Author: Rhys Gregory

THE Welsh Ambulance Service is reminding New Year’s Eve revellers to stay safe and know their limits as they ring in 2020. As with Black Friday, the Trust has teamed up with blue light partners, health boards, St John Cymru Wales and local authorities across Wales to ensure one of its busiest nights of the year goes off without a hitch. Louise Platt, the Trust’s Assistant Director of Operations, said: “After a busy Christmas period our ambulance service is preparing for New Year’s Eve with a plea to those celebrating to start 2020 safe and well. “The traditional party night…

One Brynmawr resident is ringing in the New Year with a massive £30,000 win, thanks to their postcode. The Worcester Street winner scooped the prize after NP23 4EZ was named as a winning postcode with People’s Postcode Lottery on Tuesday 31st December. They were the only person playing but anyone else been then they too would have won £30,000. The prize is part of People’s Postcode Lottery’s special Christmas campaign where one winning postcode is announced every day, landing players £30,000 per ticket throughout the December draws. Offering her congratulations, People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt, said: “What a way…

More than 20,000 jobs have been created since April 2015 by enterprises that have received support from the Welsh Government’s flagship Business Wales service, Economy Minister Ken Skates has revealed. Business Wales makes it easier for Welsh micro-businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as well as aspiring entrepreneurs of all ages to access the information, advice and support they require to start and grow their businesses. In addition to helping Welsh enterprises create more than 20,000 new jobs since April 2015, the service has handled over 60,000 enquiries, and advised over 30,000 individual entrepreneurs and firms across Wales in…

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has confirmed farm funding in Wales for 2020 following the UK Government’s announcement they will provide £243m for the Basic Payment Scheme in 2020. Farmers in Wales will be paid the Basic Payment Scheme in 2020 at the same level as in recent years and support for Wales’ rural economy and environment will also be maximised after Brexit by transferring 15% of the 2020 budget for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) to support rural development in 2021/22. Under the Common Agricultural Policy, member states and administrations are permitted to transfer up to 15% of their…

The Botanist Cardiff will offer a wondrous world of botanicals and will be opening on Church Street in early 2020. If you’ve not heard of The Botanist before, they are renowned for offering a secret garden of delicious delicacies and drink expertise. It promises to appeal to all of your senses with a eclectic selection of botanical cocktails, great food menus, live music and extensive wine and craft beer lists. The venue itself will be double the size of the 4 restaurants underneath combined. On the first floor, you’ll find the main bar, including a band stand for live music, along with the…

Cardiff Bus has announced that it will be offering a free late-night service on some of its routes this New Year’s Eve. The free late-night service will be available on Cardiff Bus’ routes 8, 9, 17, 18, 23, 27, 44, 49, 50, 57, 58 and 61 between approximately 7:30pm on December 31 and finishing at 3:00am on January 1, depending on the route. Cardiff Bus operations and commercial director Gareth Stevens said: “New Year’s Eve is a busy time for Cardiff, with lots of people celebrating with a night out or travelling across the city to visit friends and family.…

The Cardiff Bay Barrage is at the heart of the £2 billion regeneration of the docklands area of the city and is what connects Cardiff and Penarth. The construction of the barrage in the 1990s has created a 200-hectare freshwater bay and waterfront area. It is hugely popular with locals and tourists, where you can find people walking or cycling across the barrage daily. The barrage itself features locks and bridges, sluice gates and a fish pass. These not only help the surrounding environment (which is closely monitored), but it is how boats navigate between Severn Estuary and Cardiff Bay. There are…

Pembrokeshire native Tom Simmons, who already runs a successful restaurant at One Tower Bridge in London, is to open his first restaurant in Wales in mid-February. Thomas by Tom Simmons will open in the former Cameo Club in Pontcanna, Cardiff, as Tom and his partner Lois Thomas have taken over the lease for building that houses the private members club, which closes on New Year’s Eve. Tom said of the new restaurant: “We are really excited to finally be coming to Cardiff, it has been a long time coming and something that Lois and I have always wanted to do.…

Everyman, an independent network of boutique cinemas has opened its latest five-screen venue in Mermaid Quay in the heart of Cardiff Bay. The new venue features a bar and lounge space and five screens featuring Everyman’s signature comfy sofa seating and a menu featuring Spielburgers, hand rolled pizzas, sundaes and cocktails – all of which can be delivered to your seats before the film starts. There is something for everyone at Everyman, with a delicious food and drink offering. They will be showing a varied selection of mainstream, independent and classic films, special events, launches and a diverse calendar of…

RSPCA inspector Gemma Cooper was called to a bridge just off Pontycapel Road at Cefn Coed in Merthyr Tydfil on 26 December after a dog walker spotted the sheep in distress. Gemma said: “Two of her legs were well and truly stuck in the grid of the bridge and would not budge with my strength alone so I asked the caller to fetch some sunflower oil from the house. “After coating her legs with the oil was able to free her safely within a matter of five minutes. It was a very satisfying moment!” The sheep only had superficial wounds…