Railway launches Father’s Day Ploughman’s Pint Special

                            

Llangollen and Corwen Railway has announced a new Father’s Day experience for Sunday June 21 combining heritage steam travel, award-winning food and a pint in the stunning surroundings of the Dee Valley.

The specially created Father’s Day Ploughman’s Pint Special will run on two steam-hauled services during the day at 12.20pm and 3.15pm, with places limited to just 60 passengers per journey.

Passengers will enjoy a scenic return trip aboard the railway’s heritage trains through the beautiful Dee Valley, alongside a specially prepared Ploughman’s Lunch produced by the highly regarded Powell’s Pies of Whitchurch.

Powell’s Pies is a traditional family business with recipes and pie-making skills passed down through four generations. Renowned for their hand-raised pies and commitment to traditional methods, the company has built an outstanding reputation across the region for quality and flavour.

Tickets are available at £40 (Kids travel for just £6) and include a return trip from Llangollen to Corwen, a complimentary pint from the railway’s popular Ales from Wales collection and a branded Llangollen Railway glass to take home. A vegetarian offer is available.

Jordan Edge, Catering Manager at the railway, said: “We wanted to create something that felt relaxed, traditional and really good value for Father’s Day. Working with Powell’s Pies is a perfect fit for us because, like the railway, they are passionate about heritage, quality and keeping traditional skills alive.

“The Dee Valley is one of the most beautiful places in the country to enjoy a steam train journey, and adding fantastic local food and a pint makes this the ultimate Father’s Day treat.”

* More details and tickets are available here - https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/fathers-day-ploughmans-pint-special/

Summer fete is full of great new features, promise organisers

* The Fete Map - an innovation for 2026. Copies are being put through local doors.

Organisers of Llangollen Summer Fete 2026 at Plas Newydd on Saturday June 6, from 12.30 until 5pm, say this year’s event represents another important step forward as it enters its third year since being revived for the local community.

Since restarting the fete, they and volunteers have worked hard each year to build on previous successes and continue improving what is now becoming one of the town’s most anticipated events focused on the community.

A major focus this year has been widening community involvement across all age groups. 

The popular Children’s Competition has returned once again, with pupils from local primary and junior schools helping to design the fete flyer. Their entries will also form the basis of the Treasure Hunt taking place on the day.

This year, the fete has also expanded its reach to include a significant contribution from students and young adults at Ysgol Dinas Brân, who have helped rebrand the event with a more lively and relevant image, including Haf the Fete Mascot. 

Older students from the Sixth Form, worked on the branding and social media through March and April, taking time away from the start of May for their exams. 

* Members of the design group who have helped rebrand the event. 

The fete committee says it would like to thank Samuel Gonzlez-Jones, Edie Langford, Elvie Ogden, Grace Bamford for their contribution. (Picture below)

A major new addition for 2026 is The Adventure Zone, developed with support from TNR Outdoors. 

This will feature climbing, archery and axe throwing activities, alongside competitive challenges for the fastest climb, highest archery score and best axe throwing accuracy.

Additional activities and experiences will also be provided by Nestlings Forest School and Men-Minded.

Following feedback gathered from local residents, organisers have significantly expanded the number of stalls at this year’s event, with a much broader range of crafts, activities, food, gifts and local businesses represented.

Wherever possible, they have also tried to avoid duplicate stalls to create a more varied and enjoyable experience for visitors as they move around the site.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy special access to Plas Newydd Historic House and Gardens, home of the famous Ladies of Llangollen, which will be open during the fete with a new exhibition and half-price entry for the day.

The popular Circus Arts School workshop will also return, alongside with what organisers describe as “an extra special surprise experience” for visitors to discover on the day.

Entertainment has been expanded considerably for 2026, with performances beginning with the traditional Llangollen Silver Band and continuing throughout the day with local performers, teenage bands and popular artists from across the area.

Details of the entertainment schedule, raffle prizes, talks, workshops and activities are all included on the new Fete Map  -  another new addition designed to help visitors navigate the event and make the most of everything on offer.

The programme around The Caban will include wine tasting sessions, medicinal talk and walks, and wellness talk and walks.

Organisers are encouraging visitors to bring the printed map with them on the day. Copies are currently being delivered across Llangollen and distributed throughout neighbouring towns and villages.

The committee behind the fete have also expressed their gratitude to the many businesses, sponsors, volunteers and supporters helping make the event possible.

Special thanks were given to Linguassist for their generous support, which has helped the fete begin introducing marquees for weatherproofing infrastructure for the future.

The Corn Mill has once again sponsored the Children’s Competition and Treasure Hunt, while many additional local businesses have supported the fete through advertising, sponsorship, donations and practical contributions.

Last year, proceeds from the event enabled donations to be made to eight local causes.

Fetre organisers are also encouraging anyone interested in volunteering to get involved. Those wishing to join the team can contact: llangollensummerfete@gmail.com

A spokesperson for the fete committee said: "We look forward to seeing everyone on the day. Please bring your smiles, your fun and your community spirit with you.”

Meet the town's new Mayor and Deputy Mayor

Llangollen's new Mayor and Deputy Mayor introduce themselves to the people of the area after being elected by their fellow councillors at the recent annual meeting of the Town Council.

Firstly, the Mayor, Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam:

"To be elected Mayor of Llangollen is a true honour and not something I take lightly. The support shown to me so far has meant a great deal, and I greatly appreciate it. Llangollen is a town built on a strong sense of community, and I care deeply about seeing it continue to thrive.

"Having served as Deputy Mayor, I understand the responsibility this role carries, and as the youngest ever Mayor of Llangollen, I approach it with both pride and a strong sense of duty.

"I would like to thank my predecessor, Cllr Aled Morris, for his tireless dedication and for the guidance and support he has given me. The strong foundations he has put in place allows us to look ahead with confidence. "I look forward to working closely with my Deputy, Cllr Charlie Jones, fellow councillors, council staff and the wider community over the coming civic year as we deliver for the people of Llangollen."

And now the new Deputy Mayor, Cllr Charlie Jones:

"Llangollen is an amazing, vibrant community and I have been lucky enough to have lived, worked and raised a family here. Now I have an opportunity to pay back to the community I love. 

"To be supporting the new Mayor is a privilege as he shares my passion for the town. Together we will continue to work closely with our colleagues on the council and our fantastic residents as we all do what we can to keep Llangollen the best place to live, work, thrive and visit." 

The going's good in Kyrgyzstan so China here we come!

* The lads get into local costume in Kyrgyzstan as they head towards China.

The three Llangollen area lads cycling to Thailand in a good cause reckon they're now just days away from crossing the border into China.

And they are currently storming through what should be their final country on the way there - Kyrgyzstan, where the going is good despite a bout of bike trouble.

This week they were heading towards the town of Osh through some panoramic mountain views and encountering "some amazing nature and lovely people shouting hello."

With some unfamiliar-looking food on offer they admitted they were worried about another episode of food poisoning but everything turned out fine.  

There was also some reflection by the lads that while people back home have all the facilities at their disposal there were whole families over there living quite happily in one big yurt.

Dyfan Hughes, 18, from Llangollen, Louis Dennis, 19, from Garth, and James Thomas,19, from Wrexham - known as the Westheads - are making their 1,000 journey in aid of the British Heart Foundation in memory of Tony Edge, the father of their friend Harrison who died following a heart attack in 2024.

So far they've raised more than £27,000 of their £50,000 charity target since leaving Llangollen last year.

* llanblogger is recording their adventures along the way. To follow the journey on their social media and make a donation if you wish, go to: https://linktr.ee/westheads 

Water watchdogs say cause of Dee pollution was found and repaired

* One of a series pictures taken by llanblogger’s source showing the dirty foam collecting on rocks in the river.

The source of pollution of the River Dee in Llangollen has been identified and repaired, according to Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Earlier this month llanblogger published a special report featuring claims that some form of pollutant was coming from upstream of the Horseshoe Falls, dirty foam was collecting in eddies of water and on rocks and a number of kayakers had become sick with serious gastro-intestinal problems. 

llanblogger's trustworthy source on the river said they personally knew of over 20 cases but that there had been an increase noted following the Dee Fest kayak festival over the weekend of April 25-26.

Natural Resources Wales and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, which are jointly responsible for the Dee, both said their expert teams would be working to find out what was causing the problem.

Now, both organisations report that an answer has been found.

Philip Barrett, Senior Officer, Denbighshire Environment Team at NRW, said: “The source of the pollution on the River Dee, first reported to us on 27 April, has been identified. 

"The misconnection issue has been raised with Denbighshire County Council, and a separate operator has carried out repair works to a damaged section of a wastewater inspection chamber.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation and our investigation remains ongoing. We will take any appropriate enforcement action. 

"Thank you to everyone who reported this to our incident line – your reports help us respond quickly. If you spot any further issues, please report them to us 24/7 using our online form, or call our incident line on 0300 065 3000.”

And a spokesperson for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water said: "We are continuing to work with NRW and the local council to investigate misconnections into a culvert in Llangollen.

"Misconnections are when a private wastewater pipe is connected to the incorrect surface water drainage network, usually unknowingly.

"This can result in wastewater going directly into streams and rivers. You can learn more on how to spot misconnections on our website.  

"During our investigations we identified a damaged manhole that could have leaked into the culvert.

"This has now been repaired and we have carried out a clean-up on the area where the culvert enters the Dee."

New museum exhibition features artwork and medieval poetry

The opening of an exhibition combining new artwork and medieval poetry will take place at Llangollen Museum on Wednesday June 10.     

In the company of Jenny Day, Martin Crampin, Gruffudd Antur and Eurig Salisbury, it has been created by the ‘Gutun Owain, Border poet and Renaissance man’ project (gutunowain.cymru) in collaboration with the museum.

The project, at the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, investigates the wide-ranging interests and networks of Gutun Owain in the context of the flourishing literary and scholarly culture in north-east Wales on the eve of the Renaissance in Wales.

Llangollen Museum, 10 June 2026. Doors open at 6.30pm, talks begin at 7.00pm. Light refreshments will be provided (light buffet and wine/juice/tea/coffee).

This is a free event, but numbers are limited. To register, contact: canolfan@cymru.ac.uk.

A museum spokesperson said: "We thank CADW for their support of the project and for providing access to Valle Crucis and the monumental sculptures there, and we thank the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for funding the project."

The exhibition will be on display in Llangollen Museum for the whole of June and July 2026.

Rescuers deal with medical emergency near Castell Dinas Bran summit

* The team brings the man requiring medical assistance down from the summit of Castell Dinas Bran. Picture: NEWSAR

A multi-agency rescue operation was launched on Sunday afternoon after a man required medical assistance near the summit of Castell Dinas Bran in Llangollen.

North East Wales Search and Rescue were alerted to the incident by North Wales Police, initiating a rapid response to the historic site.

* For the full story in North Wales Live, go to: https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/doctors-rescuers-join-forces-assist-34007716

Leri lands top piano honour at Urdd Eisteddfod

Ysgol Dinas Bran student Leri Roberts won the Year 10 and Under19 Piano Solo award at the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Anglesey over the weekend.

Playing piano is not her only accomplishment as she is also a rising star of Llangollen Operatic Society's junior section, Young 'Uns, taking a lead role in their recent production of The Little Mermaid.

Rising stars join Tom Grennan at Llangollen

* Fiona Lee.

Fresh off the back of a sold-out UK tour, Scottish breakout sensation Brooke Combe will bring her signature soul-infused sound to Llangollen this summer, when she joins Tom Grennan as special guest for his huge headline show, alongside rising Yorkshire artist Fiona-Lee, who will open the show. 

The fast-rising artists will take to the stage on Sunday July 5 as part of TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion, delivering a powerful showcase of two of the UK’s most exciting new voices, setting the tone for a standout summer evening at the iconic Welsh venue.

 

Final tickets are available at ticketmaster.co.uk   

 

Brooke Combe has quickly established herself as one of the UK’s most exciting emerging artists, fusing classic soul influences with contemporary indie and deeply personal songwriting. Since her breakout in 2023, she has played to sold-out crowds across the UK and supported major names including Lionel Richie, Paolo Nutini, Blossoms, Miles Kane and The Coral, as well as Tom Grennan himself. She has also appeared on major US television shows including The Kelly Clarkson Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

* Brooke Coombe.

 

Her debut album Dancing at the Edge of the World, alongside recent release How Can I Tell You? (To Love Me More), showcases a timeless yet modern sound defined by rich, soulful arrangements and standout vocals. Earlier project Black Is The New Gold was shortlisted for the Scottish Album of the Year Award, underlining her status as a rising force in UK music.

 

Opening the night will be rising Yorkshire artist Fiona-Lee, whose acclaimed new EP Every Woman showcases her raw, emotionally charged songwriting and soaring guitar-driven sound. Earning praise from Rolling Stone UK, The Observer, The Independent, Dork and Clash, alongside strong support from BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 1, Fiona-Lee is rapidly emerging as one of the UK’s most exciting new voices, fresh from completing her debut UK headline tour.

 

Tom Grennan burst onto the music scene in 2016 as the guest vocalist on the Chase & Status track All Goes Wrong, before stepping into the spotlight with his gold-certified debut album Lighting Matches, in 2018. Since then, he’s delivered a string of fan favourites, including Little Bit of Love, By Your Side, Lionheart, Found What I’ve Been Looking For, Let’s Go Home Together (with Ella Henderson), and How Does It Feel. 

 

His breakthrough came in 2021 with Evering Road — a UK Number One album packed with platinum hits and Top 10 singles – which he followed up with 2023’s chart-topping What Ifs & Maybes. 

* Tom Grennan.

 

With more than 1.5 million album sales, 2.5 billion streams, an MTV Award for Best UK Act, and a sold-out 25,000-capacity headline show at Gunnersbury Park, Grennan’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Last year, his festive single It Can’t Be Christmas became a seasonal hit, reaching Number 3 in the UK charts. 

 

Tom Grennan’s headline show is part of an incredible summer lineup for TK Maxx presents Live At Llangollen Pavilion, which also features Bowling For Soup and Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls, Rick Astley, Billy Ocean, Deacon Blue, David Gray and Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics.

 

For more information head to llangollen.net

 

FOLLOW TOM GRENNAN  
WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE  

 

FOLLOW BROOKE COMBE

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FOLLOW FIONA-LEE

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Anti-social behaviour makes town 'feel like Wild West' storms councillor

* The rubbish-strewn appearance of the bridge at 7pm last night.

Bouts of bank holiday anti-social behaviour made Llangollen town centre feel like the Wild West, says a furious local county councillor.

Karen Edwards claims businesses and visitors were subjected to "completely unacceptable scenes" and that she contacted police to request immediate assistance.

Yesterday evening as crowds subsided after a day of high temperatures, one disgusted resident and business person contacted llanblogger to complain about rubbish left strewn across the bridge from where youngsters were jumping down into the river and "going to get killed," they feared.

In a hard-hitting statement issued shortly afterwards County Councillor Edwards said: "I am extremely concerned and deeply frustrated by the serious anti-social behaviour witnessed in Llangollen over the weekend. 

"Residents, local businesses and visitors were subjected to completely unacceptable scenes in what should be a safe and welcoming town.

"I contacted North Wales Police directly to request immediate assistance and made it clear, in no uncertain terms, that the lack of any visible police presence in Llangollen was totally unacceptable. 

"At times, the situation felt like the Wild West, with residents and businesses left feeling unsupported and vulnerable."

She continued: "This behaviour was entirely predictable given that Llangollen has been subjected to similar anti-social behaviour on numerous occasions before, particularly during periods of hot weather and high visitor numbers. 

"Despite this, there was simply no visible police presence to reassure residents, businesses or visitors.

"Llangollen is a busy and vibrant town which attracts large numbers of visitors, particularly during warm weekends, and our community deserves to see a consistent and reassuring police presence on our streets. People must feel safe in their own town centre, and businesses should not be left to deal with disorder and intimidation alone.

"I have urged the police to review the events of the weekend urgently and to ensure that adequate resources are allocated to Llangollen going forward. 

"Our community cannot continue to be left completely defenceless and without proper visible policing to avoid incidents like this occurring in the first place. We pay for policing through our council tax and expect to receive the service we pay for.

"I will continue pressing for stronger action and greater police visibility to protect residents, businesses and visitors alike."

* llanblogger has requested an official response from North Wales Police.

Former mayor's choir appears on TV days before their BGT final

* Choir members are interviewed on the This Morning programme.

Putting together the Hawkstone Farmers' Choir, which includes Llangollen's former mayor and won last Saturday's last Britain's Got Talent semi-final, was a bit like herding sheep.

That was how choir director Lizzie described the process when she and two of the other choir members appeared on ITV's This Morning show earlier today.

She told how the original 500 farmers recruited were eventually whittled down to just 34 following the initial auditions held at Jeremy Clarkson's Farmers Dog pub. 

"It was a bit like herding sheep but when they got together on that first day and started to sing I thought they were incredible," she said.

Another choir member told the presenters that farming could be lonely but that coming together had changed their lives.

* Aled Morris sings with the choir in their semi-final winning live performance last Saturday.

"We really hope this is just the start. One day we'd like to do Glastonbury."

After their live semi-final victory the singers are due to compete in the BGT series 19 grand final, for a £250,000 prize and an appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, next Saturday on ITV1 from 7pm.

Llangollen's former town mayor, Aled Morris, told llanblogger after the semi-final: "It is unbelievable! We are all so gobsmacked by the support and love that we have been shown and we are incredibly grateful for all the support in getting us through to the final."