Eisteddfod's warm tribute to Selwyn Evans who died last Sunday

* Selwyn Evans.

A long-standing volunteer with Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and its former treasurer has died aged 87.

Selwyn Evans passed peacefully away following a short illness last Sunday.

And a warm tribute has been paid to him by the Eisteddfod's chair, John Gambles, who said he would be missed by all who knew him.

Selwyn's two sons, Emyr and Hywel, said they were saddened to announce his passing in a post on social media.

Looking back on his life, they described him as: "Beloved husband to Dilys for 61 years; father and Taid to Daniel; Luis; Beth; Morgan and Teifi."

And they went on: "Born and raised in Llandudno Junction in October 1938 Selwyn attended Ysgol John Bright in Llandudno before starting his long career in banking joining Midland Bank in Pwllheli straight from school.

"Following his two years National Service and several Midland Bank branch moves across the whole of North and Mid Wales Selwyn, moved to Llangollen in 1973 with his young family to take up the position of Assistant Manager at Midland Bank in Llangollen.

"Green Lane became the family home and Dilys soon continued her teaching school career at Llangollen Infant School in Parade St in 1974.

"Selwyn was later to take positions as branch Manager of Midland Bank in Glyn Ceiriog, and taking early retirement from Midland Bank/HSBC as branch Manager in Corwen in 1996.

"Living within the shadows of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod ground it was not long after settling in Llangollen that the Eisteddfod came calling - with Selwyn first becoming involved as a member of both the Finance Committee and the Friends of the Eisteddfod.

"He became a member of the Board of the Eisteddfod - serving as Treasurer for many years - providing service to the Eisteddfod for over 45 years.

"A gentle and kind man is how many who met and dealt with Selwyn over the years will remember him.

"Funeral arrangements to be confirmed."

Eisteddfod chair John Gambles said: "The Eisteddfod has lost a great friend, supporter and loyal volunteer with the passing of Selwyn Evans on May 31. Selwyn gave freely of his time and experience and his considerable financial skills in a lifetime of service to the Eisteddfod. 

"Moving to Llangollen in 1973 and, as a banker, he was immediately recruited to the Finance Committee. His financial skills and experience, together with his good nature made him a perfect choice as Company Treasurer in 1991, a position he served with distinction for 15 years continuously, and then again for a further three years in 2011.

"Those who worked alongside him not only valued his commitment and loyalty, but as a wonderful family man who was interested in them as people too and he was always a welcome visitor to the office when he eventually retired.

"In addition to his long service with the Eisteddfod, Selwyn was also a founding member and Treasurer of the Friends. Along with Dilys, who was chair of Friends from 2003 to 2008, they helped to build a strong organisation to support the Eisteddfod."

Another Eisteddfod colleague Barrie Potter said: "When I took over as chair after Dilys, there was, in fact, very little for me to do, as they had it all organised. Selwyn was always a great source of support for me while I was the chair, for which I will always be grateful. He was always generous with his help. I’m sure I made mistakes in my role, but I knew I could always count on Selwyn for friendly advice, which was always that – friendly.

"He will be missed by all who knew him, and we offer our deepest sympathies to Dilys, Emyr, Hywel and their families."

Berwyn Street roadworks are for gas pipe laying

* Traffic waiting at the lights near the roadworks by Wales & West Utilities on Berwyn Street, opposite the entrance to Aldi.

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards has obtained details of the roadworks on Berwyn Street (A5) which appeared earlier this week, apparently without any prior warning.

She has been told that the work, which is being controlled by traffic signals, is being carried out by Wales & West Utilities and involves laying plastic pipes for a gas main, which will take until June 19.

"I understand it is all part of the replacement that has been taking place in various parts of the town and means laying pipework from the road to properties in the field above," she said. 

Nest boxes installed at Malthouse to help halt decline of the Swift

* A cherry-picker is used to carefully position the nest boxes on the end of the Malthouse building.

Four new Swift nest boxes have been installed at the Malthouse in Llangollen, along with a device to help attract new airborne residents.   

The boxes, which were carefully put in place on the historic building with the aid of a cherry-picker this week, have been paid for by local businesses and supporters, including donors from outside the immediate area.

The set-up also includes a Swift "caller" system to send out a welcome signal to attract prospecting birds to the site. 

Ecologist Max Ellson, who is based at the Malthouse, said: "Swifts have undergone a severe national decline, with the British Trust for Ornithology reporting long‑term losses linked to poor summer weather, reduced insect availability, and - most critically - the loss of traditional nesting sites as older buildings are renovated or sealed.

"By providing secure, purpose‑built nest spaces in the heart of Llangollen, this project aims to support the return of breeding Swifts for generations to come.  

"With luck, these boxes will become a familiar summer feature — filled with the sound of screaming parties overhead and the knowledge that the community has helped safeguard one of our most iconic birds."

He added: "With thanks to all those who donated, the Chirk Swifts and House Martins Group for their unceasing support, to the Malthouse Business Centre for agreeing to the installation, and to the MEWP installers."

* Anyone interested in finding our more can contact maxellson@marchesecology.co.uk.  The Chirk Swifts and House Martins Group can be found at https://www.chirkswiftsandhousemartins.com/

Public meeting will explain arrangements for summer's Pavilion events

* Performers from across the world will be at this summer's 79th Eisteddfod and Pavilion concerts.

Residents and businesses in Llangollen are being invited to a public meeting on Tuesday, June 9 ahead of the 2026 summer season at the Llangollen Pavilion and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

This summer, tens of thousands of visitors are expected to come to Llangollen, providing a significant boost to the local economy.

2026 marks the third year that the Eisteddfod and Cuffe and Taylor have co-promoted concerts at the Pavilion, bringing major international artists and audiences to the town.

Representatives from both organisations will attend the meeting, hich starts at the Pavilion at 6.30pm, to provide the latest information about the upcoming events programme, site arrangements, traffic management plans, noise mitigation measures, and access to the Pavilion site.

Eisteddfod Chair John Gambles said: “In just a few weeks’ time, the doors of our iconic Pavilion will welcome tens of thousands of people for another exciting summer season of live entertainment, with TK Maxx Presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion 2026 and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

"This meeting will be an opportunity for Llangollen residents and businesses to get the latest information as we prepare for a fantastic summer programme. It’s important to us to keep residents informed, listen to, act on their concerns and ensure the impact on our town is positive.”

Numerous steps are being taken to maintain a safe environment for the public during event days, including traffic management measures and a one-way system in certain areas. 

A dedicated phone line will also be launched to allow residents to contact the Eisteddfod team with any issues during the festival.

* Tickets and further information about events at the Pavilion and the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod are available from llangollen.net

Llangollen must wait longer to hear about UK Town of Culture bid

                   * The official emblem of the UK Town of Culture competition.

Llangollen will have to wait a little while longer to see if it has made the shortlist to become the UK's first Town of Culture in 2028, which carries a £3 million first prize.

After an exhaustive programme of public consultation, the local Expression of Interest was submitted to the UK Government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by the official deadline of March 31.

DCMS originally said the shortlist would be announced in the Spring. But now it has written to Llangollen Town Council, which is spearheading the bid, to say we'll have to wait another couple of months to find out if we're in the group going forward into the final round.

The department says: "Thank you for taking the time to submit an expression of interest to the UK Town of Culture 2028 competition. 

"We are delighted by the energy and enthusiasm it has generated amongst towns. We previously told you that we would announce the shortlist in Spring. 

"As a result of the exceptional response we have received, the expert advisory panel require additional time to assess all of the bids, and we will now announce the shortlisted towns by the end of July."

The competition invited towns across Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland to showcase "original storytelling, and empowering, accessible culture". 

Inspired by the success of the flagship UK City of Culture - neighbouring Wrexham has made the longlist - which is a proven model for cultural placemaking, this competition aims to spotlight the cultural contribution of towns to the national story. 

The winning town will be awarded £3 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028 of around six months. The two finalists from their category will receive £250,000 each to deliver elements of their bid.

It's not known at this stage exactly which towns Llangollen will be competing against but it's understand a number in Wales are bidding including Abergavenny, Blaenavon, Monmouth, Pontypridd, Port Talbot & Afan Valley,  Machynlleth, Llandrindod Wells, Hay-on-Wye and Cwmbran.

Llangollen's bid includes neighbouring Llantysilio and Llangollen Rural.

In his submission of Llangollen's Expression of Interest by the March 31 deadline, the Town Clerk wrote to the Minister: "This submission reflects the strength, heritage, and cultural ambition of our town, and we are proud to present it for your consideration. An exact Welsh translation of the document is also enclosed."

Police agree to meeting over bank holiday anti-social behaviour

* Just some of the rubbish left behind on the bridge on bank holiday Monday.

After being made aware of local concerns about the upsurge of anti-social behaviour which hit Llangollen on bank holiday Monday, North Wales Police have agreed to a top-level meeting to discuss possible future solutions.

Police have come under fire for their lack of presence on the streets when a large group of people, some of them drinking, gathered on the bridge to cheer on youths jumping from the parapet down into the river then leaving behind a large amount of litter and rubbish.

At the other end of town narrow country lanes in the area became blocked by scores of illegally parked vehicles around the Horseshoe Falls, again with no police on hand. 

This week, on behalf of town councillors, town clerk Gareth Thomas wrote to the police suggesting that these problems, plus others he mentioned from the bank holiday, needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

He has now received a reply from Denbighshire and Conwy inspector Joseph Dunn who agrees that a meeting of stakeholders should take place.

Insp Dunn says: "I am grateful that you have taken the time to bring these matters to our attention and to provide specific examples of the issues being experienced by residents, businesses and visitors. 

"The incidents you describe, including disorder associated with street drinking, nuisance vehicle-related activity within residential areas, and the concerning behaviour directed towards rafting groups at Riverside Park, are clearly matters that can have a significant impact on public confidence, community wellbeing and perceptions of safety.

"I am aware that Llangollen experiences unique challenges as a busy and popular visitor destination, and it is important that we continue to balance the needs of residents, local businesses and visitors whilst ensuring that unacceptable behaviour is addressed appropriately, and by the correct agency. 

"My officers will continue to assess reports received and work with partners to identify opportunities to prevent and tackle anti-social behaviour where it occurs. We have had great success with this across the district previously.

"I welcome your suggestion of bringing relevant organisations together to discuss the concerns that have been raised. 

"Given the range of issues identified, many of which involve a number of agencies and stakeholders, I believe it would be beneficial to initially convene a meeting of key partners to review the concerns in more detail, share information and develop a coordinated response where appropriate.

"This approach will allow us to better understand the nature and extent of the issues being experienced, identify where responsibility for each particular matters sits, and consider what practical measures may be available to individual organisations and us as a collective group before engaging more widely with the community."

And referring to a public meeting, he adds: "Following those discussions, I would be happy to consider further engagement with residents, businesses and community representatives to discuss the issues, outline any proposed actions and gather additional feedback.

"Thank you again for raising these concerns. I look forward to working with the Town Council and our partners to address the issues identified and support the continued safety and wellbeing of the town, residents and visitors." 

Llangollen's new town mayor, Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam, who strongly supported arranging talks with the police, said: "This is an issue which caused so much concern in the town that it clearly required discussions with the police at a high level. I am therefore delighted to see that the inspector has agreed to an early meeting when solutions can hopefully be found."    

Unique event honours the life of Victorian railway pioneer

* Father lee Taylor leads the graveside service marking the 150th anniversary of the death of Charles Beyer who is buried in the churchyard at Llantysilio.  

The centuries-old link between one of the most picturesque parts of Llangollen and the engineering hothouse of Victorian Manchester was celebrated with a special event today (Tuesday).

On the 150th anniversary of his death groups associated with both worlds gathered to celebrate the rich life of the man who tied together these diverse areas of North Wales and North West England and to mark his momentous achievements.

Llangollen residents, railway enthusiasts and historians honoured pioneering railway engineer Charles Beyer by taking part in a unique programme combining heritage, history and a traditional steam train journey through the Dee Valley.

The event also formed part of wider recognition linked to LGBT+ History Month 2026, highlighting lesser-known aspects of his life alongside his major contribution to the early railways.

* Charles Beyer's portrait by Carl Friedrich Schmid (1870)

The commemoration began with the first part of a church service at St Collen’s Church in Llangollen at 10am which was paused to allow attendees to travel by steam train from Llangollen station to Berwyn whose station is close to where Beyer lived at Llantysilio Hall and is buried at the nearby church.

For the occasion, a special Charles Beyer headboard was commissioned for the steam locomotive, created in partnership with the East Lancashire Railway.

On arrival at Berwyn, a commemorative plaque was unveiled, commissioned by the Institution of Civil Engineers, recognising Charles Beyer’s significant contribution to the profession. 

Participants then processed across the Chain Bridge to Llantysilio Church, where the service resumed. Both services will be led by Father Lee Taylor, Vicar-in-Charge, and concluded with a graveside tribute.

* Guests gather at Llangollen Station with the name-plated engine which took them to Berwyn and back.

The event continued with a reception at Llantysilio Hall, including tours and short speeches, before the return journey to Llangollen.

As part of the wider programme of commemorations, a further event will take place on Sunday June 14 at Brookfield Church in the Gorton district of Manchester where Beyer and his business partner Richard Peacock built their massive engineering factory - Beyer, Peacock and Company - which once supplied the world with steam locomotives.

Born in 1813 in Saxony, Beyer moved to England as a young man and established his career in Manchester, becoming a leading figure in locomotive design during the industrial revolution. He later settled near Llangollen and rebuilt Llantysilio Hall, where he died on June 2 1876. 

Beyer also had a lasting connection to Manchester’s social and sporting history. As a major benefactor, he helped fund the construction of St Mark’s Church, one of three he supported in the area. This church later became the birthplace of Manchester City FC, originally founded there in 1880 as St Mark’s, Gorton.

The event forms part of a wider programme of commemorations taking place across the UK, with further events planned at heritage railways and museums connected to Beyer’s life and work.

* The steam engine bearing the specially-commissioned Charles Beyer nameplate.

* Steve Jones of the Institution of Civil Engineers unveils the Beyer commemorative plaque at Berwyn Station. Below is the plaque itself.

* A spray of flowers placed on the grave after the service.

* Llantysilio Hall where Charles Beyer once lived. 

* Llangollen and Corwen Railway trust manager Dave Hennigan reads the lesson during the first part of the service at St Collen's Church.