* A picture taken at the scene of the callout and supplied by NEWSAR.
Denbighshire Free Press is reporting that a search and rescue team came to the aid of a woman who had become trapped down a 'steep embankment' in Llangollen.
* For the full story, go to: Llangollen: Woman rescued from 'steep embankment' | Denbighshire Free Press
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Two Llangollen businesses have appeared in a list of seven of the UK’s “best vintage clothes shops” published recently by The Sunday Times.
In at number four came Rowan Vintage in Castle Street, with Riverbanc, just
around the corner in Bridge Street, also getting a worthy mention.
The piece says: “Britain’s best vintage shops are history in textile form, whether you
want to pick up a Fifties swing dress or a Nineties bucket hat (very much back
on trend for summer).
“Typically run by passionate
shopkeepers, these treasure troves are best visited at weekends or whenever you
have more time to browse. With summer sales in full swing, these are the ones
to visit.”
Of Rowan Vintage, the story says: “This dinky shop on Castle Street is a
perfect fit for the pretty riverside town of Llangollen and its steam railway,
which opened in 1861.
“The stock is
more band T-shirt than pre-war, but it rotates regularly and is much loved by
locals (instagram.com/rowanvintagellangollen).”
And of
Riverbank it says: “The seven-room Riverbanc hotel has a glorious café that
overlooks the River Dee, and the owners also run Whitewater Active if you want
to mix your retail therapy with kayaking or rafting. Details Room-only doubles from £100 (riverbanc.co.uk).
* The full story, which also features vintage shops in London, East Sussex, Edinburgh, North Yorkshire, Dorset and Newcastle, can be seen at: Seven of the UK’s best vintage clothes shops (thetimes.com)
The man who has been the driving force behind organising next week's public meeting to discuss the county council’s controversial plan to rid itself of Llangollen’s public toilets has stressed how vital it is for people to attend.
In a bid to balance its budget, Denbighshire aims to shed all the public conveniences it runs across the county and offer local town and community councils the chance to take them over.
This includes the toilets in Llangollen’s Market Street. But the Town Council has already ruled out a take-over on the grounds that it would be beyond its financial means and lead to a big increase on the amount it draws from the council tax.
The idea that a major tourist town like Llangollen stands to lose its busy public loos has sparked major protests on social media ranging over the past couple of months since the plan was revealed.
One of its leading opponents has been local resident Rod Holt who has been urging the Town Council to host a public meeting where all the sides of the argument can be aired.
Having secured the correct number of local electors required to spark it town clerk Gareth Thomas posted the necessary public notice.
This says the public meeting will be held at the Town Hall in Parade Street on Tuesday August 6, starting at 6pm.
It adds: “The purpose of the meeting is to address residents' and the business community’s concerns related to the transfer of ownership of the Llangollen public conveniences within potential for closure.”
Rod Hold said: “It’s essential all shop/business owners and concerned residents, particularly those that posted support, attend this meeting so DCC are left in no doubt as to the feelings in Llangollen regarding the proposed closure of this vital facility.”
Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards also urged people to attend the meeting.
She said: “Many people will now be aware that the county council has resolved to largely de-fund budgetary provision for operating public conveniences. This was part of a wider cost saving exercise with the aim of producing a balanced budget.
"I have consistently and vehemently opposed the closure of the Market Street toilets and the response from officers of the council thus far has been to say that no decision has been taken.
"The proposal was due to come before Communities Scrutiny Committee on September 5, prior to Cabinet for a decision later that month. However, that has now been deferred to October, due to the forthcoming election affecting the time-frame for adequate public consultation on the proposals.
"I shall obviously attend the public community meeting hosted by the Llangollen Town Council, to listen to the views of those attending. The Market Street toilets are a vital part of our public infrastructure and I hope that many residents and businesses are able to attend.”
Genesis GV80 drive by Steve Rogers
Who says only the Brits and Germans can build luxury cars?
Take a look at this Genesis. Never heard of it? Hardly surprising, there aren’t that many around and those that are will be found mainly in the affluent south.
A more familiar name is Hyundai and Genesis is the luxury arm of the big selling Korean company.
It has been a rocky road for Genesis so here is the story so far. The brand launched independently in the UK in 2021 selling directly to customers online with a few studios in shopping centres to promote the cars.
Progress was not fast enough so this year the brand was brought back into the Hyundai fold allowing it to tap into the parent company’s sales expertise but with the aim of opening dealerships. For now customers can still buy online.
The GV80 is the biggest SUV in the line up and certainly attracted a lot of attention for two reasons. First, no one had heard of Genesis and thought it looked like a Bentley SUV (the huge grille and winged badge does give it a Bentayga look), while the matt paint finish did not go down too well. It looks like it is waiting for its final coat of gloss. Ironically the matt finish costs an extra £1,130. Did I like it? Not at first but it grew on me after a few days.
Rivals include the likes of Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery, all cars with beautifully trimmed interiors, and the GV80 can match them when it comes to plush.
If the body styling says premium then the interior shouts it from the rooftops. The Sport model sits below the top of the range and is incredibly well equipped in its basic form, but my test car had £11,000 of extras so just looking at the Nappa leather with its quilted diamond patterned seats set the tone. The quality of the surfaces along the dashboard, centre console and door cappings is spot on as are the aluminium inserts which are exclusive to the Sport.
The 14.5in infotainment touchscreen is impressive and can also be operated via a central rotary dial which is much safer when driving. And I am pleased to note the heating controls are operated separately from physical switches rather than dabbing the touchscreen.
Genesis is trying to tempt buyers away from the traditional premium set with a high level of equipment and Sport is a good example. With a power operated steering wheel adjustment and powered seats that move every which-way it is easy to get a perfect driving position and the seats are heated or ventilated
Back seat passengers are equally as well pampered, but two grand extra for the comfort pack includes heated or ventilated seats, and power for fore and aft and recline positions. The centre armrest folds down so it is good for carrying skis or just reaching into the boot on the move.
Three adults across the back seat is no problem with ample leg and headroom even with the double length sunroof that can reduce height.
GV80 is a big car and could feel an intimidating beast in tight supermarket car parks but Genesis has thought of those little problems and provided all round cameras, and if the parking space is too tight for comfort then the car can be slipped in or out of a space using the key fob.
Basically they have covered everything to be found in the opposition and added a few extras for good measure. And how is this for simplicity? The release button for the powered tailgate is in your eyeline at the base of the rear wiper so there is no need to run fingers along the boot lip trying to find the catch.
As would be expected in an SUV this size there is plenty of room and flexibility in the boot, though not class leading, with a 40-20-40 split, and to make life easy the seat backs can be dropped and raised using the power buttons in the boot wall. There seem to be motors for everything.
Driving the GV80 is more than pleasant, but let’s be honest it is not one for swinging around country lanes, the Audi Q7 is better suited to that. It handles well enough but within its limits. Main roads and motorways are where it is at its best and although the four cylinder 2.5 litre petrol is a tad strained with foot to the floor it is no slouch and with 422Nm of torque has ample overtaking power. No hybrid option which is a disappointment.
Around 28mpg was the best I could do over a week’s driving which isn’t anything special so big mileage users might be best looking at the diesel.
Next time we look at the G70 saloon.
Fast facts
GV80 Sport AWD 8sp auto
£68,275 - tested £79,475
2.5 litre turbo petrol; 300bhp
0-62mph 7.7secs; 147mph
30.5mpg combined
Boot: 735-2152 litres
Insurance group 46
Towing: 2722kg
llanblogger recently reported the death of well-known Llangollen resident Bill Saunders at the age of 99. Here, Llangollen Museum, for which Bill did some valuable work, pays tribute to him.
They say: "At the Museum we were all very sad to hear about the passing of Bill Saunders. Bill did a lot of valuable work for the Museum, including the recording and photographing of all the memorial inscriptions in the Fron Cemetery.
"We thought that blog readers would be interested to read Bill’s account, written over 20 years ago, of when he came to Llangollen in 1943, when he was stationed at the Bryn Howel and Llangollen during and just after the Second World War."
I first came to Llangollen in March 1943 as an apprentice tradesman with the Survey branch of the Royal Engineers. I had joined the army in November 1941 when I was aged 16 and was first stationed at Barton on Sea in Hampshire. In March 1943 we moved to Bryn Howel to be nearer to our parent unit, the Survey Training Centre at Wynnstay, Ruabon.
Bryn Howel had been requisitioned by the War Office and I was one of the advance party sent to make the accommodation ready for the rest of the unit. We came up by train, alighted at the Sun Bank halt and walked back along the track to Bryn Howel.
At this time of course Bryn Howel was still in its original condition as a private house erected by J. C. Edwards and was barely large enough to house around 50 boys and 10 staff plus lecture rooms and the usual offices. Some of the sleeping accommodation was above the stable block.
Our training as potential cartographers and surveyors consisted of drawing and lettering plus field surveys for which the Vale of Llangollen was eminently suitable. We learnt how to use theodolites to establish trig points on the surrounding hills and then plane tables to plot the map detail. In addition to our survey training we were subject to the usual military disciplines which included physical training.
As part of this we formed a gymnastics team which gave displays
around the area including one I remember on the old Rec in Llangollen, probably
as part of a War Weapons week. We also had a small dance band and in addition
to holding dances at Bryn Howel we performed for them in the Town
Hall. I played the trumpet in the band and I looked forward to my break so that
I could get down off the stand to dance briefly with my girlfriend (now my
wife). Inevitably many friendships formed, particularly with local girls
resulting in the fullness of time in several marriages.
The only other army units in the area were a small Royal Artillery unit stationed at Bryntisilio (which operated searchlights I believe) - inevitably known as ‘the Brynti boys’ - and an Army Medical detachment at The Grange near Plas Newydd where we went for medical attention.
Like most other towns and villages in Britain, Llangollen showed many signs of being involved in the war effort. Most young people had been called up for military service and many of those remaining were ‘doing their bit’ working in factories or in some form of food production. There was the blackout which meant that after dark there was no street lighting nor any lights showing from buildings.
Food was strictly rationed so the many grocers, butchers and greengrocers in the town had meagre displays and the few cafes which were open could sell little more than cups of tea and baked beans on toast! Opposite the station in Abbey Road there was a small office of the Ministry of Food which issued ration books.
The main places of entertainment were the Dorothy Cinema which gave two performances of the latest films every evening with queues forming on the stairs and the Town Hall where dances were held and concerts given by local artists - such as ‘the oldest vocalist in Llangollen’.
As mentioned before, Llangollen like most other places in the country participated in the various fund raising weeks such as War Weapons, Dig for Victory, National Savings, Spitfire and Warships - the resulting plaque for the latter still hangs in the Town Hall.
The tourist trade was greatly diminished but much of the spare accommodation was taken up evacuees, mainly from Merseyside and also by the staff of Monsanto Chemicals from their headquarters in London. At weekends there was an influx of servicemen who being stationed at Ruabon, Wrexham and Overton were making their first visit to the Principality.
However, apart from the name of the town itself and some old sepia postcards in shop windows there was very little sign of Welsh being spoken. One feature which affected visitors was the Sunday closing of public houses. These tended to be men-only affairs into which few women and even fewer children penetrated.
Pubs were pubs and cafes were cafes and you could drink in
one and eat in the other - except on Sundays when visitors had to find the
nearest pub over the English border and the locals retired to their various
clubs where drink was allowed. The Parish Church and all the chapels were all
open of course and well attended. I don’t think that there was a Roman Catholic
church in the town as the one in Oak Street took the place of Zans, the
hardware store much later.
Petrol was rationed so there were virtually no private vehicles on the road except for those belonging to “essential users” such as doctors etc. As relatively few people owned cars before the war, public transport between the main towns was efficient and taken for granted. Crosville buses ran a half-hourly service to Wrexham and Chester, though the service terminated at the bottom of Wharf Hill as the double decker buses were not allowed over the bridge into the town until many years later.
The railway station was also very busy with the trains from Barmouth linking up at Ruabon with the Great Western service from Birkenhead to Paddington. via Birmingham. For shorter journeys walking was the usual mode. From Bryn Howel we would often walk into town along the towpath to save the twopence bus fare or to the summit of the Horseshoe Pass for a Sunday picnic.
Although the canal did not
carry any traffic at all it was still well maintained. I understand that the
railway company who had taken it over many years before had the duty to keep it
in working order. The horse-drawn boats which made the trip to the Chain Bridge
Hotel were out of action but returned soon after the war. The rowing boats were
still available for hire, however.
One feature which would strike many people today was the general shabbiness which prevailed at that time and into the early post-war years. Building maintenance was neglected for lack of workers and materials and the same applies to decoration as hardly any repainting was undertaken and many windows were painted black to assist the blackout. There was a rash of official posters on the lines of “Careless talk costs lives” and “Be like Dad, keep Mum” and painted signs pointing to sources of water for fire fighting in the event of an air raid. This official graffiti was rarely removed but left to fade into shabbiness - some of this attitude continued until the efforts of the Civic Society in the early 1960's.
There were still many small cottages which lacked most modern amenities. The rather grand looking house where I subsequently lived in Abbey Road lacked electricity, the main rooms were lit by gas and oil lamps were used elsewhere. In 1952 MANWEB installed electric lighting for the princely sum of £25 and power points for £1 each.
The main source of heating in houses was by means of open fires; the coal being supplied from a coal wharf alongside the railway in Abbey Road and during cold weather a pall of smoke hung over the town - this was most noticeable when we were out on the hills during our surveying practice. There was also a small gas production plant in Queen Street adjacent to the Cyflmen stream which supplied coal gas to the town until the advent of North Sea Gas which was piped in around 1963. It was only then that gas-fired central heating became popular and the smoke pollution gradually diminished.
During my subsequent army service most of my colleagues who had been stationed in Bryn Howel had good memories of the friendliness of the Welsh people and how they had taken them to their hearts. It is for that reason I am sure that we still have a bi-annual reunion at Bryn Howel where 20 to 30 of ‘the lads’ plus their partners gather to reminisce about ‘the good old days’. For how much longer - who knows.
* Bill's funeral will be at St Collen's Church at 1pm on August 15.
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More than 50,000 people headed to Llangollen for a month of live music from some of the world’s biggest rock and pop stars.
Marking
a new partnership between the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
and live event promoters Cuffe and Taylor, organisers have hailed the events a
major success.
Over the course of the four weeks more than 38,000 people headed to the 11 headline concerts, almost 13,000 bought tickets for the traditional events of the Core Eisteddfod week, while thousands more attended events in Llangollen including the Parade of Nations.
Artistic
Director of the Llangollen
International Musical Eisteddfod, Dave Danford said: “Together
with our co-promoters Cuffe and Taylor, we’ve brought North Wales its most
amazing four weeks of live music ever.
“For a festival that’s been in
existence for almost 80 years to undergo a rebirth such as this is truly
remarkable, and I couldn’t be more proud of what our team has achieved.
“Our festival scaled new heights this year
and that’s down to the hard work of hundreds of volunteers who worked hand in
hand with the brilliant team at Cuffe and Taylor. We are already planning for
2025 as we build on our most successful summer for generations.”
Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor added: 'We are delighted by the success of our
first year working with the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod team.
“Together we have brought global stars to
this beautiful town in North Wales and a record number of people to the
Llangollen Pavilion.
“We have always prided ourselves on bringing music to areas that would not ordinarily attract global names and we well and truly did that in Llangollen this summer.”
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From today (Monday) Llangollen Museum will be closed in preparation for the building having a new roof put on.
Paid for by the Community Ownership Fund and another funder which they museum cannot yet disclose, the entire roof will be replaced with a new structure with steel girders.
The appearance of the building will change slightly as the new roof will not have a parapet and the rainwater will drain through external pipes, rather than the internal ones that have caused flooding problems when they have become blocked.
Building work by the contractor, Team Roundhouse of Frodsham in Cheshire, will commence on August 19.
The three weeks until then will be used to clear the museum before handing over to the contractor.
The work is estimated to take around six months, meaning the museum will be closed until January 2025.
For
updates on the work, and exact dates of re-opening people are invited to keep an eye on the museum's own Facebook page.
However, heritage will not stop in Llangollen, according to the museum.
A spokesperson said: "During the period of the closure some of our display cases will be relocated to other public venues around Llangollen. Look out for displays in the Tourist Information, the Library, the Dory Gallery, the Health Centre and St Collen’s Church.
"Our programme of talks will continue. There will be no talk in July but the next talk will be on Wednesday, August 28, at 7.30pm, in the Council Chamber on the opposite side of Parade Street from the museum.
"Entitled ‘The reasons the Welsh went to Patagonia in 1865 and how they overcame early hardships,’ it will be a presentation by Graham Edwards.
"Why did 162 Welsh people go to Patagonia, one of the most remote and inhospitable places in the world, in 1865? How did they eventually succeed, despite incredible hardship and overwhelming difficulties when they arrived?
"On Wednesday September 25, again in the Council Chamber at 7.30pm, the
Portable Antiquities Scheme Officer, Susie White, will give a talk entitled
‘Buried Beneath our Feet’. She will describe what the Portable Antiquities
Scheme is – who they are, why they do what they do – and then look at some of
the objects recorded on the database from the local area.
The spokesperson added: "Plans for the Llangollen Museum Young Archaeologists’ group are well on the way, and will continue during the period of closure. We are hoping to have a full programme in place by the end of 2024.
"Young Archaeologists’ Club (YAC) is the only UK-wide club where young people aged 8–16 year olds can participate in real archaeology and discover why it matters. If you want to become a professional archaeologist in the future or just feel like taking up an amazing new hobby, YAC is the right place for you.
"YAC members take part in all sorts of exciting, hands-on activities, such as excavation, working with artefacts, visiting historical sites and undertaking experimental archaeology. As a YAC member, you will also have access to the YAC Pass, giving free or discounted entry to hundreds of heritage sites across the UK, including those run by English Heritage, Historic Environment Scotland and Cadw. Anyone wanting to join our mailing list for updates please email cdv.yac@gmail.com"
A former West End performer and actress from Llangollen is running musical theatre workshops for youngsters in the town and Wrexham.
Julie Kirk Thomas, who was part of the original cast of the hit musical Evita and featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, is bringing Bugsy Malone to St Collen’s Community Hall in Llangollen on August 21 and 22 and Wrexham's Ty Pawb on August 19 and 20.
Parents and guardians looking for fun activities
for their children over the summer holidays can book them onto the workshop,
which will feature splurge guns (water pistols) filled with custard and cream
pies in one brave gangster’s face.
Julie said: “I'm
looking for budding gangsters and molls for this lively production of Bugsy
Malone - children who love to sing, dance and act.
"We'll be heading back to 1920s New York and recreating the action with custard pies, splurge guns, along with silly string and Charleston dancing.
“There will be laughter and lots of mess to clear
up but it's a great opportunity for children to do something different and
learn some new skills this summer.”
A regular mum who always books her children onto these workshops said: “Julie provides a great environment for the kids to have fun while at the same time learning some of the discipline of musical theatre.
“Her workshops are always a great confidence boost
to my boys, who are already practising their New York accents.”
The two-day workshop culminates with a short performance for family and friends.
Bugsy Malone is a 1970s British gangster film, directed by Alan Parker, which featured only child actors.
The story is loosely based on events from the 1920s/30s America during the prohibition era. It featured a young Jodie Foster as the lead female, Talullah.
* To book a place at the workshops, email Julie at: danceworkshops@yahoo.co.uk
A mainstay of the Llangollen Ramblers, who had the distinction of once producing the definite map of an African country just after the Second World War, has died at the age of 99.
Bill Saunders, who joined the very active walking group a decade ago, was also a regular volunteer with the local Tidy Town Team and is recalled by a friend and fellow Ramblers member as a “remarkable citizen”.
Bill originally hailed from the south of England and went to school at the Duke of York's Military academy in Kent.
The Second World War broke out when he was 14, and in due course he went into the army and became a cartographer.
It was when his unit was billeted in Llangollen, at Bryn Howel Hall, that he met Betty, a local girl, who became his wife. They went on to have four daughters, all of whom survive him.
After the war his work took him abroad and he was particularly proud of producing the definitive map of Uganda. Back in the UK the family moved around but eventually returned to Llangollen.
His fried Judy Smith recalls: “Betty had just died when I first met Bill. He had joined the Tidy Town Team and it was at their Christmas dinner that I was introduced to this man who wanted to join the Ramblers.
“It was when he started telling me about his wartime experiences that I did a few quick calculations - he was actually 84! The next week Bill came out for a walk and he was a regular from that moment. At first he was slow and we would wait for him but within a couple of months he was up there with us.
“It got to the point where he was faster than us, and on one memorable occasion on the Offa's Dyke Path he was ahead of us when he took a wrong turn, thus cutting out a section of the designated path. He'd just walked 14 miles, but when we told him what he had done he insisted we took him back to go the right way, adding another three miles to his day. He was 87 years old!”
Judy added: “There were other notable moments in his walking career. At 88 he was up Catbells and Dale Head in the Lake District. On his 90th birthday he climbed Snowdon with his friend Beryl, a mere 81-year-old. Together they took many walking holidays and were always amused to find the HF or Ramblers Holidays leaders disconcerted by their ages. But they could keep up with anyone!
“At 94 Bill was still walking with the Ramblers and had covered the Wales Coast Path from Chester right round to Harlech when Covid struck. The isolation and lack of freedom proved too much for him and he was soon admitted to the Old Vicarage and then to the Llangollen Fechan, where he died.
“Llangollen Ramblers won't forget him. He was something of an icon, an inspiration to all of us, and getting slower and older, we console each other with, 'Well, Bill only just started at 84' .
“With all that he had a fine sense of humour and was truly a gentleman. I don't think we shall see his like again. Llangollen has lost a very remarkable citizen.”
* Bill's funeral will be at St Collen's Church at 1pm on August 15.
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* Llangollen is one of the county's premier tourism areas. |
Denbighshire's tourism figures have seen a rise for 2023 in comparison to the previous year.
Latest STEAM (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) figures show that the total visitor numbers for Denbighshire in 2023 reached 6.39 million, an increase of almost 6% (5.9%) in comparison to 2022 figures.
The data also shows that the number of day visitors to the county for 2023 was 4.72 million, a 7.5% change when compared to 2022.
The total economic impact of tourism was £736.05 million, a jump of 17.1% on the previous year.
STEAM is a tourism economic impact modelling process which approaches the measurement of tourism from the bottom up, through its use of local supply side data and tourism performance and visitor survey data collection.
Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation, said:
“Denbighshire has both stunning coastal areas as well as scenic rural patches, which allows it to be a very well-rounded offer for tourists, who travel far and wide to come and visit our beautiful county.
"Once again, we welcome increased tourism figures for Denbighshire year on year, which demonstrate the importance of tourism to the local economy, and the bounce back the tourism industry has achieved after a difficult few years.”
* Mandy Towers and Joe Walker have organised the 60s weekend.
Llangollen Railway says it is looking forward to turning the clock back for its 60s Weekend on the weekend of August 3 and 4.
Making a very welcome return after several years’ absence, the event will include live music on Llangollen station, vintage vehicles, a heritage bus service from Corwen, a real ale bar at Llangollen station and the chance to drive a diesel shunting locomotive at Corwen station.
There will be a busy timetable of steam, diesel and railcar trains, all of which would have been seen at work around the country in the 1960s.
The 1960’s saw monumental political, social and technological change. The railways in Britain were no different, seeing the end of steam locomotives, the birth of the famous "double arrow logo" and the controversial closure of a third of Britain's rail network, masterminded by BR Board Chairman Dr Richard Beeching and controversial Transport Minister Ernest Marples.
The Ruabon-Barmouth railway was one of the victims of the Beeching Cuts, closing at the end of 1964. The closure of rural railways was extremely unpopular and attracted considerable resistance from the communities about to lose their transport links.
Demonstrations were not uncommon and Llangollen Railway volunteers, dressed in period clothes and bearing placards, will recreate anti-closure protests at Glyndyfrdwy station over the weekend.
Volunteers worked for nearly 50 years to rebuild 10 miles of the abandoned line between Llangollen and Corwen, with the first trains running in 1985 and a new station at Corwen finally opening in June 2023.
The event is being organised by mother-and-son team Mandy Towers and Joe Walker, who both volunteer on Llangollen station.
Visitors can find out more and book tickets on the railway’s events webpage: https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/1960s-weekend/
* Llangollen & Corwen Railway continues to make a successful recovery following the collapse of its operating company in 2021 and rescue by the Llangollen Railway Trust under new management.
July 9 saw the third anniversary of the first train to be operated by the Trust, whose manager Tom Taylor said: "Three years on from our first train to Berwyn under Trust management we have achieved what many said would be impossible.
"Corwen station has been completed, opened and is proving very popular. Our much-loved Pannier steam locomotive No 7754 has ben restored and is steaming again. Our legendary events have returned, including the exciting return of our 60’s Weekend.
"We have also secured significant grant aid by working with local partners, like Denbighshire County Council.
"Through their Shared Prosperity Fund, we have been able to recruit new staff who are helping take our volunteer, interpretation, environmental and training needs forward. The SPF has also funded an in-depth consultant-led project to assess how we can secure the railway's future sustainability.
"We have a wonderful railway and a brilliant team of volunteers and staff who care passionately about it. We are all optimistic about its future."
St Collen’s Church has announced a "unique and inclusive" beer tasting event in celebration of St Arnold of Soissons, the patron saint of beer.
This special occasion, from 6-8pm on Wednesday August 14, is supported by local breweries, including Evan Evans Brewery and Conwy Brewery, bringing together a wide selection of local brews up for sampling.
Saint Arnold of Soissons, revered as the patron saint of brewers, was an 11th-century monk known for his miraculous works and advocacy for the health benefits of beer over the unsafe drinking water of the day.
Before his calling to the priesthood St Collen's priest-in-charge, Father Lee Taylor, worked in pubs in Wigan and Bolton, learning the trade from his mother who was a publican.
As part of the festivities, Fr. Lee will perform a blessing of the ales using an ancient, largely forgotten prayer dating back to the 16th century.
This rare ritual not only honours the heritage of beer but also aims to reconnect people with historical traditions that have been celebrated in churches for centuries.
Added Fr Lee: "This event is open to all in our community, whether they come to church regularly or not, regardless of beliefs and background. The church is here to serve the whole community, not just the ‘religious’.
"Our church building has always been used for public and secular events. We are here to celebrate and bring people together in all sorts of ways. I want St Collen’s to be a place where everyone feels welcome and included.
"The mediaeval hammer-beam roof at St Collen’s, one of the finest in Wales, even tells the tale of a man who drank too much beer—a fitting backdrop for our celebration.
“We encourage responsible consumption of alcohol throughout the event. Please be aware that ID checks may be conducted if necessary to ensure everyone's safety and enjoyment. Let's raise a glass together responsibly and celebrate this special occasion in good spirits.”
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Denbighshire County Council has launched a public consultation exercise on the future of its public toilets.
In a statement today it says: "Like many local authorities, Denbighshire County Council is facing significant challenges to set a balanced budget.
"The council has had to deliver £10.4m of savings as part of the 2024/25 budget, and
the proposal to review the public convenience provision in the county is one of
the savings proposals identified.
"Whilst
there is no legal requirement for the council itself to provide public
conveniences, The Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 requires the local authority
to evidence that it has reviewed the needs of the local population and to
produce a strategy that shows how it will try to meet these needs.
"As a
result, Denbighshire County Council is currently carrying out a needs
assessment for the public conveniences in the County. This will identify the
number of public conveniences needed in Denbighshire and will help the council
to develop a suitable Public Toilet Strategy."
The statement adds: "To develop this strategy, a public consultation is being undertaken and residents, business owners and visitors are encouraged to take part and have their say."
Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We understand that public conveniences are highly valued assets by certain parts of the community. However, the fact remains that the provision of public conveniences is not a statutory duty, and we do not now have a big enough budget to enable us to keep delivering services in the same way that we have always delivered them in the past.
“In
areas where the provision of public conveniences is considered essential, we
hope to work with City, Town and Community Councils to look at alternative
arrangements.
“No decision
has been made about closing any public conveniences at this stage, and any
decisions on this will be made by our Cabinet, following a further report to
our Communities Scrutiny Committee."
News that the county council was considering ridding itself of all its public toilets in a bid to save money has sparked a wave of criticism in Llangollen where opponents argue that as a prime tourism location the loos in Market Street are badly needed.
Llangollen Town Council has already rejected a suggestion that it might take them over as impractical and beyond its financial resources.
* To take part in the consultation, go to www.denbighshire.gov.uk/consultations
An intrepid local man has high hopes for his fundraiser on behalf of The Friends of Llangollen Health Centre.
At the age of 77 John Palmer
is planning to do a sky dive from a plane over a Shropshire airfield in August to
support the work of the group which helps patients and staff of the centre and
its GP practice by providing facilities, services and equipment not
normally covered by statutory funding.
John’s charity challenge will
be a tandem affair in which he will be linked to a professional parachutist.
John said: “I am doing the sky dive next month at a time when the weather is suitable. At 77 years old I’m cracking a bit but I reckon I’m still able to jump out of a plane.
“I haven’t done this before but I am doing all the necessary training required by the company organising the jump.
“I ran the Bryntysilio outdoor education centre in Llangollen for 20 years and have done a lot of climbing, caving and canoeing but that was 15 years ago.
He added: “Over the years The Friends of Llangollen Health Centre, which also covers the practices at Glyn Ceiriog and Plas Madoc, has funded, amongst other projects, additional specialist equipment for the medical staff, contributed to a number of defibrillators, helped to fund the set-up cost of the Parkrun, funded the venue for armchair exercises and staff training for the Foodshare.
“The trust is always interested to hear from any organisation whose request meets our remit for funding.”
Actually, John is no stranger to going the extra mile for charity. Last August, he and son Nic jointly raised £1,000 for Alzheimer's Research by each completing in a triathlon event.
* The initial target for John’s sky dive fundraiser is £500. For more details, go to his gofund.me page at: https://gofund.me/7935d2aa
North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin was re-elected in May 2024.
An important part of his role is to create a plan for police to work to in order to fight crime across the region.
To be able to write this plan, he says he wants to ensure he is listening to local people about how they want to see North Wales policed and that he is addressing the concerns they have.
He is consulting with the people of North Wales in
a survey to get their thoughts and responses.
The feedback will be incorporated into the plan and will help shape future services and the allocation of resources by police.
It is important that all sections of the population have the opportunity for their views to be represented and reflected in North Wales Police’s priorities. So have your say.
Head here to fill in the 5-minute survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/PCC-consultation2024
Alternatively, to receive a paper copy by post, contact the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in the following ways:
* Email: OPCC@northwales.police.uk
* Phone: 01492 805486
* Post: Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner North Wales, Police Headquarters. Glan y Don, Colwyn Bay, LL29 8AW.
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