Temporary traffic management scheme for Abbey Road resurfacing

A temporary traffic management scheme will be in operation on Abbey Road, between Abbey Dingle Nursing Home and Gwenallt, from Monday March 31 until Friday April 4, to allow resurfacing works to go ahead there.

Police investigate reports of vehicle crimes close to Llangollen

Police are investigating reports of interferences with and theft from vehicles in two areas close to Llangollen.

A post on the North Wales Police Wrexham Rural social media says: "The incidents took place in the Cefn Mawr and Froncysyllte areas between Sunday 16 March and Monday 17 March.

"The first was reported in the early hours of 16 March at around 2.20am on Cae Gwilym Lane, Cefn Mawr after a work van was broken into and tools moved, before being thrown over the road. 

"Sometime during the same morning, another van was broken into on Heol Bennion, Cefn Mawr, where a number of tools were stolen – with some also being thrown in the road.

"During the early hours 17 March, another report was made to police after a vehicle on Alma Road in Froncysyllte was interfered with." 

Inspector Stefan Lederle said: “I am asking anyone with CCTV in these areas, who haven’t already spoken to us, and who may be able to assist with our enquiries to contact us.

“I am also reminding residents to ensure their vehicles are always locked and secure at night and that all valuable items are removed or hidden to help prevent these opportunistic crimes taking place. 

“Anyone with information is asked to contact us by calling 101, or via our website.”

Timeless music from the movies concert to open 2025 Eisteddfod

 

* Anthony Gabriele has led orchestras all over the world, performing in a wide range of genres and has unrivalled expertise as a conductor of film music. © Christopher Mason

A glittering concert featuring some of the most unforgettable movie scores of all time by German master composer Hans Zimmer will provide the perfect prelude to this summer’s Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

A world-class orchestra under the baton of internationally acclaimed conductor Anthony Gabriele will present “Beyond Time: The Music of Hans Zimmer in Concert” on the evening of Tuesday July 8, the first night of the 2025 festival which runs from July 8-13.

The Pavilion audience will be presented with programme of music made famous by a man with over 150 movie scores to his credit, including the powerful and moving backdrops to blockbusters such as Gladiator, The Da Vinci Code, No Time to Die, Dune, The Lion King, Black Hawk Down and The Thin Red Line which have brought Zimmer no less than two Academy Awards from a dozen nominations, two BAFTAs from 10 nominations, five Grammy Awards and a coveted star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The evening’s conductor, Anthony Gabriele, has led orchestras all over the world, performing in a wide range of genres and his unrivalled expertise as a conductor of film music includes over 30 titles including the world premiere performances of John Williams’ score for Superman, his Oscar-winning adaption of Jerry Bock’s score for Fiddler on the Roof and Thomas Newman’s score for the James Bond film Spectre.

At the Pavilion Gabriele will conduct the 70-piece Cinematic Sinfonia comprising top-class professional musicians drawn from across the UK specially for the occasion.

The Eisteddfod’s Artistic Director Dave Danford said: “Hans Zimmer is without doubt one of the greatest film composers of all time and his incredible record of honours testifies to his genius.

“We are privileged to be able to start off our 2025 series of evening concerts - featuring such incredible performers as KT Tunstall, Il Divo, Bryn Terfel and Fishermen’s Friends and Sir Karl Jenkins - with a fantastic presentation of powerful music which has captivated filmgoers over many decades. It will truly be an evening to remember and one not to be missed.”

The Hans Zimmer evening has been made possible by the cancellation of the previously billed concert by Roger Daltrey, which was to have been on the same night, due to logistical reasons.

Eisteddfod week evening concerts are:

* Tuesday July 8: Beyond Time: The Music of Hans Zimmer in Concert

* Wednesday July 9: Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins

* Thursday July 10: KT Tunstall with the Absolute Orchestra

* Friday July 11: Il Divo with special guest Laura Wright

* Saturday July 12: Choir of the World with special guest Lucie Jones

* Sunday July 13: Bryn Terfel: Sea Songs with special guests Fisherman’s Friends and Eve Goodman

Hundreds stride out on Hope House Hospices' Llangollen Canal Walk

Hundreds of walkers pulled on their boots and trekked a 10-mile route along the Llangollen Canal to raise money for Hope House Children’s Hospices last Sunday.

 

Supporters took on the ever-popular annual walk, which started at the Trevor Basin in Llangollen, before heading over the world-famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and following the canal all the way to The Poachers pub at Chirk.

They they had refreshments before heading back where they received their special medals at the finish line.

 

Walkers raised an incredible £28,000 so far with money still being counted.

 

Fundraiser Vicky Bradbeer said: “It was wonderful to see this well-supported event sell out again and raise such an incredible amount of money.

 

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who attended and raised the vital fund we need to make sure our hospices are here to help every local child with a life-threatening condition to live their best life.

 

“We simply couldn’t do it without the incredible support we get from our community.”

 

The event was sponsored this year by Chirk-based Kronospan, who also had a team walking on the day, as well as supporting partners Roche, Caffi Wylfa and Trederwen Springs.

 

* There is a full calendar of events for Hope House you can join throughout this year. Please visit www.hopehouse.org.uk/events to see how you can get involved.

 

Parts of two streets to be closed to traffic for drainage work

Denbighshire County Council has made an order closing sections of two Llangollen roads to traffic for five days next month to allow drainage works by the North and Mid Wales Trunk Roads Agent to go ahead.   

The order is effective from April 12 and the works are expected to last approximately until April 17.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the period of closure.

Roads affected are: 

1. Hall Street - extending southward from its junction with Berwyn Street to its junction with Hill Street

2. Chapel Street - extending southward from its junction with Oak Street to its junction with Berwyn Street.

The signposted alternative routes will be:

1 Via Hill Street, Bache Mill Road, Pengwern, Brook Street and A5

2 Via Oak Street Castle Street and A5

County agrees to spend £15m on care home fees in 2025/26

Denbighshire County Council’s Cabinet has unanimously agreed to accept the care fees recommendations at today’s meeting in County Hall. 

This means a total projected cost of £15.2 million which will be spent on older people’s residential and nursing care during 2025/26 protecting the most vulnerable in our society. 

Councillor Elen Heaton, Lead Member for Health and Social Care, who presented the recommendation said: “I am pleased that Cabinet has today accepted the care fees recommendations, as this reflects our continuous commitment to investing in our vital care and support services despite the financial pressures the council continues to face.

 

“Denbighshire currently funds approximately 382 placements across 85 care homes, with a projected cost of £14.1m this year, which forms a substantial amount of our Adult Social Care and Homelessness budget.

 

“With social care making up nearly a third of the average Council Tax bill in Denbighshire, it is vital that we take a fair and sustainable approach to funding care. To support this, we have invested in Care Cubed which is a credible, data-driven methodology that provides a consistent and evidence-based approach to fee setting.”

 

“This investment ensures that fees are set transparently and responsibly, helping us strike the right balance between supporting care providers with fair and sustainable fees, while ensuring value for money for Denbighshire’s taxpayers.

 

"Adopting Care Cubed also aligns with the regional commitment to fairness and consistency across North Wales. This approach will support a sustainable care sector in Denbighshire that can continue to meet the needs of our residents, both now and in the future."

Twenty Club make an earnestly good job of Oscar Wilde classic

* A scene from The Importance of Being Earnest.

It might date back all of 130 years but Llangollen Twenty Club are managing to breathe new life into Oscar Wilde's famous comedy of manners, The Importance of Being Earnest. 

First performed in 1895 at the St James Theatre in London, the play depicts the tangled affairs of two young men about town who lead double lives to evade unwanted social obligations, both assuming the name Ernest while wooing the two young women of their affections.

At Llangollen Town Hall this week Mat Oswald-Haggett plays Jack Worthing, bringing to bear the talented versatility that has made him a Twenty Club favourite over a number of years with solid performances such as the eponymous Blackadder back in 2019. 

Club newbie Tom Cutler wears the part of Jack's friend Algernon Moncrieff like a well-cut Saville Row suit while another debutante, Darcy Badwick, makes a perfectly balanced Gwendolen Fairfax, love interest of Jack.

Fresh from her portrayal of a rather naughty French waitress in the Club's 'Allo 'Allo last year Jessica Fidler does a great job as Cecily Cardew, Jack Worthing’s ward.

Emily Swindley, another stalwart of many Club productions, creates a formidable Lady Bracknell, aunt to Algernon, and delivers that famous line about a handbag in deliciously haughty style.

Hilary Woodward, who was in both 'Allo 'Allo and Bad Girls for Llangollen Operatic, transfers her obvious skills well to the role of Miss Prism, governess to Cecily. 

We last saw him on stage as an excellent Rene in 'Allo 'Allo and now Chris Williams is every bit as good as he returns as Lane, manservant to Algernon.   

No stranger to local productions himself, Mike Connolly is a suitably deferential Merriman, butler to Jack.  

Another Club first-timer, Malcolm Graham, plays the Rev Canon Chasuble, Rector of Woolton, with a pompously ecclesiastical touch.

Taking the helm as director is Ian Wright, assisted by Lizzie Clifford, and joint producers are Bev Maier and Helen Belton. 

They, along with a behind-the-scenes team comprising Steve Hughes, Malcolm Potter, Kevin Williams, Naomi Riley and others, are doing a fantastic job of welding together this stylish and highly enjoyable production.

* The Importance of Being Earnest is showing from this Thursday to Saturday, March 27- 29, at 7.30pm with the Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. 

* Tickets, priced £14 and £12 concessions, are available from Cwtch, Courtyard Bookshop and Llangollen Oggie Shop in the town centre as well as online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollentwentyclub