Author: Rhys Gregory

This Halloween season, Wicked has flown into the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, bringing its bewitching story of friendship, rivalry, and unexpected heroism to life. Running until 23rd November 2024, the production promises an enchanting escape to Oz with all the intrigue, heart, and magic that has made it one of the world’s most beloved musicals. So, grab your broomsticks and prepare for a spellbinding adventure that’s more treat than trick! The Story Based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, “Wicked” is one of the most successful musicals of all time, bringing the world of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of…

Occupier demand for commercial property in Wales fell flat through Q3 according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Commercial Property Monitor, which may be weighing on surveyors’ outlook, which is less optimistic than reported previously. Whilst overall occupier demand is flat, there is variation in the sub-sectors. Occupier demand for industrial space rose (a net balances 25%), demand for office space was reported to have fallen flat, and a net balance of -23% of Welsh respondents reported that demand for retail space had fallen. Looking at overall investor demand, a net balance of -8% of respondents in…

South Wales Police teams will be patrolling communities to respond to reports of antisocial behaviour between Halloween and Bonfire Night across the force area. Ahead of the October 31 to November 5 period, South Wales Police is reminding people to report any concerns they have regarding antisocial behaviour as part of its Project Pinpoint campaign. The period is considered one of the busiest in the policing calendar. Last year, police control rooms received just over 1,828 calls on Halloween and a further 1,534 on Bonfire Night from members of the public, many of whom were concerned about antisocial behaviour. Common…

More major international music artists will be heading to Cardiff from next summer with the launch of a brand-new series of outdoor live music events. Subject to licence, Blackweir Live will debut with four headline gigs and with the capacity set at up to 35,000 people, it will be the city’s largest greenfield venue. This iconic green space at Blackweir Fields alongside the River Taff is tipped to feature some of the biggest international touring artists with the four gigs for 2025 held across select weekends throughout summer. Dates and ticket details will be announced soon. The launch of Blackweir…

A section of Oystermouth Castle is set to be cloaked in a cascade of red in November for a special community-led tribute this Remembrance season. Upwards of 6,000 poppies have been assembled by the Swansea Yarnbombers who spent many hours crocheting the poppies and sewing them one by one onto netting in preparation for the display, ably assisted by contributions from Swansea residents and indeed with small donations from all over the world. The days spent by the Yarnbombers assembling these poppies and thousands of hours sat crocheting poppies is testament to the respect given for our fallen heroes and others who gave so much for us.…

Drones are increasingly used by criminals to drop contraband into prison estates across the United Kingdom. HMP Parc in Bridgend, South Wales, has been the subject of an ongoing operation by police and G4S to tackle drone incursions and prevent contraband from reaching its intended audience. The operation has already had successes with illicit items being recovered before they can cause harm to the prison population. Prison intelligence officers within Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales, have been working with South Wales Police’s Crime in Prisons Team, and G4S, to track and target the drones and investigate those responsible for sending them. Detective Sergeant Karl Stephens, of Tarian, said:…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has completed a development of 53 new council homes on Hayeswood Road in Barry. This project is part of a long-term plan to increase the number of council houses as the Authority looks to address soaring demand for this type of accommodation. It follows in the footsteps of other council housing schemes at Llys Llechwedd Jenner, Lon y Felin Wynt and Clos Holm View. The development consists of one, two, three and four-bedroom properties built on land acquired by the Vale of Glamorgan Council from Welsh Government. Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of Vale of Glamorgan…

All Hackney Carriages (black and white taxis) in Cardiff are now required to accept card and contactless payments from the public. The new arrangements came into effect on September 1st, following agreement at the Council’s Public Protection Committee meeting in March this year. Cllr Dan De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “Now that we have given the trade enough time to comply with the new rules, it is important to get the message out to the public that they can now pay for their taxi ride in a Hackney Carriage by card or contactless payment.…

The star attraction will be a covered real ice rink, where you will be able to glide (or slip and slide!) whatever the weather. Other attractions include a Ferris wheel, fire pits for roasting marshmallows and fairground rides. If you’re looking for tasty treats, there will be plenty of choice on offer including: German sausages, burgers, loaded fries Waffles, crepes, doughnuts Christmas carvery Specialist coffees, and deluxe hot chocolates Traditional sweets and confectionery Take a seat at the outside seating area or head over to the bar where there will also be undercover seating. All nestled under festoon lighting and…

BikeShredz Ltd, a small independent bike store renowned for its bespoke bike builds and expert repairs, is thrilled to announce its relocation to a larger unit in Caerphilly, enabling significant business growth and the introduction of new services. The expansion has been made possible through funding support from the UK Government and Caerphilly County Borough Council. The business received 2 match funded grants, totalling £28,148.37, from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This grant was dedicated towards BikeShredz Ltd through Caerphilly County Borough Council’s intervention of UKSPF funds. Funding support helped with the rental bike purchase as…