Author: Rhys Gregory

Projects costing a total of £12,000 for new signs at Llanidloes and Talgarth have been completed thanks to grant funding secured by Powys County Council. Four new gateway signs on the approaches to Llanidloes have been installed at a cost of £7,000 to ‘welcome’ visitors, while three town maps and information boards have been installed in Talgarth at a cost of £5,000. The Talgarth signs highlight local history and walking opportunities at Pengenffordd, Hay and Brecon Railway, and Talgarth Woodlands. The work was made possible thanks to the 80% grant funding secured by the county council’s Economy and Climate Service…

The next round of a tourism fund enhancing visitor experiences across Wales has been launched by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans. The Brilliant Basics fund for 2025-2027 will see a further £5 million invested to support local authorities and national parks to deliver improvements to tourist destinations which will benefit both visitors and local communities. The focus will be on improvements in basic but essential visitor infrastructure that improves accessibility at sites and makes tourist hotspots more environmentally sustainable. Previous projects funded by Brilliant Basics have included solar panels and electric vehicle charging points at…

A South Wales three bed end terrace house listed for sale at auction with a guide price of £0(nil) stunned bidders and sellers alike when it sold for more than £100,000. A dozen prospective owners waded into the fray in a bid to secure the dilapidated property in Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan. Eventually, after a staggering 230 bids were laid, the empty house with an overgrown ‘jungle’ as a back garden, which was the opening lot in the catalogue of some eighty other properties, sold for a mind-boggling £104,850. Sean Roper of South Wales-based Paul Fosh Auctions said: “Although the terraced house…

Seafood lovers are in for a treat during the upcoming Welsh Seafood Week (14th—18th October 2024), which celebrates the harvest of the sea. Fishmongers and retailers selling Welsh seafood will feature special displays and promote #WelshSeafood to customers in-store and online, highlighting the quality and diversity of the catch from around Wales’ coastline. Also, using the hashtags #BwydMôrCymru #WelshSeafood, fishermen and those in the wider seafood sector will encourage people to seek and enjoy Welsh produce. Food and Drink Wales’ Seafood Cluster manager Chris Parker said Welsh Seafood Week will allow the sector to highlight the wide variety of seafood…

One of the UK’s most successful Garden Railway Festivals will be making a welcome return journey to Llangollen Pavilion on Saturday, June 7.  The Llangollen Garden Railway Festival is one of the UK’s biggest model garden railway events. The event, which has been held since 2021 is once again expected to bring in thousands of garden railway enthusiasts to Northeast Wales.  It is also a great day for families and kids as well as hobbyists and enthusiasts! Over 40 of UK’s leading retailers have already confirmed their attendance at the iconic pavilion on June 7, 2025.  The day-long event will…

The shift to digital learning is transforming the way students access education, creating a more flexible, engaging, and inclusive environment. Traditional classrooms are evolving, and the impact of technology on education has been profound. From online courses to interactive platforms, digital learning is reshaping how knowledge is delivered and consumed. This shift brings unique advantages that redefine the entire educational experience and influence both how educators teach and how students learn. Expanding Access to Quality Education One of the most significant changes digital learning has introduced is the expansion of access to education. Students from all corners of the world…

Powys Business of the Year 2024 is Brecon-based Beacon Foods, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of ingredients and ready-to-eat products. The family-run company, which was established in 1993, collected the coveted accolade, sponsored by Powys County Council, at the annual awards ceremony held at Dering Lines, Brecon on Friday. Earlier in the evening, the company, which has 53,000 square feet of manufacturing and storage facilities, also collected the Growth Award, sponsored by WR Partners. Beacon Foods has grown from a start-up company to an industry leader employing a workforce of 130 in 31 years. Chairman Edward Gough received the…

Narberth-born James, who was one of four players to wear the armband throughout the 2025 UEFA Women’s EURO qualifying campaign following Sophie Ingle’s decision to step down, has now been given the role by head coach Rhian Wilkinson. The midfielder has been captain on three occasions previously having taken the armband for the friendly against USA in July 2023 before leading out Cymru for the 2025 UEFA Women’s EURO qualifiers against Ukraine and Kosovo at Parc y Scarlets. James brings a wealth of experience to the role having won 122 caps for Cymru since making her debut against Scotland in…

Cardiff-based home energy efficiency business, City Energy Network (CEN), has announced that it will need to recruit at least 2,000 new workers over the next three years to meet rapidly growing demand for its services, which include insulation, heat pump, solar panel, battery storage, EV charging, and smart meter installation. CEN’s announcement comes as the UK Government is preparing to launch a major new Warm Homes Plan to improve home energy efficiency in five million homes across the UK. As it stands, there is a shortage of skilled workers who can turn the Government’s plan into reality. CEN, which has…

The UK’s most outstanding recent building projects went head-to-head for top national accolades at the RICS Awards Grand Final last night, where Lisvane & Llanishen Reservoirs Visitor Centre was awarded Land Management & Sustainable Development project of the year. Built in the late-19th century, Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs are a Victorian landmark. After acquiring the site in 2016, Welsh Water worked closely with the local community to transform the site into a health and well-being hub. The redevelopment includes three projects which opened to the public last year. It comprises of the visitor centre, and community woodland projects as well…