Author: Rhys Gregory

A graduate business from NatWest’s Cardiff Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme, Bodacious Beds, has launched ambitious growth plans which will see it secure up to 15 new sites over the next five years. The entrepreneurs behind the chain of affordable boutique style guest houses joined the programme formerly known as Entrepreneurial Spark in October this year. The husband and wife run business now has an annual turnover of £800,000 and employs 25 members of staff. Founded in 2017, Bodacious Beds is the brainchild of Lloyd and Marta Smith who cut their teeth in the industry by investing and renovating residential properties to…

The Welsh Innovation Centre for Enterprise, Welsh ICE, has opened its next round of funded spaces and is now inviting applications from vibrant startups and entrepreneurs. The funding is designed to give startup businesses a structured route to sustainability, creating jobs and boosting the Welsh economy. The support will be delivered through the Campus’ ICE 50 programme, where 50 start-up businesses will receive a fully-funded package including full-time desk space, a tailored mentoring programme, creative workshops, telephone and high-speed internet access and one-to-one support for 12 months. The news comes following the announcement that Welsh ICE has been chosen to…

A private hire taxi driver was ordered to pay £280 in court for smoking a cigarette in his cab at a petrol station in Coryton. Mr Gary Saleh, from North Road in Cardiff, didn’t appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court last Thursday (January 24th) and was prosecuted in his absence The incident happened last year on May 16th, when a member of the public witnessed Mr Saleh light up a cigarette at the Asda petrol station and reported the incident to the Shared Regulatory Services. A fixed penalty notice, with an accompanying letter explaining the offence, was sent to Mr Saleh’s…

The Fidelity UK Real Estate Fund has let a further 29,000 sq ft to Deloitte at Fusion Point 2, Dumballs Road, Cardiff, taking Deloitte total occupation in Fusion Point 2 to 45,000 sq ft. Ewan Montgomery, UK Portfolio Manager – Real Estate at Fidelity International, comments: “We are delighted to have secured this additional letting to Deloitte on the ground and second floor. We have also agreed a lease extension on the third floor, which demonstrates the outstanding location and high quality of our office at Fusion Point 2.” John James of letting agents Fletcher Morgan, added: “The Cardiff office…

Principality Building Society has pledged to donate £10,000 to charity every time Wales win during the upcoming Guinness Six Nations championship. Donations will be split evenly between Principality’s charity groups, Alzheimer’s Society Cymru and Teenage Cancer Trust Cymru. Julie-Ann Haines, Chief Customer Officer at Principality Building Society, said: “Supporting our local communities and helping them prosper is a key part of what we do as a mutual building society. We know how much our Members love their rugby and the national team, so we hope we can combine some Wales victories in the Six Nations with donations to our new…

A police boss has vowed to crack down on drugs gangs and child sexual exploitation after his proposed 38p a week rise in the cost of policing was approved. Among the other priorities revealed by  North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones are tackling domestic abuse, cyber crime and modern day slavery. Mr Jones was speaking after the 7.7 per cent increase, one of the lowest in England and Wales, was given the green light by the North Wales Police and Crime Panel. According to the commissioner, it will enable him to invest in front line policing by recruiting…

A team of colleagues from specialist financial services provider, Wesleyan, is set to raise more than £7,500 for Welsh cancer charities by walking from Swansea to Birmingham in just 12 days. They are raising money for Maggie’s Centre in Swansea and the Old Mill Foundation in Penclawdd. These charities supported Wesleyan financial consultant Kerry Jones, who lives in Swansea, when he was diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of cancer. The group of 20 employees from Wesleyan’s South Wales Medical Team set off from Singleton Hospital on Sunday (27thJanuary) and will walk 123 miles to Wesleyan’s staff conference in…

Once again the Caernarfonshire branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales led the way and rang the wake-up bells to promote the wonderful food produced in Wales and highlighted the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast during Farmhouse Breakfast Week (January 21 – January 27). The farmhouse breakfast events, which attracted hundrends of members and friends of the Union from across the county, were held at Ty’n Hendre, Tal-y-bont, Bangor; Cefn Cae, Rowen, Conwy; Glynllifon, Grwp Llandrillo Menai, Caernarfon; Gwythrian, Aberdaron; Dylasau Uchaf, Padog, Betws y Coed; Caffi Anne, Bryncir and at Crugan Farm, Llanbedrog, Pwllheli. FUW Caernarfonshire CEO Gwynedd…

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, has announced a new Cardiff route to Malaga, with a three times weekly service commencing in June, as part of Ryanair’s Cardiff Summer 2019 schedule. [aoa id=”1″] Ryanair’s Cardiff Summer 2019 schedule offers 5 routes in total, including new routes to Barcelona, Malta and now Malaga, as well as Faro and Tenerife. Cardiff consumers and visitors can now enjoy even lower fares and the latest “Always Getting Better” improvements including: [/aoa] Even more Routes, flights and destinations Ryanair Rooms with 10% off Travel Credit ‘Try Somewhere New’ – travel content platform on Ryanair.co Ryanair’s Robin Kiely…

A brand new festival is to offer Wales’s dancing hopefuls a unique route into one of the world’s greatest cultural events – and the chance to compete for a share of £3,500. In a ground-breaking partnership the inaugural Festival of Discovery on Anglesey in May will give 12 troupes of folk dancers the chance to perform on stage at this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. It’s the first time the Eisteddfod, founded in 1947, has allowed another event to act as a qualifier for its prestigious competitions which have helped launch the careers of world stars like Sir Bryn Terfel,…