Author: Rhys Gregory

Families in Penarth are set to benefit from a brand new £22 million school dedicated to pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALNs). Morgan Sindall Construction was appointed to the project by Vale of Glamorgan Council, after previous contractors ISG went into administration. Their Cardiff business is currently putting together a workplan before construction recommences. Located on land near Cosmeston Country Park and named Ysgol Llyn Derw by students, this will be a second site to the acclaimed nearby Ysgol Y Deri, which was the subject of the BBC documentary, ‘A Special School’. Using cutting-edge technology to offer bespoke education for…

South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC), the leading force in the Welsh dairy industry, has recently announced that Mr Paul Savage has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board of Directors from the 1st January 2025 when the current chair, Bernard Harris steps down. With a distinguished career in the dairy industry and over 25 years within FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods), Mr Savage is set to bring a fresh a wave of leadership to SCC. From a village near Huddersfield, Yorkshire, his most recent role as Agricultural Director Arla saw Mr Savage spearhead efforts to foster dairy farming initiatives and…

HAVERFORDWEST will celebrate the opening of Wales’ largest Specsavers store on Monday 16 December 2024, following a transformative £1.2 million relocation to larger premises in the Riverside Shopping Centre. The new state-of-the-art store, located at 21 Riverside Quay, promises cutting-edge facilities and enhanced services to meet growing community needs. It will boast 14 test rooms, including two dedicated audiology suites, making it not only the largest Specsavers store in Wales, but one of the largest in the UK. Equipped with the latest technology, the premises will offer enhanced eye care, contact lens, and audiology services, easing the burden on local…

On Christmas Eve 2023, Dylan Thomas fatally stabbed his best friend William Bush at a house they shared in Llandaff, Cardiff. The night before, Thomas had been out for a family meal in Miskin, Llantrisant. When he returned to his grandmother’s home in Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan, he began a SnapChat conversation with William into the early hours of the morning. While texting his best friend, he was also searching the internet for veins, arteries, anatomy, and assisted suicide. The text conversation resumed around 11am on Christmas Eve while Thomas was being driven from Rhoose to Llandaff by…

A 47-year-old Wrexham man has been jailed for shoplifting, burglary and attempting to steal a car. Ioan McKenzie, of Churton Drive, stole almost £300 worth cigarettes from a city centre shop, before burgling a house the following week. He admitted the offences and was sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court today (Thursday, November 21st) where he was jailed for three years and four months. Shortly before 2.50pm on Monday, September 30th, WH Smiths reported a shoplifting to police after McKenzie helped himself to significant amounts of cigarettes from behind the till area. Despite handing some back after being challenged by staff,…

A major rail timetable change will see train times change significantly in December, allowing for increased services at some stations, later services from Cardiff Central and Swansea, trains leaving at the same time past each hour and more new trains. The changes are possible because of the enhanced capabilities of the brand-new Class 197 train fleet which has been replacing older trains over the last two years. It has been described as the “most significant mainline timetable change in a generation” and has taken four years to develop. Customers across South Wales and the Marches will need to keep a close…

A Pembrokeshire family-run business that now helps customers worldwide has been awarded the UK’s most prestigious business honour, The King’s Award for Enterprise. FRIO UK is the manufacturer of the world’s first patented medication and insulin-cooling wallet. Using specially developed crystals that activate when wet, the wallets keep medication cool whatever the weather by the process of evaporation. His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Dyfed, Miss Sara Edwards, presented the award at the company’s premises in Little Treffgarne on Tuesday, November 12th at an event attended by FRIO staff, invited guests and business colleagues. Mr Chris Wolsey, Managing Director of FRIO UK…

A Closure Notice has been issued and enforced at Aberdare Off Licence, which aims to send a clear message to premises in Rhondda Cynon Taf that the illegal sale of tobacco or illegal vapes will not be tolerated in this County Borough! On Friday, 8th November a Closure Notice was served to the proprietors of Aberdare Off Licence, located at 33 Victoria Square, Aberdare. This action was taken due to the illegal supply of vapes and tobacco products, including sales to underage individuals. The Closure Notice was issued under Section 76 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Act 2014.…

Bryn Meadows Golf Hotel & Spa is excited to announce the development of a new lodge facility, which marks a significant enhancement to its accommodation offerings, made possible through a match-funded grant of £23,411.10 from the UK Government via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). This funding, facilitated through the intervention of Caerphilly County Borough Council, has played a pivotal role in the renovation of the lodge into a luxurious 10-bed self-contained accommodation ideal for hen parties, birthdays, team-building weekends, and more. Nestled within over 100 acres of stunning meadowland in the breathtaking valleys of Caerphilly, Bryn Meadows has been…

Owners of empty properties and second homes across the Caerphilly county borough are being advised of additional Council Tax charges that will come into effect on April 1st 2025. Caerphilly county borough council has agreed to introduce Council Tax Premiums on Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties in an effort to bring long-term empty and underused homes back into use and increase the supply of affordable housing. Letters are being circulated to domestic property owners advising them of the new premiums, which will be as follows: Second Homes  100% Premium Long-term Empty Properties: – Empty longer than 2 years 100%…