Author: Rhys Gregory

Kier and Pembrokeshire County Council held a traditional ground breaking event at Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange (HPTI) last month – celebrating the official start of work on site. Council members including the Leader Councillor Jon Harvey, Deputy Leader Councillor Paul Miller, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Councillor Rhys Sinnett and for Haverfordwest Castle ward Councillor Thomas Tudor, joined Kier for the event with the ceremonial breaking of the ground marking a key milestone in the project’s progress. The scheme includes the construction of a modern bus station and multi-storey car park to Haverfordwest’s town centre, providing a new interchange for…

Guidance that outlines ways in which the planning system can support communities and people to avoid being affected by flooding, and to develop more resilience where it cannot be avoided, has been published. Following public consultation, the revised Technical Advice Note 15 (TAN) supports planners to assess flood risks from rivers, the sea and surface water, as well as the risk of coastal erosion. It also provides advice on adapting to and living with flood risk. Publishing the TAN, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans warned the frequency and severity of flooding is increasing and is…

Proposals to transform the way local bus services are planned and delivered across Wales have been published this week. A new Bill has been laid in the Senedd which, if passed, will provide the powers to create a bus network that meets passenger needs. The proposals include providing one network, one timetable and one ticket across Wales, with services based on local knowledge. The Bus Services (Wales) Bill outlines how through Transport for Wales, in close collaboration with local authorities and Corporate Joint Committees*, bus services will be planned and co-ordinated at a national level and delivered principally through franchised…

Swansea Grand Theatre’s Spring Summer season will put a pep in your step and make the longer days even brighter. There are lots of different flavours of fantastic performances to suit all tastes. For the little budding princes and princesses there’s The Worst Princess, Bing’s Birthday and Milkshake! Live on Holiday. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Les Misréables, the best of local talent will star in the amateur premiere of the musical and the hugely popular, Menopause the Musical 2-Cruising Through Menopause, sails back into the theatre. Drama fans will find themselves Living the Life of Riley, a heart warming and heart breaking play…

Vishay Intertechnology has announced a £250m investment in its semiconductor site in Newport to revolutionise the production of electric vehicles. The investment, supported by the UK Government’s Automotive Transformation Fund, will amplify Vishay’s production of advanced silicon carbide semiconductors, a key tool in increasing the efficiency of electric vehicles. First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, said: “Compound semiconductors are small but vital bits of our everyday lives and Wales is leading the way in their production and manufacture. “I welcome the additional investment from the UK Government, which builds on the Welsh Government’s work over the last decade in supporting…

A senior lawyer at leading Cardiff law firm Acuity Law is offering businesses a range of creative alternatives to redundancies ahead of tax changes coming into force this month (April). From April 6, the Employer’s National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will increase by 1.2% to 15%. Employers are also addressing the lowering of the allowance threshold, which means that they will start to pay NICs on employee earnings from £5,000 instead of the current £9,100. Combined with the 6.7% increase of the National Minimum Wage from £11.44 to £12.21 from 1 April, the financial impact on businesses is significant, Claire Knowles,…

AN historic and completely renovated four storey former City centre docks building could prove an ideal investment when it comes up for sale at auction. The refurbished property, at 114, Lower Dock Street, Newport, is at the heart of the former dockland area which has itself been completely transformed in recent years. Listed with a guide price of £296,000-plus the property is being sold by Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions. Specialist commercial property expert, Debra Bisley, of Paul Fosh Auctions, says the lot is one not to be missed by investors looking to make an instant return on their investment. Debra…

Business confidence in Wales rose to its highest level in eight months in March, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds. Companies in Wales reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 25 points at 56%. When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 27 points to 45%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 51% (vs. 24% in February) – the country’s highest level since July 2024. A net balance of 33% of businesses in Wales also expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up 13 points on last month. Looking ahead to…

A former royal home has been crowned as the best hotel in Wales and its acclaimed restaurant was named as the nation’s best place to eat. The five star Plas Dinas Country House Hotel in Bontnewydd, near Caernarfon, won the accolade at The National Tourism Awards of Wales staged by the Welsh Government and Visit Wales at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Meanwhile, its fine dining Gunroom Restaurant – run by head chef Daniel ap Geraint who’s representing Wales in the finals of the popular BBC 2 television show, Great British Menu – also came out on top. A total of…

Costa Coffee, the Nation’s Favourite Coffee Shop*, is pleased to announce that its Llantrisant Green Meadow store becomes the first 24-hour Costa Coffee drive thru in Wales.  This exciting expansion means customers can enjoy their favourite handcrafted coffees, teas, and delicious food options whenever they need them. To support this expansion, the store has welcomed three additional baristas, ensuring great service for the local community, whether in the morning, afternoon, or late at night. A Costa Coffee Spokesperson said: “With our new 24-hour drive thru, the first of its kind in Wales, we’re making it even easier for customers to…