Couple take big bite out of artisan biscuit market

* Sweet taste of success...James Shepherd with the Aberffraw biscuits.

An enterprising couple are supplying one of the world's most famous stores and prestigious outlets in Singapore and Kuwait after reviving Britain's oldest biscuit.

Four years ago James Shepherd and his wife Natasha re-created the historic Aberffraw Biscuit which dates back to the 13^th century.

They won plaudits from lovers of fine food when they officially launched it at Llangollen Food Festival in 2013.

Since then the premium shortbread, made from only the finest butter, flour and sugar, has become a firm favourite across the UK.

Among the places you can now buy the mouth-watering biscuit is the flagship Selfridges store in London’s Oxford Street.

To say a big thank you for helping to power the biscuit’s amazing rise to popularity the couple’s are returning to the festival which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

The event, which  has been named as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK by the Daily Telegraph and Independent newspapers, will be staged at the iconic Llangollen Pavilion on October 14 and 15.

James, originally from Llandudno, and Natasha, a Welsh-speaker from Trefriw, met at Leicester University, married 14 years ago and have two children Rowan, 11, who is a pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy in Llanrwst, and nine-year-old Jasmine who attends Ysgol Bro Cernyw in Llangernyw.

The couple were watching the Great British Bake Off in 2012 when a feature about the Aberffraw biscuit, which was first baked in the Anglesey village of the same name 800 years ago, caught their eye.

Taking the same basic recipe from ancient times, they set up a company to start baking and marketing the biscuits.

The following autumn the tasty scallop-shaped treat was showcased for the first time in the new products section of Llangollen Food Festival.

After a couple of years Natasha left her part-time job with a governmental agency to join former journalist James as a co-director of the growing business which has gone from strength to strength.

Recalling how it all began, James said: “We started chatting about hearing about the original Aberffraw Biscuit on Bake-Off and realised that despite the fact we were both from North Wales and lived here all our lives, we had never even heard of it, despite the fact it was supposed to be Britain’s oldest biscuit.

“After working out our business plan we set up production at a unit in Llanrwst with me making the biscuits and even designing the packaging.

“From the start we wanted everything to be as authentic as possible, from the unique stamp for the scallop shape of the biscuit to the ingredients which include only top quality British products.

“Over the past four years the business has just grown. In fact, the scale of it now gets a bit staggering at times and I sometimes have to pinch myself as a reminder that it’s all really happening.

“We make the biscuits in four different flavours – traditional, chocolate, lemon and bara brith - and they’re all very popular.

“Apart from outlets across the UK, we’ve been selling 500 packets at a time to Dean & Deluca, an up-market chain of stores for their Kuwait branch and Gourmet Grocery, a high-end deli in Singapore, has been taking a similar order.

“After doing a couple of tasting sessions with Selfridges they are now taking them for their flagship store in London’s Oxford Street. Apart from that we’re doing a good online trade through Amazon.”

To cope with the upsurge in sales James and Natasha, who live in Llansannan, now have two production units in Llanrwst and employ five staff to help them.

In the past few years the biscuits and the company have been showered with awards, including Ambient Food Manufacturer of the Year - The Food Awards Wales 2015 (Overall Winner), Great Taste Award 2015 (Traditional Aberffraw Biscuit), Great Taste Awards 2017 (Lemon Abberffraw Biscuit) and Food & Drink Entrepreneur of the Year - Entrepreneur Wales Awards 2015 (Overall Winner).

​Ex-journalist James  added: “Being at Hamper Llangollen this year, especially as it’s the 20^th anniversary, will be good because it’s where it all began for us.  

“Apart from that, it will be great just to be part of the event and to thank them for all they did to help us get the business off the ground.

“Hamper Llangollen is a great festival in a fantastic location which attracts people who are really enthusiastic about good quality local produce.

“We can’t wait to meet the visitors and show them all our new developments.”

The Aberffraw biscuit (or sometimes Aberffraw cake) and is said to originate from 13th Century Anglesey.

Legend has it that a Welsh king was holding court in Aberffraw and his wife was walking on the beach there and, spotting a pretty scallop shell, asked for a cake to be baked in the same form.

A far more realistic source for the biscuit was the famous pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

This pilgrimage to the church of St James in Galicia, north western Spain, began in about the 8^th Century with pilgrims wearing badges on their hat in the shape of a scallop shell.

It’s for this reason Aberffraw biscuits are sometimes also called James cakes. Under the patronage of King Gruffudd ap Cynan (1075-1137) or his son and successor Owain Gwynedd (1137-70), a stone church was built at Aberffraw with Romanesque features similar to 12^th Century churches on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.

This building is the final link to the scallop shell of St James pilgrims and the small Welsh village of Aberffraw.

Llangollen Food Festival committee member Phil Davies said: "We're delighted that James and Natasha will be helping us celebrate our 20th anniversary this year.

"We're particularly proud that we played a role in the launch of their Aberffraw biscuits which have been so successful.

"As a festival, it is an important part of our mission to provide a shop window for a host of extremely talented indigenous food producers like James and Natasha."

Check out Aberffraw biscuits at www.aberffrawbiscuits.com and Llangollen Food Festival at www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Former bank could get new use

* Save our bank protestors outside the branch in November 2013.

According to a story in the Daily Post, the former HSBC bank in Bridge Street, Llangollen could be transformed into adventure firm headquarters and bunkhouse.

The branch closed back in February 2014 despite furious protests by the local community.

* For the full story see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/former-bank-could-become-adventure-13636393

Top sommelier heading for Hamper Llangollen

* Top sommelier Dan Davies is heading for Hamper Llangollen. 

One of the UK's youngest head sommeliers who has served stars like Sir Tom Jones and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin will be sharing his wine expertise at Llangollen Food Festival.

It will be quite the family affair for Dan Davies, 22, will be joining his father, festival stalwart Dai Chef, who will also be assisted by younger children Megan, 12, and Ellis, seven, for a cookery demonstration.

The event, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, has been named as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK by the Daily Telegraph and Independent newspapers.

It's being held at the iconic Llangollen Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday, October 14 and 15.

Dan, who was brought up in Chirk and is currently head sommelier at the two-Michelin starred Whatley Manor Hotel in the Cotswolds, has also served two of the biggest names in the culinary world, Michelin-starred chef Heston Blumenthal and the queen of cakes, Mary Berry.

Now, he is looking forward to returning home to North Wales and helping visitors discover some exciting homegrown wines.

He grew up attending the Llangollen Food Festival and although he wasn't old enough to remember, he met legendary operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti in 1995.

At the time his dad was working at the nearby Bryn Howel Hotel and spent a week as the opera superstar's personal chef when he made an emotional return to the eisteddfod, 40 years after he had first competed there as a 19-year-old member of the Chorus Rossini choir from Modena, Italy in 1955.

Daniel, said: "I don't remember seeing Pavarotti but I've seen the photos of me in my chef whites standing next to my dad!

"It'll be nice to come up. I'm looking forward to having a bit of fun and speaking about wine.

"I work most weekends so it's exciting to do something a bit different.

"I'll be matching wines to dad's meals - they will be a selection of Welsh and English wines.

"Hopefully people will discover some new wines and see what we're capable of producing in Britain, which is high quality wine.

"Wine over here is really flourishing. The Germans, for example, are keeping a really close eye on our wine, particularly with the climate change.

"It's a really exciting market - one of the fastest growing for wine in fact.

"We use the Bacchus grape, which is like an English or Welsh Sauvignon, but the taste is more elderflower and tart. There are some really interesting styles and I think people will be surprised."

Daniel, a former pupil of Ysgol David Hughes in Menai Bridge, Anglesey, has been by his dad's side most of his life but was never destined to follow in his footsteps as a chef.

He said: "I wanted to be an air traffic controller when I was 16. I was learning to fly but never ended up getting my pilot's license.

"I was always in the kitchen with my dad which funded my flying at the time.

"He sat me down one day and said why not think about doing hospitality, you're good at it."

Daniel, who went on to study catering and hospitality at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru,

moved on to the five star Cliveden House Hotel in Berkshire where he was introduced to the wine profession - and has never looked back.

Daniel explained: "I was teetotal at the time but it's safe to say I'm not anymore!

"It all started from there really - I fell in love with the subject. I love the challenge and puzzle involved.

"I'm really enjoying my current role. I work in lovely surroundings, very pretty.

"There are a lot of vineyards in the area that I can visit and I also try to get to London as much as I can for wine tasting events.

"I try to get out to as many places as I can, here and abroad, to increase my knowledge. It's very important."

Working as a sommelier since 2013 has resulted in Daniel rubbing shoulders with some very high profile names.

"Sir Tom Jones was a regular at Stovells - a Mexican restaurant that I worked at in Surrey", he explains.

"He must have come in five or six times. He wasn't a big drinker but he always knew what he wanted.

"I've also served Heston Blumenthal and Mary Berry. Heston had really good knowledge and liked to chat. He's more into his classical wines.

"Then there was an occasion when we had Chris Martin at the Cliveden. I try not to interact too much because they're in their bubble and want to enjoy their night.

"I don't really think too much about the fact they're famous. I'm in professional work mode and treat every guest the same."

Proud father Dai believes his son will become a Master Sommelier by the time he is 40, which is the highest accolade possible and a rare feat achieved by only a few hundred people around the world.

He said: "Daniel has got such knowledge of wines, it's unbelievable. 

"He's been in the kitchen with me all his life. He ran the Ship Inn when he was just 16.

"I always said he was too nice to be in the kitchen so I put him out front and he was made to be with people.

"We decided as a family he should follow the front and it's gone on from there. He's now a sommelier and he loves it."

Dai is looking forward to working with his family, or 'Team Dai Chef' as he refers to them, and will be rustling up a series of meals from the latest culinary craze at the festival.

He explained: "We'll be doing a live workshop on stage. This year we're going to be doing 'clean eating'.

"Dan will be matching the wines to the dishes we do on stage. It'll be innovative and hopefully people will like it at the show.

"There is a big call for clean eating with lots of new places popping up. It is a challenge to keep moving with the times but you have to keep yourself ahead of the game.

"Clean eating is massive in Vegas and New York, and is big right now in London. It's just starting to spread from there.

"It's sharp and exciting food. All your carbs are counted and there is a lot of fresh fruit and veg."

Dai added: "Dan is very much customer first whereas Megan is like me - she has kitchen attitude!

"She's been doing cookery demonstrations since she was five and will be serving up some Greek flatbreads.

"Ellis will also be chipping in. It's a real family effort!"

Dai, who has cooked for Catherine Zeta Jones and the House of Lords during his long, distinguished career, is a regular at Llangollen Food Festival.

He is now working as a freelance and consultant running meal services for private functions.

"I celebrated my 60th birthday this year and I've already visited 30 different restaurants", said Dai.

"I'm completely flat out but I still love it."

Phil Davies, a member of the committee at Llangollen Food Festival, said: "We're delighted Dan is returning to Llangollen Food Festival where he'll be joining his dad, the ever popular Dai Chef, and his family for a culinary masterclass.

"This year is going to be a very special as the festival is celebrating its 20 anniversary so, with advice from Dan, we will be raising a glass or two to mark the occasion.

"With a record number of around 120 stall-holders, this year's festival promises to be the biggest and the best yet. I can't wait."

* To find out more about Llangollen Food Festival go to www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Corwen marks Owain Glyndwr Day

Special events are being held to mark Owain Glyndwr Day in Corwen tomorrow (Saturday).

A family fun day, from 12 noon until 5pm, will be held on the site of the former pavilion car park, near the temporary train station in the town.

It will include stalls, bouncy castle, miniature railway, birds of prey demonstration and a performing stage with local choirs and bands.

The day is organised by the local Owain Glyndwr Day festival committee and has been approved by Denbighshire County Council.

Corwen Business Group has designated free car parking at the main Corwen car park  for the day.

Visitors to Llangollen will be encouraged to board the train to visit Corwen.

Police boss offers boost to community crimebusters

* Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Ann Griffith, Assistant Chief Constable of North Wales Police Richard Debicki,  PACT Chairman David Williams and Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Arfon Jones.

A special fund which uses cash seized from crooks to help community crimebusters in North Wales is set to take its hand-outs to over £200,000 in five years.

The Your Community, Your Choice Awards are again putting up over £40,000 for local groups and North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones is urging local groups to bid for the cash.

The Community Fund is again being set up jointly by Mr Jones, North Wales Police and the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT).

Each of the region’s six counties will have £2,500 apiece for two groups with £5,000 each for two organisations that operate across North Wales.

The successful groups are chosen by public vote and entries close on Saturday, September 30, with the Your Community, Your Choice entry form available on the North Wales Police website with a link to it on the Police Commissioner’s website.

A shortlist of applicants will be chosen by a special panel and voting opens to the public on October 30 and runs until December 1 with that vote deciding the winners.

The cash for the awards comes partly from money seized by the courts through the Proceeds of Crime Act with the rest from the Police Commissioner’s Fund.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones said: “These awards are important because they involve the community and the communities decide where the money can best be spent.

“A lot of what we fund is aimed at providing something for young people to get involved with in their spare time rather than being tempted to commit crime or indulge in anti-social behaviour.

“We want to support communities so they are able to take responsibility for their own areas.

“Smaller community groups like them can do a great deal to make communities safer, reduce crime and reduce re-offending, It also sends a good message to the communities because it shows we are listening to them.”

His message was backed by Assistant Chief Constable Richard Debicki who said: “This is the fifth year of the scheme and it has been a great success because it gives the public and local communities the chance to have a stake in how local issues are addressed and how we together tackle crime and disorder.

“I get particular satisfaction that part of the funding comes from the proceeds of crime, so that money is taken out of the pockets of criminals and their ill-gotten gains by the courts and is put back into community initiatives.

“It’s turning bad money into good and it’s making a real difference because it is local people who recognise and understand their local issues and how to solve them.

“This is a really positive aspect of the scheme and it helps bring us closer to those communities.”

PACT Chairman David Williams said: “I believe the scheme has been tremendously successful and I welcome the symbolism and synergy between accessing the ill-gotten gains of criminal activity in North Wales and redistributing it to communities in north Wales to support projects which will have a beneficial impact on the local population.

“I have visited some of these projects and I found the commitment and determination shown to be inspirational.

“The aims of the Your Community, Your Choice scheme support the objectives of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s plan so it creates a potent strategy to enhance the well-being of towns and villages across north Wales.”

PACT Manager Dave Evans added: “Applicants have to be a properly constituted community group or a registered charity and the main criterion is that the project helps to support the Police and Crime Plan by delivering safer neighbourhoods.

“It gives us the opportunity to engage with a wide variety of community groups and also importantly gives out local neighbourhood policing teams the opportunity to engage with those groups and support them with their projects.

“I would recommend that applicants considering a bid liaise with their local neighbourhood policing team to discuss it and make sure it is as comprehensive as possible.”

* Completed applications must be returned by e-mail to yourcommunityyourchoice@nthwales.pnn.police.uk by 5pm on the closing date of September 30.

Free course to help businesses beat cycber crime

A free course is being offered to protect businesses from the growing threat of cybercrime.

Denbighshire County Council is providing a workshop to businesses on Cyber Essentials, a UK Government backed, industry-supported, foundation for basic cybersecurity.

The one-day course will cover the Cyber Essentials framework, best practice to mitigate cybersecurity risks and understanding external and internal cyber threats to businesses.

Businesses in the county are being offered a free place on this course, normally £70 per person.

The course will take place at Caledfryn, Smithfield Road, Denbigh, on October 2, starting at 9.30am.

* To book or for more information visit https://goo.gl/Nxntxe

Lottery cash will help improve well-being of elderly

South Denbighshire Community Partnership (SDCP) supported by Citizens Advice Denbighshire (CAD) has been awarded a grant of £349,847 over a four-year period by the Big Lottery Fund.

The cash will enable the partnership and Citizens Advice Denbighshire to work together with the communities of Corwen, Carrog, Glyndyfrdwy, Llandrillo, Cynwyd, Melin y Wig, Betws Gwerfil Goch and Bryneglwys to reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and increase resilience primarily for older people and those unable to access services.

Specifically this will support existing and develop new social activities and events, improving access to welfare benefits and grants, extending our community transport to include a dial a ride and meal delivery service, whilst at the same time providing opportunities for local people to learn new skills and be involved in the design, running and delivery of services.

Michael McNamara, Chair of Trustees of SDCP, said: "Although the grant has been awarded to the
organisation, the benefit is for the whole Edeyrnion community. I would like to compliment the team from for their hard work in extensive consultation and community engagement which has enabled them to submit a comprehensive operational plan.”

Rona Aldrich, Chair of Rural programme funding decision committee, said: “This fund will help our rural communities to address those poverty related issues which they themselves have identified as important and going forward we are looking forward to seeing how they use the funding to build
their confidence and experience.”

Alert issued over scam tax refund emails

llanblogger has received a scam tax refund email from tricksters pretending to be from HM Customs & Excise.

The email, which claims that a refund of £320.51 is due to the recipient has been confirmed as fraudulent by the real HMRC.

Received on Monday morning from the email address "MH Revenue.co.uk", it prompts the recipient to follow a link it gives if they wish to claim the refund.

The payment method, it says, will be "online credit/debit card to your account."

llanblogger forwarded the email immediately to HMRC's online security team and shortly afterwards received an email from them, which said: "Thank you for letting us know about the suspicious email / text you have received. We can confirm that this is a scam, and was not issued by HMRC.

"Our specialist team will investigate and take the necessary action. Whilst we cannot inform you of the outcome of these investigations I can confirm that we do act on each submission we receive."

And it adds: "HMRC will never send notifications of a tax refund or ask you to disclose personal or payment information by email or text message."

* Anyone taken in by similar scam messages by disclosing any personal information is urged to forward a report to:  security.custcon@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk

HMRC publicises details of current scams on our website https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/phishing-and-bogus-emails-hm-revenue-and-customs-examples
 
HMRC asks for suspect emails to be forwarded to: phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk or texts to: 60559.

Railway volunteers reach end of the line in Corwen

* Railway volunteers at the buffer stop in Corwen.

Llangollen Railway volunteers celebrated getting to the end of the  line when the buffer stop was inserted onto a previously prepared site on the embankment at Green Lane, Corwen.

The stop completes the track bed for the laying of rail as the head shunt at the western extremity of the project for the Corwen Central station.

This will permit locomotives to detach from a train at the station platform and reverse around the loop line to attach to the rear of the train in readiness for the return journey to Llangollen. 

The buffer stop now in situ should be seen as a statement of intent that the terminal station project is on track for completion in 2018.

However, it is not the end of the project as there is much still to do to complete the new station before it is ready for use. 

Not least is the infilling of a breach in the embankment at the eastern end of the site, a former access to the Welsh Water Treatment Works, which currently allows for delivery of materials to the railway development. 

This summer the volunteer workers have created the 160 metre long wall for the arrival platform which has consumed some 3,800 concrete blocks and they are currently laying the edging flags to complete the work.

Their hours spent in building the station have been valued at £200k, without which input the project would be unaffordable. The further challenge for the autumn is to complete a shorter wall on the other side of the platform area.

Commenting on the work, the Project Leader, Richard Dixon-Gough, said: “Our photo-session with the volunteers placing the buffer stop at the end of the tracked bed was a notable occasion. It represented the culmination of all the hard work and endeavour over the past 40 years since the idea was conceived of rebuilding the railway between Llangollen and Corwen by volunteer effort.

"We all look forward to the first train arriving at the new terminus as soon as we can get the rest of the station completed and linked up with the railhead at Dwyrain Corwen East temporary station.”

Museum defies the rain to host successful fun day

* Les Davies paddles along the canal in his coracle.

A demonstration of the ancient skill of coracle sailing by expert Les Davies of one of the attractions at a fun day organised by Llangollen Museum yesterday (Saturday).

While Les paddled along the canal defying the rain, back at the museum there was a variety of stalls, games and competitions.

Also on offer was a demonstration of traditional spinning and a selection of pre-owned railway and historical or local interest books plus a paint-a-butterfly competition upstairs in the art gallery.

* Beautiful craft items on display at the museum.

* The prize stall outside the museum.

Month of art exhibitions in Llangollen

There are three places to visit in the town as part of this year's Helfa Gelf/Art Trail.  

First is Plas Newydd which has an exhibition of Wrexham Artists  in Y Caban. 

It features the work of eight artists who cover a range of media including painting, ceramics, mixed media and photography. 

Every weekend there will be one of the Artists in Y Caban for viewers to talk to and maybe see them at work.

The second Helfa Gelf venue is Llangollen History Museum on Parade Street which has six Llangollen artists exhibiting who use a range of media including drawing, mixed media, painting, photography, print making, sculpture and textiles. 

The  exhibition is open from until the end of the month and artists will be on hand there on each of the remaining weekends in September. 

Third venue is Gwalia Ceramics in Oak Street which is a gallery selling contemporary works by a variety of selected ceramic makers from Wales and beyond.

There is also  an exhibition of Artists in Y Capel in Castle Street (T.I.C.)

Helfa Gelf is funded by the Arts Council Wales, supported by the National Lottery, and is sponsored by the Welsh Government plus support from the local Authorities across North Wales has allowed the development of the Helfa Gelf Art Trail.

The Helfa Gelf Art Trail takes place in Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham counties from Friday to Sunday throughout September 2017. For further information about the event please view our website at https://helfagelf.co.uk/

Llan Museum's big event planned for tomorrow

Organiser Janet Wakefield has sent out a reminder about an event being planned by Llangollen Museum tomorrow (Saturday).

She said: "It will feature lots of lovely prizes on our stalls, there will be new jewellery in stock, a great selection of pre-owned railway and historical or local interest books plus a paint-a-butterfly competition upstairs in the art gallery.

"There will also be an artist in residence in the Helfa Gelf exhibition."

Jo confirmed as world's fastest truffle maker

* Chocolatier Jo Edwards smashes the world record making her truffles.

A top chocolatier has finally been confirmed as the fastest truffle maker on the planet - after an agonising wait.

The record set by Jo Edwards in front of a huge crowd at last year's Llangollen Food Festival has only just been ratified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

She made 49 truffles in two minutes, smashing the previous record of 47 held by TV chef Gino D'Acampo.

According to Jo, 43, who set up her successful specialist Rossett-based chocolate company, Aballu, in 2006, the wait for the record to be accepted and entered into the record books had been excruciating.

She said: “I had to supply so much evidence including photographs, video and witness statements from the time keepers, my own statement and judges. Each and every and every stage had to be authenticated.

“I even had to supply proof that the ingredients used complied with the recipe supplied by the people from Guinness. It had to be just chocolate and cream but in the right proportions.

“I must admit there were times when I thought I’d never get the world record confirmed and they might turn me down but after 10 months I finally got the news I’d been waiting for and I was indeed the world truffle making record holder.”

Jo will be back at this year’s Llangollen Food Festival that's been recognised by two national newspapers, the Daily Telegraph and the Independent, as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK.

She recalled: “It was so tough and I wasn’t really aware of what was going on around me although I knew I had a great deal of support around the demonstration kitchen which is where I went to work.

“The truffle mix was stickier than normal which made the rolling a bit harder than it should have been. And I actually made 54 in the two minutes but, very annoyingly, five were rejected as being either not the right size or the wrong shape.”

“Although I was oblivious to the atmosphere really it was wonderful setting the world record at the Llangollen Food Festival. It certainly created a real buzz around the place and being among so many friend s really made it special.

“I’ve been exhibiting at Llangollen for a long time and have got to know all the other exhibitors. We are all friends and support each other. I always look forward to seeing what new products and recipes are on offer each year.

“This year I’ll just be exhibiting and not setting any new world records. The food festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and Jo is it will be another fantastic event."

She added: “The festival is so important for the region and is actually recognised as being in the UK’s top 10 food festivals and has given the local North East Wales economy an £8 million boost over the last 20 years.

“It has a fantastic reputation within the food industry and beyond and has a great many very loyal followers. It’s an event I always look forward to.

“My Aballu business continues going from strength to strength although I want to keep it quite small and personal. I still work from Rossett and employ two people on a part-time basis.

“I have stuck to my popular range of artisan chocolates but I am working on some new products which I will develop in the near future.”

This year’s festival is on October 14 and 15 and once again it will be held at the iconic Llangollen Pavilion.

Ken Skates, the Clwyd South AM, who is also the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, whose portfolio includes tourism congratulated Jo Edwards on having her world record.

He said: “Llangollen Food Festival is an incredible success and a great annual occasion for the Dee Valley. It’s wonderful to see that Jo, who runs her very successful artisan chocolate business in Rossett, has had confirmation that her new world record is official.

“It’s another success story for Llangollen and the food festival which brings so many economic benefits to the area. It all helps underline the region’s growing reputation as a go-to destination for food lovers.

“Food tourism is something I believe has huge potential for future growth and it is no wonder that North Wales has been hailed as one of the world’s top four must see places to go by The Lonely Planet travel guide.”

Committee member Phil Davies said: “We have an amazing array of fantastic food producers clustered in the area and this year the festival is going to be bigger and better than ever so we’ll be celebrating our 20th anniversary in style.

“We’re heading for a record number of around 130 stallholders with a fantastic choice of produce, along with demonstrations from the region’s finest chefs so there will be plenty to tempt the taste buds.

“I’m glad to say we’re also making a positive contribution the local economy with food lovers travelling from far and wide because the festival is now firmly and rightly established as a major highlight in the UK’s culinary calendar.”

* For more information about the food festival go to www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Road closure warning given

llanblogger reader Mike Edwards has been in touch with news about a local road closure.

Mike, who has also taken the pictures above, says: "Vicarage Road was closed to all traffic and pedestrians until the 26th of this month.

"This includes the bottom entrance to the cemetery (top two photos) meaning that less active people visiting the cemetery must access it via the top end of Fron Bach which means climbing a steep hill."