Author: Rhys Gregory

Berw Road Car Park in Pontypridd town centre will be closed for a two-week period from June 24 to carry out concrete repairs. The public car park next to Pontypridd Police Station will close from Monday, June 24. It is planned to reopen to town centre visitors from Monday, July 8 – however, the closure could be shortened based on progress. Any changes to the schedule will be communicated via the Council’s social media. The upcoming work follows a deep cleaning of the facility, alongside some essential works, which were carried out recently between May 20 and June 3. Site…

During recent routine highway inspections, further movement has been noted on the A469 Between Pontlottyn and Tirphil which has resulted in cracks over several areas both within the current live lane and the lane that is closed to traffic. Some of these cracks are associated with vertical displacements. CCBC will be undertaking reinstatement works in these areas. The resurfacing and crack sealing that is required is in the lane that is currently open to traffic and therefore will require a full road closure to remediate. It is currently planned that this will take place on Sunday 23rd June 2024. The…

Four educators based in Wales have been recognised as Silver Award winners in the prestigious Pearson National Teaching Awards. From the Automotive and Aeronautical Engineering Lecturer who is prioritising the needs of individual learners and championing inclusivity to the Landscaping and Eco Construction Team who are promoting outdoor learning and empowering marginalised youth in the unlikely setting of an abandoned morgue, the Silver Award winners have been selected from thousands of nominees for their remarkable contributions to education and the work they do to improve young lives. The deserving winners make up some of the 102 teachers, lecturers, leaders, support staff and institutions…

St David’s Cardiff has announced global fashion brand Pull&Bear will be opening at the city centre shopping destination later this year. The store, set to occupy 12,000 sq ft, will be Pull&Bear’s Welsh debut, and makes St David’s home to four of parent company Inditex’s brands: Zara, Bershka, and Stradivarius. Pull&Bear will be located on the upper level of Grand Arcade, next to the Apple Store. Established in 1991, Pull&Bear has almost 1,000 stores worldwide, its fashion philosophy is to take the latest international trends, mixing them with the influences that are seen on the street and in the most…

The Dolau Enterprise Project 2024, supported by NatWest has awarded primary school children from Llanharan as a part of its business enterprise event that seeks to teach children about the basics of business. In the second year of the programme, children from Dolau Primary School have been encouraged to learn about the world of business through workshops hosted by local business owners and special guests, NatWest. In these classes, children were given the chance to understand more about business basics, ranging from profits and losses to the importance of creating a standout logo. NatWest were on hand to share some…

Entries are now sold out to the Ogi Porthcawl 10K which returns to the seaside town on Sunday 7 July. With just over two weeks to go, over 4,800 runners have snapped up spaces, making it the town’s biggest ever 10K event. To mark the sell-out milestone, title sponsor Ogi and race organisers Run 4 Wales have today revealed the finishers’ t-shirt and medal design. The vibrant yellow t-shirt design provides a nod to Porthcawl’s popularity with surfers and the traditional seaside holiday. Elite athlete, Hannah Irwin – winner of the 2024 ABP Newport 10K and Brecon Carreg Cardiff Bay…

Unite, the UK’s leading union, has secured an inflation busting 11.6 per cent pay increase for bus drivers employed by First Cymru. The 300 plus drivers operate buses in South and West Wales working from depots in Swansea, Bridgend, Ammanford, Port Talbot, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest. The pay deal, which was hammered out through long and detailed negotiations, will see pay increase by 11.6 per cent over a six month period. In addition, there will also be improvements in overtime and weekend rates. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is an excellent result and demonstrates the power of having Unite…

Deloitte has announced the appointment of seven new directors in Wales as part of the firm’s annual round of promotions. Simon McNamara; Alex Mooney; Bhavik Patel; Alice Viles; and Adam Wareham have all been promoted to the position of director within the firm’s Tax & Legal practices. Ian Edwards and Jamie Garland have been promoted to director within the firm’s Enabling Functions team. In addition to the seven director promotes, there have been 187 promotions throughout Deloitte’s Welsh practice. The firm has also welcomed eight new apprentices through its award-winning, higher-level apprenticeship Brightstart scheme, which is run in partnership with…

A Welsh marine equipment manufacturer has achieved a $5 million boost in export revenue after opening a dedicated international base in the US, thanks to support from the Welsh Government. Powys-based Makefast Group designs and manufactures equipment for the marine and safety industries, as well as systems for super yachts and luxury boats including retractable sunroofs, awning units, and bathing platforms. Following soaring demand for its products in the USA, the company opened its first American headquarters in Maryland, and has since secured over $5 million in revenue from US deals alone since opening 12 months ago. The company has…

Kevin Blanco Ledesma, a second year BA International Gastronomy Management student at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is juggling his studies whilst running a newly-opened restaurant. Kevin, who was born in Spain, and was a finalist in the World Young Chef Young Waiter – Wales competition 2022, is the proud owner of Casa Blanco, a tapas restaurant at 85 Newton Road, Mumbles, Swansea. Kevin, who has previously worked as a head chef at restaurants in Spain and Swansea, credits the University for helping him start his own business and says the support from his lecturers has been fantastic. He said: “It’s been a…