Author: Rhys Gregory

A litigation specialist with over 15 years’ experience is the latest appointment at leading law firm CJCH Solicitors. Debra Spedding has joined the Cardiff-headquartered firm as Senior Solicitor with her appointment signifying a further expansion in its corporate offering. Debra joins the firm from Everett Tomlin Lloyd and Pratt with a wealth of experience in civil litigation, having also worked at Eversheds LLP and Harding Evans LLP. Debra has brought with her extensive knowledge within banking and finance, commercial and professional litigation, dispute management and both claimant and defendant work. [aoa id=”1″]Her appointment comes as the firm looks to strengthen…

The rate of bank branch closures in Wales has rapidly accelerated in the last four years with more than 50 branches shutting their doors each year, new analysis from Which? reveals. The consumer champion has tracked bank branch closures across the UK since 2015 and found 216 have closed in Wales in the period up to the end of 2018, the equivalent of 54 a year. This suggests the rate of closures has rapidly accelerated in recent years. Previous FCA figures showed that 148 branches closed between 2012 and 2017 – the equivalent of 30 a year. [aoa id=”1″]Which?’s research…

Specialist police officers have been searching Roath Park Lake after receiving reports of someone having entered the lake at around 3.00am this morning. A body has been located and has been recovered. Next of kin have been informed and formal identification has taken place. The matter is not being treated as suspicious and a file of evidence will be prepared for HM Coroner.

THE future is bright for global information provider GlobalX, formerly, LegalinX-7side, following strong growth after a major rebrand and a host of new recruits. The company, which operates out of Cardiff, London, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, has seen demand for its services soar since the business was acquired by GlobalX in 2011. Now to be known as GlobalX, the company has recently moved from their home on City Road, Cardiff, to new premises in Churchill House, Churchill Way, taking 26 staff with them. Following the successful move to larger premises, GlobalX has recently welcomed a further five new recruits to…

The proposed closure of the Ford Bridgend plant in 2020 with the resultant loss of 1700 jobs was discussed as an urgent item at the meeting of the Cardiff Capital Region Regional Cabinet on Monday. [aoa id=”1″]Describing the announcement by Ford last Thursday as a ‘significant economic blow to the whole region’, the ten local authority leaders discussed the importance of the £1.3bn City Deal which it oversees and its relevance to building a new economic future.[/aoa] Chair of the Regional Cabinet and Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, where it is thought almost 400 of the plant’s workers live,…

Following James Brokenshire’s suggestion that youngsters should be allowed to access their pensions savings to help them get on the property ladder, Stuart Price gives his thoughts.

One of the UK’s most respected horseracing historians has written a book to celebrate Ffos Las Racecourse’s 10th anniversary. Jim Beavis, has detailed the first successful decade of the Trimsaran course with his insightful book, Ffos Las, The Birth of a Racecourse, which is published this month.  Jim has chronicled the history of courses including Brighton, Fontwell, Windsor and Uttoxeter in the past. Now he has told the story of Ffos Las Racecourse, which was the first new National Hunt racecourse to be built in Britain for 80 years, sited at a former open cast mine, back in 2009.  Going from…

Wales-based mental health charity, Gofal, is launching ‘Not Forgotten’, a powerful exhibition sharing the memories of Cardiff residents living with dementia. [aoa id=”1″]Funded by the National Lottery and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, two projects; [DIAL and Not Forgotten], have formed the basis of the exhibition which will feature a documentary film and an interactive display to delve deeper into these memories. Stunning portrait photographs of participants will be on display, as well as a variety of craft-based projects, dementia awareness workshops and ‘how to’ workshops offering practical advice and guidance about Cognitive Stimulation and Reminiscence Therapy.[/aoa] The projects have…

The Red Dragon Centre is joining organisations nationwide to celebrate ‘One Great Day’, a charity fundraising day in aid of local children’s health charities that support families, including Tŷ Hafan. [aoa id=”1″] The entertainment centre is inviting families and friends to Cardiff Bay on Saturday 22 June in celebration of One Great Day between 12pm and 4pm. With Toy Story 4 hitting screens at the Red Dragon Centre on 21 June, the entertainment centre welcomes lookalike mascots in tribute of the original characters. [/aoa] Next to meeting the special visitors, children can enjoy various free activities, including face painting, colouring…

A NEW-LOOK management team plans to build on the success of a revolutionary sixth form complex. Miriam Riddell and Rob Hughes are the new heads at Coleg Cambria’s £15million Deeside Sixth Form Centre. They will work alongside Alex Thomas, who held the role from the centre’s opening in 2016 before being named Assistant Principal and Director of General Education. [aoa id=”1″]Miriam, a former psychology teacher and assistant head of sixth form at Mold Alun School, and Rob, who was geography lecturer at Deeside Sixth and previously head of humanities at Connah’s Quay High School, are looking forward to the challenge…