Author: Rhys Gregory

Two new senior business development staff have been appointed to Chepstow and Ffos Las Racecourses. Kevin Hire is the new Business Relationship Manager for both Chepstow and Ffos Las. [aoa id=”1″]Kevin, from Ammanford, brings a wealth of experience of looking after key clients in the South Wales area having worked for over 30 years in regional media including managing teams in both the print and radio industries. Kevin said: “I’m thoroughly enjoying my new challenge promoting two quality racecourses across South Wales.”[/aoa] Kevin has an extensive sporting background having played rugby locally for Llanelli and Burry Port RFC in his…

Swansea University has played a key role in transatlantic research to develop a greater understanding of megaviruses and their potential to cause life-threatening illnesses. [aoa id=”1″]The findings, which have just been published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), examine the unexpected genes carried by these giant viruses found inside amoebae.[/aoa] Professor David Lamb, recipient of a highly prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, worked with his Swansea University Medical School colleagues Professor Steven Kelly, Dr Claire Price and Dr Andrew Warrilow on the paper On the occurrence of cytochrome P450 in viruses.…

Applications are now open for October’s intake at the NatWest Entrepreneur Accelerator in Cardiff. [aoa id=”1″]Entrepreneurs from across Wales are being encouraged to take part in the programme, which helps them scale and grow their businesses. Fully funded by NatWest the six month programme is open to entrepreneurs of any age and at any stage of their business, including larger companies with higher turnovers. It provides successful applicants with coaching and support and office facilities at its One Central Square headquarters.[/aoa] The accelerator takes in two cohorts of 80 entrepreneurs each year – one in April and one in October.…

Tributes have been paid to Olympic hero Ken Matthews MBE who has died at the age of 84. Mr Matthews, who won the 20k walking race for Great Britain at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games,  passed away on Sunday at Wrexham Maelor Hospital after being taken ill on Saturday night at Pendine Park’s Hillbury Care Home. He was diagnosed with vascular dementia in August 2016 and moved to live at Hillbury House in January. Mr Matthews leaves his son, Ian, 52, and three grandchildren, Daniel, 23, Georgia, 21, and Joel, 14. Son Ian was his dad’s full-time carer until January and…

Schroder UK Real Estate Fund (‘SREF’) has signed a deal to bring Hubbox to Mermaid Quay, the popular 150,000 sq ft mixed-use destination on the waterfront in Cardiff Bay, as the fund continues its multi-million pound strategic repositioning of the scheme. [aoa id=”1″]Hubbox is a small, independent chain with seven outlets across South West England, this letting marks its first restaurant in Wales. The restaurant has taken a 3,000 sq ft unit, with 500 sq ft of outside seating, located next door to Cosy Club, which opens its doors  this month.  Everyman will open an 11,500 sq ft, 5-screen boutique cinema…

Businesses are being encouraged to support the inaugural Mid Wales Tourism Awards which are now open to entries. The biennial awards are designed to celebrate and showcase the region’s exceptional tourism industry and the talented businesses, organisations and individuals driving the sector forward. [aoa id=”1″]There are 16 categories for businesses and individuals to enter and the closing date for entries is July 31. Entry forms may be downloaded from the awards website at https://www.midwalestourismawards.co.uk/[/aoa] The categories are: Best Hotel, Best B&B, Best Guest Accommodation, Restaurant with Rooms or Inn, Best Self Catering, Best Camping or Touring Park, Best Holiday Park…

Falklands war veteran Simon Weston has returned to his roots, having recently relocated his successful security management business to Caerphilly county borough. [aoa id=”1″]Simon, who originally comes from Nelson, and his business partner Paul Hartshorn have relocated Weston FM Group from Pontypool and taken up a lease at one of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s business properties at One Foxes Lane on Oakdale Business Park.[/aoa] Established in 2013, Weston FM Group specialise in a range of services including security, mobile patrol and alarm response, alarm and CCTV monitoring, fire protection systems and commercial cleaning. Director Simon Weston commented: ‘Relocating to Oakdale…

A dementia-friendly screening of hit film The Greatest Showman was made extra special when Welsh National Opera singers enticed the cinema audience to its feet and a local school choir delivered stunning renditions of the movie’s biggest numbers. [aoa id=”1″]“It was fantastic, I had the best time ever,” declared lifelong film and music fan Lorraine Williams following the screening in the historic Art Deco surroundings of Colwyn Bay’s Theatr Colwyn.[/aoa] In a collaboration with Theatr Colwyn, the Welsh National Opera (WNO) team, based at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, lead cinema audiences in singalongs once each month before every dementia-friendly movie screening…

The doors open this week on a sweet new venture in the Welsh capital, as artisan producer – Cymru Confectionery – launches itself on the high street. [aoa id=”1″] As a Royal Air Force chef James Price travelled the world, gathering flavours and culinary techniques in the process. Now decades on his recipes are the inspiration for his descendants’ growing confectionery business, which has just opened at The Castle Emporium in Cardiff’s Womanby Street. [/aoa]The recipes recorded by James, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year, were discovered by his grandson Jeff Barry in a book…

Enthusiastic local rallying amateurs are being given the chance to compete on the same high-profile bill as Sébastien Ogier, the reigning world champion, in the challenging Welsh forests this autumn. [aoa id=”1″] The Wales Rally GB (October 3-6) provides competitors with not one but two fantastic opportunities to be part of this country’s round of the celebrated FIA World Rally Championship. [/aoa] British crews wishing to pit their skills against their illustrious WRC counterparts have the choice of entering the full four-day World Championship event or the cost and time-saving two-day WRGB National Rally. As has proved so popular…