Praises of Llan Eisteddfod sung in the Commons

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was yesterday (Thursday) praised in the House of Commons Chamber during a parliamentary debate on the arts and creative industries.

Local MP Susan Elan Jones spoke of the importance of the arts for international and community cohesion.

"The Llangollen international musical eisteddfod in my constituency was set up at the end of the second world war, to bring nations and cultures together," said Ms Jones.

The Eisteddfod was also praised by Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman MP who commented in the same debate: "One of the things that is so distinctive and admirable about Wales is its people’s love of culture and the eisteddfod tradition. I pay tribute to that."

Speaking after the debate, Susan Elan Jones MP said: "The vision and the dream that led to the creation of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was an extraordinary one.

"And what is even more amazing is how the Eisteddfod continues and thrives today.

"As a former steward at the Eisteddfod, I am very honoured to have been invited to be a Day President on the Friday of this year's International Eisteddfod.
 
FOR HANSARD LINK, SEE:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130619/debtext/130619-0002.htm#130619-0002.htm_spnew111

"Worrying" rise in Welsh bus fares highlighted

According to a story on the BBC Wales news site this morning, bus fares have risen more sharply in Wales than other parts of the UK, amid warnings it could lead to people unable to pay to travel.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22999531

Town council agrees on CCTV upgrade

Llangollen Town Council has agreed to spend around £5,000 on upgrading its inefficient CCTV system.

The network of cameras helps keep a watchful eye on the streets around the town centre.

But the ageing system has become increasingly unreliable and is said to be badly in need of an upgrade.

At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Town Clerk Gareth Thomas told members two of the cameras had completely broken down while others were faulty – one due to interference from a third party wi-fi system – and another was “on the cusp” of  a breakdown.

Mr Thomas revealed that the entire system had failed completely the previous Friday due to a software problem, leaving the town temporarily without its eye-in-the-sky protection until an emergency repair was made.

He said the system’s existing provider had quoted a figure of £8,000 to get the system up and running with an additional figure to upgrade it to a more modern standard. Quotations from other companies had been higher.

He told members: “I suggest we move forward with the current provider to upgrade the system. I am confident that if we go down that road we will have a system that will monitor the town.”

Mr Thomas pointed out that the total cost of an upgrade would be £500 to £600 more than had originally been budgeted for and suggested this amount should be taken from reserves.

He also suggested next year’s budget should make provision for adding “a couple more cameras” to the system.

Cllr Phil Thane asked about the initial cost of installing the cameras some years ago and what benefits the system had brought.

Mr Thomas said he believed it had originally cost around £56,000 but that only the police could say exactly how effective it had been.

However, he added: “The police say it has been a very good deterrent.”

Last year’s mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, said the cameras had initially helped cut down on an anti-social behaviour problem and that the council was still committed to the original expenditure it had made on the system.

Members agreed to take a small amount of cash from reserves to help pay for the repair and upgrade of the system.   

New cafe opens upstairs at Honey Pots

 

* Guests at the official opening of the Usual Place at Honey Pots.

An array of delicious Portuguese-style foods was laid out for guests at the official opening of a new café in the heart of Llangollen on Thursday evening.

Following a major refurbishment at Honey Pots in Castle Street, a café called the Usual Place is now in business on the first floor, run by a gentleman named Jorge.

Llanblogger, who was at the launch party, would like to wish the new venture every success.

Latest local roadworks information

Latest local roadworks information from Denbighshire County Council is:

A542 Horseshoe Pass, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights until June 26 to allow installation of anti-skid measures.

Outside former Jenny Jones pub, Abbey Road, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights until June 26 to facilitate scaffolding.

Birch Hill, Llangollen, road closure until September 20 to allow water works by Welsh Water.

 

New Sainsbury's wants to be "part of the town"

* An impression of how the new Sainsbury's store will look from the air.

LLANGOLLEN’S new Sainsbury store wants to be part of the town when it opens sometime early in 2015

That was the message from one of the supermarket giant’s top managers when she gave an update on the controversial development to members of Llangollen Town Council on Tuesday night.

Jaime Powell, the company’s regional town planning manager, said: “We don’t want to come here and build a store in total isolation. We want to integrate ourselves and be part of the town.”

And referring to fears the new 20,000 square foot store, to be built alongside the River Dee on a site just off the main A5 road, would kill off trade for small shops and cafes in the town, she added:  “I think there will be benefits to both sides if we work together.”

Richard Brown, of the public relations firm JBP, which is working on behalf of developers J B Ross on the scheme and who accompanied Ms Powell at the briefing, began the hour-long session by explaining that the developers would continue to own the site and lease it to Sainsbury’s.

The basis of the whole project, he said, was that the store would be built on land currently occupied by the Dobson & Crowther printworks once the factory was demolished and the operation moves to a new purpose-built factory just across the road on farmland at Cilmedw.

He said it looked likely the new printworks would be ready later next year with work starting on the supermarket in the middle to late summer of 2015.

Mr Brown explained the new store was at “the small end” of the supermarket scale but of the “golden size” to keep customers coming back for their weekly shop

Benefits it would bring to the area, he pointed out, included up to 130 jobs – about 70 per cent part-time – which he described as “high value” ones due to Sainsbury’s comprehensive training scheme.

It would also aim to involve itself in the community by its staff taking part in local fundraising.

Mr Brown said local traders would be invited into the store’s foyer to advertise and sell their products and that Sainsbury’s bosses aimed to work with the town’s chamber of trade.

In answer to a question from Cllr Mike Pugh about where staff would be recruited from, Ms Powell replied that 90 per cent were expected to live within just one or two miles of the store.

Asked by Cllr Sheena Burrell if Sainsbury’s would be going ahead with the inclusion of a café in the store – a move opposed by town centre cafes on the grounds it will hit their trade – Ms Powell said the one proposed would be “pretty small” and not have a massive impact on existing cafes which were aimed more at tourists.

Last year’s mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, questioned whether the Dobson & Crowther site switch would ever go ahead – meaning the store could not be built.

He also asked the two representatives if they were confident that if the store does open whether it would be sustainable.

Ms Powell answered: “We are confident there is enough trade to sustain it.”

Later, she added: “Our planners think it will be worthwhile. If they didn’t think so we would be opening a smaller convenience store instead.”

Cllr Phil Thane asked if the store could be linked to the town centre through measures to encourage people to walk there from its free car park, possibly along a river pathway.

Mr Brown said this was something which could be looked into.

In answer to further questions, Ms Powell said jobs at the store would be advertised in local papers and signs on the site.

A “recruitment hub” might also be set up at the Town Hall, she added. 

Edinburgh Woollen Mill is welcomed to the town

 

* At the store opening are, from left, County Cllr Stuart Davies with the Mayor and Mayoress.

 

Denbighshire County Councillor Stuart Davies has welcomed the opening of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill Shop in Llangollen earlier today (Wednesday).

 

He was invited, along with the Town Mayor, Cllr Bob Lube and the Mayoress Mrs Lube, to the grand opening.

 

Cllr Davies said he was impressed with the professionalism of the company and swift preparation of the shop.

 

He added: “It is nice to see that we are bucking the trend and am also pleased to see that people from the local area are employed here. It bodes well for the future.

 

“It goes to show that national companies are not fazed by the competition from supermarkets and even in these dire times are not afraid to open a new store, knowing full well that a supermarket will also be opening shortly.”

 

Cllr Davies said he will be assisting the management and has invited them to join in the local community groups supported by the council.