International Eisteddfod countdown begins

* Greek dancers go through their paces on Centenary Square last year.

The countdown has begun to the 2019 International Eisteddfod in Llangollen.

The week-long festival line-up features some of the world’s most internationally renowned musicians, including French-Mexican star tenor, Rolando Villazón, salsa, pop and flamenco outfit, Gipsy Kings, and award-winning Celtic music band, Jamie Smith’s MABON.

Music Director of the festival, Edward-Rhys Harry, said: “We are proud that this year’s festival line-up spans genres and generations, crossing the boundaries of age, culture and creed. There really is something for everyone.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.llangollen.net.

Full evening concert line-up is:

Monday 1st July – Jools Holland and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra

Sponsored by Kronospan

Returning festival favourite and Vice President of the Eisteddfod, Jools Holland, will entertain the Royal Pavilion audience with his legendary Rhythm and Blues Orchestra on Monday 1st July. The jazz, blues and swing showstopper will launch the 2019 concert series with an unforgettable toe-tapping extravaganza of live music.

Tuesday 2nd July - Classical Gala with Rolando Villazón and guests

Sponsored by Pendine Park

One of the music world’s most critically acclaimed tenors, Rolando Villazón will debut his phenomenal voice on the Llangollen stage. Villazón, who is known for his uniquely compelling performances with leading opera houses around the world, will be joined by the magnificent Welsh lyric soprano Rhian Lois for a spectacular evening of operatic greats.

Wednesday 3rd July - Saints and Singers: The Music of Wales

Wales has a world-wide reputation for its choral music, and Wednesday’s evening performance will showcase the Land of Song at its very best, with supreme Welsh vocalists Shân Cothi and Rhodri Prys Jones, accompanied by the British Sinfonietta Orchestra. Audiences will be treated to two rare opportunities: the premiere of a brand new piece for tenor, chorus and orchestra by Dr Edward-Rhys Harry, and the sheer majesty of the incredible cantata ‘Saint Teilo’ by William Mathias CBE. The evening promises to be a tremendously dramatic celebration of traditional music from Wales, bursting with glorious melodies and powerful operatic choruses.

Thursday 4th July - International Celebration with Jamie Smith’s MABON

Sponsored by Denbighshire County Council and Westminster Stone

International competitors from all over the world will come together in a vibrant carnival of cultures to showcase the very best from across the globe, as they weave through the audience with their giant flags in a vivacious display of international unity and friendship.

The evening will commemorate the International Eisteddfod’s unique founding values of sharing music, dance, peace and friendship, with the poignant Peace Message and the annual Rotary Peace Award.

Special guests for the evening, multi-award winning band, Jamie Smith’s MABON, will bring their distinctive self-styled sound to get feet tapping with their interpretation of Celtic traditions, refreshingly combining heritage with their contemporary sound.

Friday 5th July - Gipsy Kings featuring Andre Reyes

Sponsored by Linguassist

Hailing from the south of France, the group will bring their energetic set with infectious Latin rhythms to Llangollen for the very first time. Their music is warm, exuberant and hugely popular with trademark hits such as Bamboleo and Volare.

Audiences will be wowed by a heady concoction of rumba, flamenco and salsa combined with contemporary pop music, perfect for anybody who loves to dance.

Saturday 6th July - Choir of the World

Sponsored by Aldi

In a live televised concert, the festival's competitions will reach their exciting climax on Saturday, with the finest choirs from across the globe battling for the highly sought after Choir of the World 2019 title and the prestigious Pavarotti Trophy. Those taking part in the dance categories will participate in the breath-taking Dance Champions of the World 2019 finals, competing for the coveted Lucille Armstrong Dance Award. The evening will include a very special appearance from Royal Harpist, Catrin Finch.

Sunday 7th July - Llanfest 2019

Scottish indie rockers The Fratellis, best known for their worldwide smash Chelsea Dagger, Mistress Mabel and Whistle for the Choir, will headline Llanfest alongside Merseyside music legends The Coral, with their chart-topping tracks Dreaming of You, Pass it On and In the Morning.

Joining the high energy line-up will be Leeds-based indie icons The Pigeon Detectives, with the likes of This is an Emergency, Take Her Back and I Found Out, as well as pop rock trio Dodgy, with nostalgic nineties hits Staying out for the Summer and Good Enough to open the main stage headliners.

Peugeot's latest load-lugger is a real good looker

 * The 508SW estate from the front. 

... and from the inside. 

Peugeot 508SW launch report by Steve Rogers

With SUV sales still booming is anyone interested in buying an estate car?

Peugeot hope so because it has just launched the 508SW estate and a mighty good looking car it is too. The French company has a strong pedigree with estates, my favourite was the eighties 505 with its third row of seats, a rarity in those days.

Demand for this size of car is shrinking with most of the sales going to the premium sector but Peugeot is banking on a reasonable hit from fleet and company car people and unlike many rivals believe diesel will account for nearly half of SW sales.

This is a strong area for Peugeot with three engine options, a 130bhp 1.5 and 160 or 180bhp 2-litre all will class leading low emissions, while the petrols also score well on emissions at 123g/km and 130g/km respectively for the 1.6 litre 180 and 225bhp outputs.

Petrol engines with the eight speed automatic gearbox have a new feature which switches the engine to freewheel when appropriate which Peugeot reckons reduces fuel consumption by around three per cent. A small amount but it all helps. A petrol plug in hybrid will come later in the year.

The 508 Fastback got huge praise from me for its stunning styling and designer Gilles Vidal has made a pretty good fist of the SW. Mirroring the glamorous rear end of the Fastback was never going to happen but this is still the best looking estate on the market.

Although 508SW does not lead the field on boot space - the cavernous Skoda Superb is the runaway leader - it is plenty big enough for most families and can outgun Ford Mondeo and Mazda6 with 530 litres with the back seats in place. The powered tailgate is good and wide, the boot sill one of the lowest in the class, but the biggest bonus is a flat loading area.

On the subject of space the SWs roofline is a tad higher than the swooping Fastback

so there is more back seat headroom, an area where its sister leaves taller passengers brushing the roof lining.

People with young families will appreciate ISOFIX fitting points on the two outer rear seats.

So what else can we look forward to? Apart from looks and strong engines running costs are predicted to be low helped by best in class trade ins, even better than an Audi A4, according to the experts.

Safety also figures highly and now brings in adaptive cruise control with stop and go function. I find this particularly useful on long stretches of motorway roadworks where cruise control can be set at a given limit letting the car do the rest, slowing and accelerating to order.

Of course the big news with Peugeot is still the futuristic i-Cockpit with its central 10-inch touchscreen and 12.3 inch digital head up display ahead of the driver.

We first saw the i-Cockpit layout at the launch of the switch free 308 when it received praise for its styling and criticism for the touchscreen because of the time it took to complete basic tasks like changing a radio station or adjusting the heating.

Peugeot refined i-Cockpit with piano style push keys which quickened the process and added a real touch of style to the otherwise bear centre console.

Does it totally solve the problem? To a degree but the best solution is a rotary dial behind the gearstick already favoured by several companies and I still prefer separate switches for the heating controls.

As for the cabin it is beautifully trimmed and shows how much Peugeot has done to improve quality and rid itself of the ridiculously outdated notion that quality does not matter. It is time that stigma was well and truly parked because Peugeot has spared no expense in creating plush surroundings.

We got a taste of how 508SW might drive with the Fastback and that was a big step up compared to the old model. SW is not set up to compete with a BMW or Audi but it not a car that shies away from taking on twists and turns.

Steering is quick and accurate while the suspension puts it in the middle ground offering a good compromise between comfort and go fast driving.

The 130bhp 1.5 litre diesel gives the best economy while performance is adequate. Anyone wanting extra oomph needs to sample the 2-litre where the 180bhp option is quite spicy.

Both petrol engines are feisty although noisy when pushed and given Peugeot's strength on this front I am surprised there isn't a lower powered petrol entry option.

The line up is Active, Allure, GT Line and GT with prices ranging from £26,845 for the 130bhp diesel to £38,245 for the range topping GT 180bhp 2-litre diesel. Petrol is not offered until Allure and starts at £31,495.

Key facts

508SW GT Line

£33,245

1.6 petrol Pure Tech; 181bhp

0-62mph 8secs; 140mpg

41.8mpg combined

127g/km 1st year tax £170

Insurance group 30

Two outdoor events planned for this week

Two outdoor events are being held this week in the woods near Llangollen town.

The first of these is tonight (Monday) and is a bat survey through Pen y Coed Woods, meeting at Pengwern Community Centre at 9.15pm.

You can try something new, learn how to use a bat detector and discover the wildlife that’s on your doorstep.

This Wednesday there is a free, guided Mindfulness Walk through Pen y Coed, again meeting at Pengwern Community Centre, at 11am.

Those taking part are asked to wear suitable clothing and footwear for the outdoors.


Both events are part of the ongoing Nature for Health project, with many more events coming soon.

The project is a collaboration between Denbighshire Countryside Service and Denbighshire Housing.

Operatic scores double victory in amateur stage 'Oscars'

* The Llangollen Operatic team at the presentation evening in Hereford.

* Part of the production team from Joseph.
From left, Dee Smith, Pamela Williams and Jo Lloyd.

Llangollen Operatic Society came away with two wins plus a sheaf of nominations from this year’s amateur stage “Oscars”.

At the annual NODA  - National Operatic and Dramatic Association- Awards presentation evening in Hereford last Saturday the society’s junior section, the Young ‘Uns, had been nominated for Best Production of 2018 with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat while young actor Shea Ferron received a nod for Best Supporting Youth Performer Under-21 for his part as the Pharaoh in the same show.

Llangollen won both these categories.

The Young ‘Uns’ Cassius Hackforth had also been nominated for Best Youth Performer under 21 for Joseph. Nominated for Best Supporting Youth Performer Under 21 were Celyn Orton Jones and Erin Roberts as narrators for Joseph.

The award-winning Joseph was co-directed by Jo Lloyd and Robin Crowley. Producer for the show was Pamela Williams, assistant producer Dee Smith and Julian Cattley musical director.

In the society’s adult section Bill Hughes was nominated for Best Individual Performance Musical Theatre for his portrayal of Alfred Doolittle in the production of My Fair Lady in 2018.

Nominated for Best Supporting Individual Performance Musical Theatre was Alison Ravenscroft who played housekeeper Mrs Pearce in My Fair Lady.

As a show, My Fair Lady had been nominated for Best Musical Theatre Production in NODA’s District 1a 2018 and also Best Stage Management and Technical.

Jo Lloyd was the show’s director while Helen Belton produced with Leigh Mason as musical director.

New book explores Ruabon-Barmouth rail line

The cross-country Ruabon to Barmouth railway was originally built to fulfil the desire of connecting the town of Llangollen with the rest of the rapidly expanding network.

The local Victorian promoters received the backing of the Great Western Railway (GWR), which had an ambitious plan to reach the Cambrian coast and tap into the slate quarries around Snowdonia.

As time was to prove, the GWR was to be temporarily thwarted by the construction of a branch inland from Barmouth by the rival Cambrian Railway, resulting in an end-on connection between the two railways in the market town of Dolgelly.

The route developed into an important artery across rural Wales, bringing in its wake a revolution in agriculture, industry and daily life. Holiday traffic became big business, tapping into the big conurbations of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham.

The route would ultimately succumb to the Beeching axe during the 1960s, but even this did not go to plan following severe flooding a few weeks prior.

A new book, The Ruabon to Barmouth Line, explores the eastern half of the route, encompassing the towns of Ruabon, Llangollen, Corwen and Bala, and a brief introduction to the fundamentals of railway travel. The perfect companion for anyone visiting the preserved Llangollen Railway.

It's the perfect companion for anyone visiting the preserved Llangollen Railway.

Author Peter Dickinson is an active volunteer on the preserved Llangollen Railway and first encountered the line during his geology fieldwork as an undergraduate in 2011.

Since then, extensive research and his volunteering at Berwyn Station has brought him into contact with many who knew and worked on the line. A greater emphasis has been placed on the social impact and characters involved with the line than more traditional railway histories, providing a unique insight into the line's history.

* At 160 pages, the book, priced at £18.99, is illustrated in mono and colour. It can be ordered online at Waterstones and will also be available in the Llangollen Railway shop.

Latest from canal man Phil as he heads for Llan

* The view of the canal from Seren's cockpit.

A former local town councillor is now well into his three-week canal boat trip to reach Llangollen in time for next month’s International Eisteddfod.

Phil Thane moved down to Potton in Bedfordshire just over two years ago and has since rebuilt an elderly boat named Seren.

Phil, who is a technical author by trade, is writing a blog on the voyage through the canal system for the Waterways World magazine - and he’s also going to keep llanblogger readers up to date on his progress, which involves 316 miles and 232 locks - each way.

Here's his latest blog update, penned yesterday (Saturday) ...

Bright and sunny this morning, though it soon turned grey. Having dried out the inverter it works again and the fridge is on, which will be useful if ever the weather turns warm.

I’ve tried to shield it from future downpours but in the long term I should re-site it, probably in the engine compartment.

Three lots of locks today, and thankfully got help with all of them, I made an early start on Buckby locks, but after the first two came to a halt as CRT had padlocked them to save water. I guess the policy precedes the recent weather, there was so much water some locks were overflowing. We had to wait until 10.00 and a queue built up. That’s the idea of course, when there are boats waiting they double up and the lock is used less often.

After Buckby locks I passed through Braunston tunnel. It’s about a mile long and quite spacious (the Grand Union was widened in the 1930s) I followed a boat through but none came the other way so we didn’t have to test that the tunnel really is wide enough for boats to pass.

After that, Braunston Locks then a long lock-free stretch to Calcutt locks. About an hour from Calcutt we had a thunderstorm, heavy rain and hail and strong wind. I avoided most of it by edging up to the bank and letting the wind pin Seren there, I wasn’t going to get out and moor!

I was thinking of stopping above Calcutt Locks but as I approached I cought up with a guy in an old narrowboat who was planning to go through, so we went together. The locks have big paddles operated by ‘modern’, ie 1930s, hydraulic gear so they fill and empty quickly. We made short work of the three then I cruised on to Stockton, stopping near Stockton top lock.

* You can follow Phil on his blog at: https://pthane.co.uk/blog

Latest Citizens Advice column

Here's the latest column for the Citizens Advice Service ...

Q: I’m having problems with a builder I employed to build a kitchen extension to our house. The foundations are laid, and he’s knocked through the back wall - the back of our house is now a tarpaulin sheet. We paid an initial deposit upfront, and then two further amounts in cash for materials. He’s now asked for more money - but I’d like to see more work done first. We had a bit of a row, and he hasn’t turned up for the last two days. What should I do next?

A: There are various things you can do.The Citizens Advice consumer service (03454 04 05 06) is a good first port of call.

If you think your relationship with the builder can be salvaged and you’d like him to finish the work, you can try to sit down with him and agree - in writing - a schedule of works and payments you’re both happy with.

This written contract, if you don’t have one already, should cover exactly what you’re paying for and everything you’ve agreed on, like timings, payments, who will pay for materials and subcontractors. If you pay any future installments by credit card rather than cash you’ll also benefit from extra protection from the card provider. It’s a good idea to take photos as the work progresses and keep copies of your communications and any receipts.

If you feel the situation with that trader can’t continue you can complain in writing to him or his company and ask for some money back. If you believe the work is substandard you can report problems to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer service.  If he’s a member of a trade association they also might be able to help.

If that doesn’t work, look for an approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme - this is an independent third party who can help you to reach a compromise. The trader may already be a member of a scheme. If not, they should provide you with the name of a certified scheme and say if they are willing to use it. 

Gin from solar distillery on show at Llangollen Food Festival

* Kevin Flower with his new gin.

A scientist is on a mission to create the perfect gin after setting up his new solar-powered distillery in time for a top food festival this autumn.

Former university lecturer Kevin Flower will be unveiling the special edition gin at the popular Llangollen Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.

Kevin, 53, who taught chemistry at the University of Manchester, has developed an eco-friendly distillery in the garage at his home in Conwy.

Three years ago he threw caution to the wind, alongside university pals Andy Whiting and Euan Noble, to develop a unique brand of gin based on decades of combined scientific expertise.

Their company, PHure Liquors, continues to go from strength to strength with a growing list of stockists including pubs, delicatessens and off licences across North Wales.

It will be their second visit to the Llangollen Food Festival which has been named as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK.

This time they will be launching the new Autumn gin flavoured with seasonal fruits and berries.

“We came to Llangollen for the first time last year and it seems like the perfect place to celebrate our “50^th batch” with a special edition gin using our new solar energy distillery,” explained Kevin who formerly worked as a university research fellow in Auckland, New Zealand.

“The recent addition of solar power has been really important, enabling us to generate more electricity than we need during the distillation process. In this way, we make a small contribution to reducing our carbon footprint.

“You only have to look at what’s going on in the news and the impact human activities are having on the environment to realise every little helps. Everything we make now uses green energy generated by ourselves.”

Solar power is not the only environmentally-friendly benefit from Kevin’s method of making gin.

“We also distil at a lower temperature and lower pressure than other commercial producers,” he said.

“By reducing the pressure, you reduce the temperature at which the liquid boils which is the reason why water boils at 71 degrees on the top of Everest.

“Our distillation temperature is around 35 degrees lower than in a normal copper still distillation so uses less energy. The pressure we distil at is equivalent to about 46,000 feet up.

“As custodians of the planet we have a duty of care. If you can reuse and recycle everything then we create as little rubbish as possible.”

Kevin, who is originally from Sussex and completed his degree and masters in chemistry at Bangor University, was teaching at a local college when he decided it was time for something different.

“Like many in the teaching profession, I’d had enough,” he said.

“It wasn’t the teaching it was everything that goes with it, so I was looking for other outlets.”

The scientists set themselves a friendly challenge to create a unique gin based on their knowledge of science.

“We took the classic academic approach, looking at various scientific literatures about distillation processes and we used that as a basis for how we were going to start, basically turning it into a scientific experiment,” explained Kevin, who has also lectured at the University of Sussex and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). 

Kevin borrowed an approach commonly used in medicinal drug discovery to find the perfect combination of flavours.

“It’s called “combinational” strategy,” explained Kevin, who divides his time between his business and private tutoring.

“In a sense, instead of deciding to put this much with that and doing it in a linear fashion you do it in a parallel fashion. We produced each of the botanicals individually. We then took out a fixed volume of each botanical and varied how much we added. We did the same with the second botanical and so on.

“We discovered that just by varying the amount you can achieve a very wide flavour range in a short space of time. It enables you to discover flavours very quickly or eliminate them far more easily, instead of throwing them all in at once and not liking what you find.

“The strategy, although new to gin making, has been around for donkeys’ years and is the way they search for active leads in chemistry.”

The result was the creation of its flagship pHure Gin, made from 96% organic wheat grain alcohol. It remains the company’s biggest selling gin thanks to its velvety smooth flavour and is the base for all its other gin products.

“One of my business partners runs a pub in Yorkshire and for nearly a year we trialled a small amount to see whether we could sell it,” said Kevin.

“Once we worked out people were buying it and coming back for more it was worth expanding and making more of it.”

The company produces occasional batches of Honey Gin and most recently launched strawberry and rhubarb flavours.

Euan, who lives in Yorkshire, is commercial director and looks after compliance/licensing issues while Andy, from Durham, is technical director and delivers presentations on gin production. 

“Sales are growing year on year. As we do more and go out more to food festivals we get more people interested in buying it,” explained Kevin, who is production director.

He’s looking forward to returning to the festival which has played a part in building the company’s reputation.

“Food festivals work very well for brand awareness,” he said.

“It’s basically good advertising and gives you the opportunity to go out and meet people who could become potential customers. Last year, we acquired a new delicatessen from just being at the festival. They’re really a great marketing and advertising exercise.”

Llangollen Food Festival committee member Phil Davies was delighted PHure Liquors had chosen the event to launch their special edition gin.

He said: “A major part of our role is enable our growing army of indigenous food and drink producers to have a higher profile by providing them with a shop window.

“I am looking forward to sampling the new, solar-powered gin at the festival and I wish them every success.

“Their eco-friendly approach is right on trend and I’m sure the taste will also hit the spot.”

For more information about Llangollen Food Festival go to www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Latest flooding update from county

Flooding in Denbighshire – Thursday (update at 9.30am)

Denbighshire County Council will continue to respond to flood-related incidents across the county during the day, although the weather situation has improved overnight.

There is surface water on a number of the county’s roads and a number of roads have closed or remain closed:

·         Mia Hall Road, Dyserth

·         B5430 Valley Lodge To Junction B5431 Llanarmon Yn Ial (by Pistyll Gwyn quarry),

·         Maes Llan Road, Llanrhydd, Ruthin,

·         Junction with A5151 opposite Bryn Ffynnon Cottages to Ty Gwyn, Dyserth

·         Pandy Lane, Dyserth

·         Mia Hall Road, Dyserth

Loggerheads Country Park is open and the main paths are passable with care. The water levels at the site have dropped dramatically since yesterday.

Bus services to Llanarmon yn Iâl:  Service bus (numbers 1 and 2) WILL NOT operate to Llanarmon this morning until further notice, but WILL serve Maeshafn and Eryrys.

More rain is forecast between now and mid afternoon.  A flood warning remains in place for the Lower Dee Valley from Llangollen towards Rossett and Be Prepared warnings issue for the Rivers Clwyd and Alyn Catchment areas.

Residents are urged to continue to monitor forecasts for the latest updates and information, as well as following information on Denbighshire’s website:www.denbighshire.gov.uk; Facebook: www.facebook.com/denbighshirecountycouncil and Twitter: www.twitter.com/denbighshirecc

MP meets volunteers of local befriending service

* Susan Elan Jones MP meets volunteers from the Ymestyn service.

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones recently met with volunteers from the Ymestyn – Reaching Out befriending service to offer her support and advice.

The service is active in the Llangollen and Glyn Ceiriog areas. 

It started in 2016 and has grown from strength to strength. 

Volunteers are trained by Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham to support people in the community who feel lonely or are socially isolated and may suffer from ill health, mobility or age-related issues. 

They can visit people in their own homes or arrange short outings in the locality. There are plans to develop the service to include some social activities.

Before being elected to Parliament, Susan Elan Jones spent 15 years working for charities and is committed to using her expertise in this area as part of her parliamentary and constituency work. 

She is co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Charities and Volunteering and in March introduced the Charity Trustees (Time Off for Duties) Bill to Parliament.

Following the meeting, Ms Jones said: “It’s been fantastic to catch up with Ymestyn and hear about their latest news. 

"I think that supporting these excellent local groups is a very important and worthwhile part of my job as an MP. Ymestyn is a vital lifeline for people who feel lonely or isolated from their community and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to offer my advice and support."

County council statement on flooding

Summary of flooding issues in Denbighshire – Wednesday morning – 10am

Last night: There were problems with surface water on the A539 at Llangollen.  Teams from the Council attended and the flood water was cleared.

This morning:

The majority of the problems seem to be in the north of the county, with areas around Dyserth affected in particular. 

The A5151 between Dyserth and Rhuddlan has a lot of standing water.

Westbourne Avenue, Rhyl is closed due to flooding and sandbags have been issued to properties there. Our teams are down at the scene.

Loggerheads Country Park is closed due to flooding, with water levels still rising.

 The rain is expected to ease this afternoon, but more rain is expected overnight.  Residents are advised to continue to monitor weather forecasts and social media for any updates.

Have your say about dementia services

Residents are being asked to take part in a consultation about how to improve services people living with dementia in North Wales.

Councils across North Wales are working together with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to develop a regional plan for dementia services, which will build on some of the excellent work that is already in place. 

The plan will look at how health and social care services can work better together and focus on how to achieve the Welsh Government priorities, risk reduction and delaying onset, raising awareness and understanding, recognition and identification, assessment and diagnosis, living as well as possible, for as long as possible with dementia and the need for increased support. 

The plan is being developed along with people living with dementia, carers and organisations who provide care and support.

Lesley Singleton, North Wales Project Lead and Director of Partnerships in the Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Division of BCUHB, said:  “We recognise that the best people to shape effective services are the people who use them. 

"We see the future as one in which those who are diagnosed with dementia and those who support them can feel confident that not only will they experience compassionate, safe and professional care but that they have, as a right, real opportunities to shape and be more involved in that care.

“I want to encourage people living with dementia and their carers to take part in the consultation to help us ensure that our services are tailored to meet their specific needs.”

* More information about the consultation is available at: https://www.northwalescollaborative.wales/dementia-strategy-consultation/

The consultation will be open until Friday July 26.

New online map aims to showcase North Wales

* The launch of the new online map introducing visitors to North Wales. 

The UK’s first online video map to promote tourism has been launched to help attract more visitors to North Wales.

The new map was unveiled at the annual meeting of North Wales Tourism and includes around 40 films from attractions, events and accommodation providers across the region.

According to managing director Jim Jones, they were now looking for more high end promotional videos to populate the map which can be accessed via the organisation’s website, www.gonorthwales.co.uk

The map can be used with North Wales Tourism’s new online itinerary planner which is also on the website.

Mr Jones told the meeting that the spectacular growth in the tourism industry in recent years was being driven by adrenaline-fuelled tourism.

That had been the spur to launch a new umbrella campaign, branding North Wales as the European Capital of Adventure.

Overall, the visitor economy is now worth £3.1 billion a year and employs 40,000 people.

He said: “We thought it would be a really good idea to launch the new video map as an excellent tool for visitors, showcasing North Wales through video.

“All the videos featured are from our members and they are a really good way to see what they can expect when they arrive at a destination.

“We’ve had a soft launch to make sure all the technology is working but we have the capacity for a lot more and that’s what we’re working on at the moment.

“I’m not aware of anything else like it in the UK and the same goes for our itinerary planner which is an incredible piece of software.

“Visitors can go to our website and can formulate plans using the information about the accommodation, attractions and activities.

“They can factor in their journey time, plan their dwell time and it can be printed out or sent via email in a nice, easy-to-read format.

“Essentially, we have put in a lot of work to make life easier for visitors and provide added benefits to our members.”

The aim,  he said, was to capitalise on the huge investment that’s going into North Wales at the moment.

Mr Jones added: “Tourism is booming and it’s one of the biggest sectors in the region’s economy and as a business North Wales Tourism has seen a five per cent year-on-year growth.

“We are riding high and there is a lot of confidence in the industry too.

“There is massive potential for growth and the North Wales Growth Bid is going to have a huge part to play in that because hopefully they are going to create the infrastructure and the environment in order for everybody to benefit.”

Among the guest speakers was John Irving, the chief executive of Liverpool John Lennon Airport, who said that North Wales was an important catchment for them.

He said: “We want to play a role as a gateway for the north west of England but also for the North of Wales.

“We’re at five million passengers now so we think in the next five years we can reach six million just growing the route network and getting some different carriers into the airport.

“There’s about 35,000 inbound passengers coming to North Wales at the moment through Liverpool and there’ll be many more coming through Manchester and via the rest of the UK.”

Lee Robinson, Transport for Wales’s development director for North Wales, told the meeting that on the ground there was an £800m investment to replace every train by 2023 in Wales and that 95 per cent of rail journeys will be made on brand new trains.

North Wales Tourism chair Christopher Frost, who runs the Manorhaus boutique hotels in Ruthin and Llangollen, said: “We’ve had a fantastic 10 years or so with an increase in inbound tourism and outbound tourism and fantastic engagement with overseas markets also.

“North Wales Tourism has been instrumental in creating alliances and creating partnerships with both public and private sector organisations to promote tourism to our members across the whole world.

“It’s a very exciting time because of the amount business that is coming our way with an increase of a significant proportion compared to other regions of Wales and compared to other regions of the UK.

“Adventure tourism is very important and has seen massive financial input in the North Wales economy, which has impacted across the whole of North Wales.

“I operate in Ruthin and Llangollen and even the events and attractions in Snowdonia impact my business because people come and stay with me and drive an hour into Snowdonia to the Zip Wire or to do the surfing or that kind of thing.

“One consequence is that we are now attracting younger people to North Wales.

“Whereas 20 years ago, the demographic was 40 or 50 plus, the demographic we are seeing is mid-20s to 40.

“We can offer the best of both worlds. As well as the new adventure attractions, we still have the coast, the castle and the culture for those wanting a gentler time.

“We’ve added a new dimension to something that was already brilliant.”

Isherwood calls on health minister to quit

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood (pictured) has called on the Welsh Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, to resign for “failing to deliver" the required improvement at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) which covers Llangollen.

Speaking in the Welsh Conservatives debate on the troubled North Wales Health Board, Mr Isherwood expressed concern that BCUHB has been in Special Measures for coming up to four years, said that the Health Minister’s “repeated statements that he ‘expects to see action’ have become hollow”, and called for him to stand down.

Mr Isherwood said: “The self-proclaimed party of the NHS, Labour, is responsible for just seven Health Boards in Wales. It is shocking that five of these are in special measures of some kind.  

“The largest of these, serving 1 million people, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in North Wales, will not be celebrating the fact that next Saturday will be four years since it was placed into special measures. Ministerial oversight of these special measures arrangements has been with the current Health Minister.

“No Conservative Prime Minister has ever cut an NHS budget. Under Labour, however, Wales was the only UK Nation to see a real terms decrease in identifiable expenditure on health between 2010 and 2016.

“Betsi Cadwaladr entered special measures after horrific reports emanated from the Tawel Fan Mental Health ward. 

“The Welsh Labour Government has failed to heed the warnings of the Ockenden Review of this - and consistently ignored the concerns of families involved.

“They have instead relied on the 2018 HASCAS review which was described as a cover-up by the families."

He added: “In January Donna Ockenden said she had seen ‘insufficient progress’ in improving mental health services and revealed that staff had told her services ‘were going backwards’.  

“Her 2018 Review was repeatedly informed that from the Health Board’s birth in October 2009, there was very significant cause for concern in the systems, structures and processes of governance underpinning a range of services provided by Betsi Cadwaladr.

“Speaking here in May last year, I asked the Health Minister why the conclusions of the HASCAS report Commissioned by Betsi Cadwaladr did not stack up with the findings of Donna Ockenden’s 2015 report, which the Welsh Government had accepted - or with a Healthcare Inspectorate Wales Report, or  Dementia Care mapping work, both in 2013, the year that the Health Board states that it was alerted to serious concerns regarding patient care on the Tawel Fan ward. In fact, I had highlighted concerns  in 2009. 

“While frontline staff are working incredibly hard, last month the Public Accounts Committee found that the Welsh Government’s intervention with the Board has had ‘little practical impact’.  

“The North Wales Community Health Council stated that it totally agreed with this report’s recommendations - and referred to a letter sent to the Health Minister in which they stated there is a belief among its members that Special Measures  is now ‘the new normal’ and ‘appears to have lost its impact’.

Mr Isherwood also highlighted that the latest A&E figures show that Betsi Cadwaladr remains the worst performing in Wales, and that Wrexham Maelor hospital’s A&E department only saw half of its patients within four hours, and referred to the fact that in January, the North Wales Coroner, John Gittins, stated that ‘ambulance hold ups, staff shortages and the difficulty of getting speedy A&E care have contributed to numerous deaths and may claim more lives’. 

He added: “This Health Minister’s repeated statement that he ‘expects to see action’ have become hollow. 

“He needs to accept his responsibility for failing to deliver the required improvement at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and honourably resign.”

Temporary bus route changes from tomorrow

Bus users are being warned of some temporary route changes in place from next week.

Due to the closure of the roundabout at the junction of the A539 (Llangollen Road) and B5605 the following bus route diversions will be in place.

As a result the below changes will be in place for five nights from Monday 10th June between 7pm to 6am.

Service 2, Oswestry, Arriva Midlands – From Wrexham to Oswestry
Normal route to Johnstown B5605, then via Stryt Las, B5097 Pant Hill/Afoneitha Road, Plas Bennion Road to re-join normal route on A539 Llangollen Road towards Cefn Mawr & Oswestry.

From Oswestry to Wrexham
Normal route to A539, then via Plas Bennion Road, B5097 Afoneitha Road, Pant Hill, Church Street, B5426 Hill Street, Gutter Hill & Maelor Road to re-join normal route on B5605 in Johnstown.
Service 5, Llangollen, Arriva Bus Wales – From Wrexham to Llangollen

Normal route to Johnstown B5605, then via Stryt Las, B5097 Pant Hill/Afoneitha Road, Plas Bennion Road to re-join normal route on A539 Llangollen Road towards Llangollen.

From Llangollen to Wrexham
Normal route to A539, then via Plas Bennion Road, B5097 Afoneitha Road, Pant Hill, Church Street, B5426 Hill Street, Gutter Hill & Maelor Road to re-join normal route on B5605 in Johnstown.

Service T3, Barmouth, Lloyds Coaches – From Wrexham to Barmouth
Normal route to Johnstown B5605, then via Stryt Las, B5097 Pant Hill/Afoneitha Road, Plas Bennion Road to re-join normal route on A539 Llangollen Road towards Barmouth

From Barmouth to Wrexham
Normal route to A539, then via Plas Bennion Road, B5097 Afoneitha Road, Pant Hill, Church Street, B5426 Hill Street, Gutter Hill & Maelor Road to re-join normal route on B5605 in Johnstown.

County council backs Carers Week

Denbighshire County Council is backing a national event supporting carers.

Carers Week will take place across the UK between June 10 and 16 and raises awareness of carers, recognising the contribution they make to families and communities.

As part of its Corporate Plan, the council has committed to supporting carers by improving the services that exist and ensuring young, parent and adult carers are aware of the support available to them.

Cllr Bobby Feeley, lead member for Well-being and Independence, said: “Carers play a pivotal role in our society and I would like to thank all Denbighshire carers for the support they provide.

“Carers Week brings individuals and organisations together to show the importance of caring, celebrate carers and their contribution and help carers find out what support is available to them.

“Here in Denbighshire we are working hard to support carers by improving the provision of information, advice and assistance, helping carers access leisure services, providing financial support to allow carers to take short breaks, by offering training for carers to support and maintain their caring role as well as promoting life-long learning for people who have a caring role and supporting carers to continue working or re-enter the workforce.”

Across Wales 370,000 people are carers, supporting a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill with 11,600 of those in Denbighshire.

Denbighshire County Council will also be launching a new information leaflet during Carers Week.

* For more information about carers contact Denbighshire’s Single Point of Access on 0300 456 1000 or North East Wales Carers Information Service (NEWCIS) on 01745 331181 or via http://newcis.org.uk