Author: Rhys Gregory

The Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant has been extended for a further two years with a substantial £26m of funding being made available to support town centres across Wales.  The Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant was introduced in March 2021 to consolidate various smaller regeneration grants into a single, streamlined capital grant programme. It supports a wide range of interventions such as commercial property improvements, more town centre living and better-quality public spaces. It will also support more greening of our town centres with new recreational facilities like small parks and play areas. The maximum grant allowance has also been increased…

Not too long ago, the idea of artificial intelligence (AI) felt like something from a science fiction film. Now? It’s in our pockets, our homes, and even our conversations. From voice assistants that help us set reminders to smart recommendations on streaming platforms, AI is blending into our daily routines almost seamlessly. What’s even more fascinating is how user-friendly and accessible AI tools have become. You no longer need a tech background to use AI. Whether it’s asking your phone for directions, getting real-time translations while travelling, or using an ai art generator to create digital masterpieces, AI is no…

The world of trading has seen a significant transformation in recent years. With artificial intelligence (AI) taking centre stage, the age-old debate between humans and machines has intensified. But in 2025, who truly holds the upper hand in trading? This article explores the strengths and weaknesses of both, shedding light on their capabilities in the competitive trading landscape. The Role of AI in Modern Trading AI has revolutionised trading by processing vast amounts of data at unparalleled speeds. Advanced algorithms can instantly analyse market movements, identify patterns, and execute trades. These tools have been invaluable in various sectors, particularly in…

SONDER bar & bistro will officially open its doors in the heart of Canton-Pontcanna on Bank Holiday Monday (21st April). The new neighbourhood restaurant – headed up by Chef Jake Lewis – will offer a seamless transition from casual daytime dining to long, relaxed evenings of dinner and drinks. A friendly Neighbourhood Bar & Bistro by Jake Lewis At the helm of SONDER is Chef Jake, formerly Executive Chef at Pasture restaurants in Cardiff, Bristol and Birmingham. Here, Jake brings his passion for approachable yet exciting cuisine to his first solo venture. Located on Llandaff Road, SONDER’s April Bistro menu…

21-year-old Freya Curtis has opened the first LGBTQ+ themed bar in Merthyr Tydfil with the help of a £35,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales to part-fund start-up costs. With live shows, karaoke nights and drag shows, Sparkles is already proving popular with the local community. Four part-time jobs have been created. As the daughter of Marnie and Matthew Curtis who run Merthyr Tydfil Labour Club, Freya has grown-up in the hospitality industry. She worked for her parents before deciding to start her own business venture. Freya said: “I’ve learnt so much from my parents about how to run…

Forty-three years into her life, Gwenno Saunders has been many people. The disaffected Cardiff schoolgirl; the teenage Las Vegas dancer; the singer in indie pop group The Pipettes. There was a turn in a Bollywood film, a nightclub tour, a stint cleaning floors in an East London pub. Long before she would become an acclaimed solo songwriter in both Welsh and Cornish, a winner of the Welsh Music Prize, a nominee for the Mercury, a Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh, there were the days of Nevada, London, Brighton; of Irish dancing, techno clubs, messiness and chaos. Utopia, Saunders’ fourth solo…

An expanding family-run firm is investing £500,000 to create a new showroom centre for its blossoming garden rooms business. Rubicon Garden Rooms has already started the transformation of the site, a former farmyard near the North Wales/Cheshire border, to meet the demand from customers eager to use their garden spaces. Bosses said the demand for  its garden rooms, especially home offices, gyms, entertainment spaces, art studios and granny annexes, mushroomed during the Covid pandemic and has been growing ever since. The company specialises in making zero maintenance garden rooms using aircraft  technology learned by founder and managing director John Lyon when he previously…

PROUD parents and lecturers praised a talented trio who kicked off their officiating careers on the international stage. Dyfan Roberts, a Level 3 Sports student at Coleg Cambria Yale in Wrexham, was assistant referee for the Welsh Schools Football Association (FA) Under-18 Centenary Shield match between Wales and Scotland at Airbus UK’s Hollingsworth Group Stadium in Broughton. Dyfan was joined by former Cambria Sports learners Levi Roberts, who refereed the 1-1 draw, and assistant referee Jamie Monk. Lecturer Aled Ellis said to have them representing the college was a “huge moment”. “For all three to be on the pitch together…

Run 4 Wales Ltd (R4W) has announced that it has acquired Always Aim High Events Ltd in a move that sees the mass-participation event organisers join forces across Wales. The partnership brings together two leaders in the Welsh sporting industry with a shared commitment to deliver world-class events that give back to their communities and inspire more people to become physically active. R4W is a not-for-profit social enterprise and charitable foundation set up to promote, manage and deliver major sporting events. Established in 2012, it has grown into one of the UK’s best-known mass participation event organisers, driven by a…

UK-based adventure company, Zip World, has welcomed a new addition to its growing list of adventures – a small but mighty treetop course for toddlers. Located at Zip World’s Betws-y-Coed site, Tiny Trek is designed for children between two and five years old and aims to welcome little ones into the world of adventure by building confidence, resilience, and hand-eye coordination on their very first high-ropes course. Young explorers will be encouraged to hop, skip, and jump around the course suspended no more than 1.4 meters off the woodland floor, with a participating adult by their side. Before starting, children…