Author: Rhys Gregory

Escape Hunt has announced plans to open its first ever venue in Wales, bringing its immersive escape room experiences to Cardiff later this year. The five star global escape room provider will open at St David’s Cardiff shopping centre, offering seven themed escape rooms alongside three outdoor adventure experiences. Visitors will have the chance to step into a range of interactive worlds, solving clues and puzzles in a race against the clock. Adventures will include Curse of the Pharaoh, Aladdin and the Magic Vault and Dracula, where players must take on the King of Vampires. Alongside the indoor escape rooms,…

Ceredigion County Council has welcomed the continued growth of the Rali Engage school engagement programme, which has reached more than 4,500 school children, students and young people across the region ahead of this year’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion. The programme has seen drivers and rally cars visit more than 40 primary schools, nurseries and pupil referral units across Ceredigion, giving pupils the opportunity to learn about road safety, ask questions and see the cars up close. A new Schools Experience Day for secondary pupils was also held at The Pavilion in Pontrhydfendigaid, where 250 students learned more about education and…

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru has revealed that Wrexham and Newport are among 10 areas across the UK that are in urgent need of more lifesaving defibrillators because they have communities with fewer of these vital devices in close range, putting people at higher risk of dying if they have a cardiac arrest. The charity is urging community group leaders from these ‘defibrillator deserts’ to come forward and apply for a free defibrillator as part of the Community Defibrillator Funding Programme. There are more than 3,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in Wales, but only around one in 20…

Drivers across Wales are starting to see their car insurance premiums increase, with the average policy now costing £552, according to new data. The latest car insurance price index from Confused.com, powered by WTW, found premiums in Wales have risen by £19, or 4%, over the past three months. Despite the recent increase, drivers are still paying an average of £24 less than they were a year ago. South Wales has seen the biggest rise, with average premiums increasing by £23 (4%) over the past three months to £570. However, this remains £28 (5%) lower than 12 months ago. Meanwhile,…

As Wales continues to enjoy a spell of hot weather, Cardiff Airport is encouraging holidaymakers to start thinking about winter, with direct ski flights now available to some of Europe’s most popular alpine destinations. The airport has launched its winter ski season campaign alongside Crystal Ski Holidays, highlighting direct flights from Cardiff to Turin, Salzburg and Chambéry, offering convenient access to leading ski resorts across Italy, Austria and France. Passengers flying to Turin can reach popular Italian resorts including Sestriere and Sauze d’Oulx, while Salzburg provides access to Austria’s renowned alpine villages and ski areas suitable for beginners and experienced…

Six talented Welsh apprentices and students have been selected to represent Team UK at WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, taking place from 22nd-27th September. Known as the “Skills Olympics”, the prestigious international competition will see Wales showcased on a global stage as part of Team UK. Peter Jenkins from Holyhead has officially been announced as the final Welsh member of Team Wales, taking the final total to six competitors. Currently training with Coleg Menai and working at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), he will be heading to Shanghai to represent the UK in Robot Systems Integration. The announcement coincides with…

Work to transform Swansea’s Castle Square into a greener and more welcoming public space is progressing well, with major construction now underway. The project, being delivered by Swansea Council, has moved into its main construction phase after essential preparation work was completed earlier this year. Since work began in the spring, contractors have carried out a range of enabling works, including diverting underground utilities and carefully removing and storing materials that will be reused as part of the redevelopment. Construction has now advanced to include the removal of outdated features, excavation work to create new ground levels and the installation…

Berw Road Car Park in Pontypridd will close permanently at the end of Thursday, July 30, as preparations begin for the demolition and redevelopment of the former police station and car park site. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has confirmed the closure will pave the way for the next stage of a major regeneration project, which aims to further improve and invest in Pontypridd town centre. The announcement follows confirmation from South Wales Police and the council that the former Berw Road Police Station will transfer to the local authority after closing at the end of June. South Wales Police has…

Newport City Council’s trading standards officers have helped residents recover thousands of pounds lost to rogue traders, while continuing efforts to protect vulnerable people from doorstep scams. Working alongside Gwent Police, the council’s trading standards team plays a key role in preventing residents from falling victim to fraudsters and supporting those affected by financial crime. One of the measures included in the council’s anti poverty strategy action plan is to help prevent vulnerable consumers from becoming victims of financial crime. During 2025/26, the team responded directly to seven incidents of doorstep crime, where a total of £10,500 had been handed…

Consultation opens today – 22 July – on plans for landmark new law to guarantee that the needs of rural communities in Wales are considered and accounted for in decisions taken by government and public authorities in Wales. The new proposals published today would require Ministers, as well as local authorities, health boards and other public authorities, to consider rural needs from the outset when designing policies and delivering services. The changes form part of a wider consultation on measures that will also strengthen environmental protections, promote sustainable use of natural resources, and support the developing Climate and Nature Action Plan. As much as 80% of Wales is rural and around a third of the population lives in rural areas, where people often face higher costs, lower incomes, worse transport connections, patchy internet and unequal access to services, including in health and education. The changes could mean better and easier access…