Author: Rhys Gregory

Why Business Wales Matters in 2025 Since its launch in 2013, Business Wales has evolved into the Welsh Government’s flagship support hub for enterprise. Today the service fields more than 100 advisers, a unified funding portal and a network of digital learning centres that reach every local authority. In the last financial year alone it facilitated £340 million in finance and helped create or safeguard 20 000 jobs, according to the latest ministerial statement. Economists often cite Wales’ stubborn productivity gap with the UK average. Grants and digital-readiness programmes—twin pillars of Business Wales—are designed to close that gap by de-risking…

Ageing well doesn’t hinge on sweeping lifestyle changes or complicated wellness routines. Often, it’s the simple, consistent habits done every day that support long-term vitality. These small choices influence how the body functions at the cellular level, shaping how you feel and age well. Focusing on gentle, sustainable routines creates real change, supporting better health without overhauling your entire lifestyle. Everyday Habits That Boost Longevity Daily routines like drinking water and getting enough rest do more than maintain comfort. They activate internal repair systems and influence how your genes express themselves. These habits may seem minor, but they create a…

A Rhondda Cynon Taf man has been banned from keeping cats for life after he was found to be keeping 50 cats in unsuitable conditions – whilst breaching a disqualification ban. Thirty-five cats were rescued in October 2023 and a further 15 were removed from the same Mountain Ash property in February 2024 – whose occupants had been previously banned from keeping cats by the courts. Many of them were kept and crammed in metal cages which were full of cat faeces and urine. David Thomas of  Mountain Ash, appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on 9 May for sentencing.…

Most people are familiar with the Blue Flag Award. It’s one of the world’s most recognised voluntary awards, signalling a well-managed beach or marina with excellent water quality and facilities.    But did you know that beaches in Wales and Ireland can also be awarded with a Green Coast Award? These beaches are the ‘hidden gems’ of the Welsh coastline, boasting unspoilt beauty, excellent water quality and a high standard of environmental education.   And today, as Keep Wales Tidy announces the 2025 Wales Coast Awards, 13 beaches have been awarded with Green Coast Award status. All of them have retained the…

Welsh vineyards are eagerly preparing for Welsh Wine Week 2025, a celebration of the exceptional quality and diversity of wines produced in Wales. Now in its fifth year, Welsh Wine Week will take place from 30 May to 8 June. This week-long event will highlight the dedication and passion of Welsh vineyards, offering a variety of exciting activities and events from vineyard tours, tastings, meet the producer sessions, promotions, and celebrations for wine enthusiasts and the general public alike. Welsh Wine Week is organised by the Food & Drink Wales Drinks Cluster, part of the Welsh Government’s clustering initiative and…

Global beauty retail giant Sephora has announced it will open its first store in Wales at St David’s Cardiff in Autumn 2025, marking a major milestone in its continued UK expansion. The new 4,672 sq. ft store will be the brand’s first location outside of England, bringing Sephora’s world-renowned prestige beauty experience to the heart of Cardiff. It follows high demand from Welsh beauty fans and a rapid period of growth for the brand, which entered the UK market in 2022. The Cardiff flagship will join an expanding line-up of Sephora UK stores, which currently includes locations in London, Newcastle,…

A man from Swansea has been jailed after he was caught exchanging sexual messages with a decoy account which he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. 34-year-old Guy Brigdale, from Fforestfach, pleaded guilty to numerous offences following the messages he sent in January of this year, which included: Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child Attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity Attempting to cause a child aged 13-15 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity Attempting to meet a child under the age of 16 following grooming Breaching a Sexual Harm…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been awarded more than £530,000 in Welsh Government Brilliant Basics funding, enabling major improvements to visitor facilities at key destinations across the county. Two successful project bids will benefit from this latest round of funding – the Barry Island Visitor Experience Improvement Project has secured £233,813.62 to support a range of new facilities, including changing rooms, beach wheelchairs, and digital water quality displays. A second award of £300,000 has been granted to Countryside Services for the refurbishment of toilet facilities at both Porthkerry and Cosmeston Country Parks, enhancing comfort and accessibility for park users.…

A brand-new pop-up space has officially opened in Maesteg Market, as part of a creative opportunity from Bridgend County Borough Council’s Economic Development and Enterprise team. The pop-up space in Unit 14 of Maesteg Market, titled “For a Limited Time Only…?” will provide a unique opportunity for businesses and individuals to test their business ideas in a high visibility, low risk setting at no cost to them. Pink Freak Boutique, a Bridgend-based business, is the first business to take advantage of the pop-up space to showcase their products. The boutique provides alternative makeup tools and accessories and will be based…

Huge quantities of counterfeit and unsafe toys thought to be valued between £6 – £10million have been seized, in one of the largest multi-agency operations in the UK. Trading Standards Officers from Swansea Council have taken the lead in ‘Operation Grinch’ which has targeted four toy warehouse locations on a large industrial estate in Southall, London. Swansea’s Trading Standards were joined by dozens of police officers from London in the raid, along with Trading Standards officers from Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Buckinghamshire, Kent and Surrey Council, as well as brand representatives from major toy firms. The London-based raid follows on…