Author: Rhys Gregory

A pop-up craft shop has opened in the café at a popular Mid Wales visitor attraction ready for the festive season. The shop, which opens daily from 10am to 4pm, hosts a collection of unique handmade crafts designed and made at Corris Craft Centre, near Machynlleth. Handmade chocolates from Chocablock, hand carved candles from The Candle Studio, a collection of artisan gin from Dyfi Distillery, smoking dragons and pottery from Quarry Pottery and handcrafted organic furniture from Taran Eco Designs are on offer. Danny Cameron, Corris Caverns director, said: “After a busy summer season, many of the craftspeople down tools…

Award-winning Ceredigion distillery, In the Welsh Wind, is looking forward to welcoming visitors to its annual Open Day on Saturday, November 23. An annual highlight in the distillery’s busy calendar, this year’s Open Day will be particularly exciting as bottles of the team’s highly sought after Second Release Single Malt Welsh Whisky will be available exclusively to buy in the distillery shop. In the Welsh Wind Distillery is located on the west coast of Wales, five miles north of Cardigan. Distillery founder and owner Ellen Wakelam said: “While the distillery is open to the public from Monday to Saturday, 9am…

LEADING property sales and lettings business Paul Fosh Auctions is bidding for an even bigger slice of the property action with its latest appointment. The property business already dominates the sector and is consistently placed at number one in the all-Wales auction sales. Now, with seasoned property expert Ollie Griffiths at the helm as head of auctions, Newport headquartered Paul Fosh Auctions is looking to boost growth. Paul Fosh, owner and founder of Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been able to appoint someone of Ollie’s calibre, knowledge and stature, to this key new position within…

Tourism leaders are calling on the Welsh Government to provide interim funding to keep open cafes and shops at three Natural Resources Wales (NRW) visitor centres until businesses can be found to run them. MWT Cymru (Mid Wales Tourism) chief executive Zoe Hawkins and Mid Wales Tourism Forum chairman, Steve Hughson have both expressed grave concern about the economic impact of the closures, announced last week. They have also questioned how much money the NRW will actually save by the cuts. NRW says it’s closing the cafés and shops at the visitor centres at Bwlch Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas…

THE Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay’s leading entertainment venue, is giving back this festive season with its ‘Season of Joy’ campaign. Launching this week to celebrate National Kindness Day, The Red Dragon Centre will be hosting a season of festive events to spread Christmas cheer to visitors, as well as hosting a festive jolly giant Santa as its Christmas centrepiece, ready to pose for photos. Kicking off the festivities is the opening of the ‘Jolly Book Bank’. Open from 18 November 2024 – 5 January 2025, the Centre will be encouraging visitors to give joy and get joy by donating…

Experts in substance misuse are highlighting the dangers of anabolic steroids, following the jailing of two men for a total of nearly 8 years earlier this week, who ran a multi million pound criminal enterprise. Lee Ablitt (50) of Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside and 49-year-old Christopher Thompson of Wigan, Greater Manchester were sentenced to 5 years and 2 years 9 months respectively, having admitted Conspiracy to Supply Class C drugs from 2017 to 2021, and for proceeds of criminal property offences. The two men used numerous units to store their drugs in North Wales, where they distributed them nationally to their customer…

Swansea city centre’s emerging community hub Y Storfa is to be the new home of a facility that helps celebrate the region’s industrial, social and cultural heritage. The South Wales Miners’ Library is the third non-council tenant to be announced for the hub now taking shape in Oxford Street’s former BHS building. The South Wales Miners’ Library, part of Swansea University and which celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, plans to move from its current location in Tycoch, behind the former Hendrefoilan Student Village. At Y Storfa – being developed now – it will join a range of public services…

People looking forward to attending this year’s Christmas Parade in Swansea are being urged to plan ahead for the event on Sunday 17 November. Thousands are expected to enjoy the free Swansea Council organised event, which will feature a vibrant mix of local community groups, spectacular professional entertainers, marching bands, magical floats, colourful film characters and festive inflatables, joining Santa Claus to switch on the city centre’s glittering Christmas lights. The council is encouraging those planning to attend to check arrangements beforehand as some roads will be closed to allow the parade to start at 5pm. Swansea Council Cabinet Member…

Changes to the way waste is recycled in Neath Port Talbot will now not go ahead following a decision by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet. By next Spring, the Welsh Government’s recycling target rises to 70% as it seeks to achieve zero waste by 2050 with heavy fines for those councils falling short – Neath Port Talbot’s current recycling rate stands at around 68%. At the same time, Neath Port Talbot Council is striving to deliver a balanced budget in 2025/26 meaning all services have been asked to identify a 5% financial saving for next year – this equates to…

Musicians, photographers, filmmakers, and content creators gathered for an inspiring evening of collaboration and conversation at Creative West Wales’ latest event. A well-attended panel discussion and networking event held in Ffwrn, Fishguard last month, focused on the use of social media and digital images to market the music sector. A panel of experts from the music industry including Siân Adler of Trigger Happy Creative, Alun Llwyd CEO of PYST Ltd and Owain Elidir Williams, founder of music magazine Klust, discussed the use of social media platforms as a tool for the creative industries. A speed-networking session enabled those attending to connect…