlife-friendly gardening is something that the team at Colby Woodland Garden in Pembrokeshire have been championing for many…

Diabetes UK is urging people with diabetes to look after their feet during lockdown and to seek medical help urgently if they notice anything unusual. People with diabetes are at increased risk of developing problems with their feet because high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels, affecting how blood flows to the feet and legs. If something as small as a cut or blister becomes infected, it can develop quickly into an ulcer or infection and, at worst, lead to an amputation. Unhealed ulcers and foot infections are the leading cause of diabetes related amputations, with diabetic foot ulcers…

An aspiring musician from the South Wales valleys has won a global competition to work with a legendary music icon. Christian Punter, 22, from Ferndale in the Rhondda valleys, has beaten off stiff competition from thousands of other budding musicians around the world to win $6,000 and a recording deal with award-winning artist, producer and ‘Eurythmics’ cofounder, Dave Stewart. The talented singer-songwriter, who performs under the stage name ‘Otto’, won the prize after impressing Dave Stewart with his song writing capabilities and is now set to release a collaboration with the star on Stewart’s very own record label. To enter…

This week marks the 6th anniversary since the launch of the JCP Swansea Half Marathon. The brainchild of local friends and runners Nick Francis and David Martin-Jewell who worked tirelessly to organise the inaugural half marathon for the city of Swansea back in 2014. That first year 2,000 runners took on the 13.1 mile route that takes runners from the city to the sea.  Since then, a further 27,000 runners have crossed the finish line and raised millions of pounds for local and national charities. Soon after the inaugural event, the duo grew to a small team of four, forming the…

Nine of the finest new science voices from across the country, including two from Swansea University, will battle to represent the UK in FameLab – the world’s foremost science communication competition. Rebecca Ellis and Dr Elizabeth Evans from Swansea University will have just three minutes to win over the judges with their clarity, charisma and scientific content when they go head-to-head in the final round of the competition which is being held online next month. The winner will win £2,000 and will go on to compete against 24 other countries in the FameLab International Final, to take place at Cheltenham…