Author: Rhys Gregory

THE UK’S fastest growing independent travel firm has defied Brexit scaremongering to sell a record £1 million worth of holidays in just one day. The boss of Hays Travel North West, which has its head office in Wrexham’s Lord Street and stores in Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Connah’s Quay, Flint and Mold, said ‘Brexit scaremongering’ was doing nothing to put off a ‘resilient’ British public from booking their holidays in the sun. Don Bircham, Managing Director of Hays Travel North West, which has opened 11 new stores over the last year, said: “We now have a fix on how we are…

Snow and ice may bring disruption to parts of England and Wales from Thursday afternoon through to early Friday There is a chance of 2-5cm of snow for some places, timings are currently uncertain. 10cm is possible in places, though there is uncertainty at this stage on where is most likely to see the greater snowfall accumulations. Overnight Thursday into early Friday ice may also become a hazard on any untreated surfaces as temperatures fall below freezing. What to expect There is a small chance of travel delays on roads with some stranded vehicles and passengers, along with delayed or…

Following a large-scale investment of over half a million pounds, leading high-street brand Slug & Lettuce is set to open its doors of its second location in Cardiff on 15th February. Located on St Mary Street, in the heart of the city and just around the corner from Cardiff train station, the venue will feature a very stylish décor, full of bold prints, touches of neon and flashes of gold. Guests can book one of Slug & Lettuce’s famous cocktail masterclasses and enjoy it in the new VIP station. They can also enjoy the new birdcage seating areas and a…

A 22-year-old for Pembrokeshire has launched a new Pilates business after her own medical struggles. [aoa id=”1″] Beth Howes, from Narbeth, founded her Pilates business, Beth Howes Pilates in Haverfordwest, after years of ballet had left her with a bad back, knees and hips. Pilates is a form of exercise which concentrates on strengthening the body with an emphasis on core strength. The health benefits include improving flexibility as well as increasing muscle strength and tone. When Beth left school, there wasn’t anything in University that she wanted to study and that’s when she discovered Pilates at a local class.…

Wild Water Group, South Wales’ largest bespoke temperature controlled storage and distribution company, have continued their strategic expansion drive into the new year with the purchase of Compass House, a 6000 sq ft office block adjacent to the companies existing cold storage and blast freezing facility in Merthyr Tydfil. The investment follows the 2018 purchase of a 130 000 sq ft cold storage and co-packing facility in Aberbargoed and is intended to strengthen the Group’s administration infrastructure aimed at supporting the growing Welsh Food and Drink Sector. The additional property, funded by Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, is a modern two-story…

THE story behind one of the world’s great nature and wildlife programmes is coming to Coleg Cambria. [aoa id=”1″] Blue Planet II: The science behind the BBC series will take place at the college’s Deeside Sixth Form Centre today (Wednesday) from 6pm. Professor Mark Brandon and Dr Philip Sexton will lead a public lecture explaining the workings of the award-winning show, fronted by Sir David Attenborough and co-produced by the Open University (OU). Tickets for the talk sold out within two weeks, but fans of the programme will be able to tune in via a livestream. Professor Brandon and Dr…

NatWest has teamed-up with ASTUTE 2020, Industry Wales and Swansea University to run a free event for companies in the manufacturing sector focusing on future manufacturing technologies and the opportunities that come with them. [aoa id=”1″] Advancements such as disruptive technologies have been identified globally as a priority area for nations that wish their manufacturing sector to remain relevant with major economic wealth creating activities. The event, which will take place at the College of Engineering at Swansea University’s Bay Campus on February 7, will look at this and the opportunities available to Welsh manufacturers as the sector evolves…

A man who was found asleep in a car next to bundles of cash, has been ordered to pay back more than £35,000, he made from his criminal lifestyle. Joseph Hilton, aged 23, of Manchester, was sentenced in July 2018, to 9 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to offering to supply a controlled drug of class B – cannabis and acquiring/use/possess criminal property. Following his conviction, South Wales Police’s financial investigators began proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to recover any cash or assets gained as a result of his crimes. At a POCA hearing held in Cardiff…

Officers investigating an assault which left a pensioner in a critical condition in hospital have made two arrests. Two men, aged 40 and 36, were arrested yesterday on suspicion of attempted murder, following the incident on Garnswllt Road, Pontarddulais, on January 9th. The 36-year-old has since been released under investigation, while the 40-year-old remains in custody. Detective Inspector Matthew Davies said: “We continue to have a number of detectives dedicated to this enquiry and I would like to reassure the public that we remain committed to bringing the person responsible for this assault on a defenceless woman to justice. “We…

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…