Author: Rhys Gregory

Evolving heating regulations create a dynamic environment where informed decisions are paramount. Uncertainty can lead to costly missteps, but proactive adaptation unlocks new opportunities. This article provides a clear roadmap of the 2025 changes and beyond, empowering you to navigate the challenges and capitalise on the emerging landscape. The Reversal of the 2035 Gas Boiler Ban In early 2025, the government scrapped its plan for a complete gas boiler ban by 2035, replacing it with a more flexible policy. The emphasis has shifted from outright prohibition to encouraging low-carbon alternatives through incentives and gradual replacement schemes. For your business, this…

Workplace injuries can affect employees across all industries, from offices and retail spaces to warehouses and construction sites. While some injuries result from one-off accidents, others develop over time due to repetitive movements or exposure to hazardous conditions. Injuries at work can lead to reduced productivity, long-term health issues and financial costs for both employers and employees. Understanding common workplace injuries and how to prevent them can help create a safer working environment. Slips, Trips And Falls Slips, trips and falls are among the most frequent workplace accidents. These can occur due to wet or uneven surfaces, loose cables, poor…

In a devastating blow to Welsh tourism, Oakwood Theme Park has announced its immediate closure and confirmed it will not reopen for the 2025 season. The popular Pembrokeshire attraction, which has entertained generations of visitors since its opening in 1987, is shutting down due to ongoing financial struggles and rising operational costs. A Landmark in Welsh Tourism Oakwood Theme Park, originally a family-run attraction, grew into Wales’ premier theme park, known for its thrilling rides and family-friendly attractions. It gained national recognition in 1996 with the launch of Megafobia, a world-class wooden rollercoaster that earned international acclaim and cemented the…

DANIEL AP GERAINT will represent Wales in the final of Great British Menu. The head chef of The Gunroom Restaurant at Plas Dinas Country House emerged victorious in the Welsh heats of the popular BBC television show following a “demanding yet incredible” week in the kitchen. Daniel, from Prestatyn, has been with the five-star Bontnewydd country house hotel near Caernarfon, since 2018, and says making it to the top eight chefs in the competition was “amazing” and the highlight of his career so far. He will now aim to secure a place for one of his dishes at the banquet…

A man who ‘died for five minutes’ after suffering two cardiac arrests will be taking on the ABP Newport Marathon to raise money for the hospital that helped save his life. Grant Williams, 53, was out on a training run in Liverpool on 9 March 2024 with a group of friends who were preparing to run the Manchester Marathon. They were planning to run 12 miles and stopped at mile 11 to take a selfie. Shortly after getting going again, fit and healthy Grant collapsed. He was in cardiac arrest. Members of his group started chest compressions and ran to…

Smart Towns Wales is inviting local businesses to a free event aimed at driving growth through data-driven insights about Bangor high street. The event will be held at the City Sports and Cocktail Bar, Bangor, on the 5th of March at 6 pm. Since August 2024, Smart Towns Wales has had access to key trends, footfall patterns, and anonymised demographic profiles of visitors to high streets across Wales. The data, accessed through BT’s Active Intelligence data and Patrwm open data, includes findings such as the peak and quiet visiting times and footfall and provides insights into the age, gender and…

Wales’ most famous referee Nigel Owens is the host of a brand-new Welsh language podcast, Nigel Owens Dan Bwysau, launching on BBC Sounds on March 4.  Expect some fun, humour, and captivating stories as Nigel chats with some of the nation’s best-known sports stars.  How do the stars manage the immense pressure and expectations they face when stepping onto the playing field? No one understands the sacrifices and difficult decisions required to reach the top better than Nigel.  Ahead of the launch, Nigel Owens said:  “It’s been a real pleasure chatting and laughing with some of Wales’ champions. I feel…

The British Business Bank’s Small Business Finance Markets 2024/25 report, published today, reports that Wales saw a 14.3% fall in announced equity deal numbers and a 45.7% fall in investment value during the first three quarters of 2024, relative to the same period in 2023. In total 48 equity deals were completed between Q1 and Q3 2024, with an investment value totalling £54.9m. This decline in deal numbers in Wales mirrors much of the wider UK trend, where equity deals decreased across all Nations and regions but the North East of England. However, investment value data was more positive across…

Nisien.AI a pioneering Welsh artificial intelligence start-up based in Cardiff, has received investment from the British Business Bank’s £130m Investment Fund for Wales via Foresight Group and the Development Bank of Wales, in a joint investment. Founded less than two years ago by two Cardiff University academics, Professors Matt Williams (Criminology) and Pete Burnap (Data Science, AI), Nisien.AI uses scientifically informed cutting-edge technology to detect and respond to online harms, such as online conflict, to support healthy debate and conversations. The investment comes just over a year since the Investment Fund for Wales was launched in November 2023, by the…

A leading civil engineering firm’s work on the first large-scale new water storage reservoir in the UK since the 1980s has been enhanced by a multi-million-pound investment in plant. As part of its annual review, Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK has strengthened its 400-strong fleet, with 29 of the additional machines now working on Havant Thicket reservoir in Hampshire. North Wales-based Jones Bros and Mackley, whose head office is in West Sussex, have joined forces as Future Water MJJV Limited to construct the £167m water storage scheme. And Jones Bros has deployed some of its recent additions to work on the programme,…