Return to Forbidden Planet is rocket-powered hit

A rockin’ spaceship crew gave a toe-tapping audience a tuneful trip from Llangollen to another galaxy last night.

The newly-formed Llangollen Musical Theatre Group is currently staging its version of jukebox musical Return to the Forbidden Planet at the International Pavilion.

And the Friday night performance was a pretty rocket-propelled affair.

The plot of the piece is about as thin as the atmosphere on Mars and hinges on the spacecraft SS Albatross being unexpectedly marooned by a storm of asteroids on the planet Dillyria.

There the crew meets up with mad scientist Doctor Prospero and his pretty young daughter Miranda for whose affections there is intense competition between the Albatross’s upstanding skipper, Captain Tempest, and resident chef, Cookie.

… I think.

Still, the plot hardly matters as the funky spaceship is just a vehicle for presenting a whole solar system of amazing tunes.

There are over 30 of them, ranging from the deeply soulful It’s a Man’s World to the poppy Teenager in Love and from the plaintive Go Now to the iconic rocker Great Balls of Fire.

Every one of them was a stonking hit and you could see the 10-strong cast were having as much fun belting them out as the audience was in hearing them.

Of course, they couldn’t have managed it without the services of an excellent nine-strong band equipped with everything from keyboards to saxophones.

Every one of the cast put their heart and soul into their parts and the profusion of musical numbers.

Justine Bradley made a sassy Gloria, the spaceship’s science officer, while Nico Decourt was a  loveable robot named Ariel.

Cookie the cook was powerfully portrayed Stuart Dillon and wasn’t fazed at all when his electric guitar failed to fire up at one point in the action.

He simply busked it by singing the rest of the segment and there was nice touch right at the end of the show when he was allowed to do it all again, this time with a fully serviceable instrument.

Geth Foulkes made a splendid Captain Tempest who sucks on a pipe – luckily minus tobacco - throughout the production to help create the right commanding presence.

Lucas Howson played Bosun Arras to perfection and one of the most powerful voices in the show came from consummate rocker Bill Hughes.

Jo Potts made a great Miranda who goes from plain little girl to high-heeled vamp in an Act Two costume and character transformation.

Linking the action and providing some powerful musical back-up were Jillian Handley and Leonie Kirby as the Damage Control Crew members and Tracey Rawlinson as the Navigation Officer.

Return to the Forbidden Planet was a credit to director Paul Brown, musical director Nigel James and producer Katherine Brown.

Sets – especially the electronic bits – were brilliantly masterminded by a team headed by Josie Ashcroft, who also had a creative hand in the eye-catching costumes.

The show’s on again tonight (Saturday, November 30) and I understand there may be a few tickets left.

Fears over future of Plas Madoc leisure centre

The Leader is reporting today on fears that Plas Madoc leisure centre, which is used by people from Llangollen, may be earmarked for closure due to cuts at Wrexham Council.

See the full story at: http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/128678/fears-plas-madoc-leisure-centre-may-have-to-close.aspx

Skates backs community hub plan

A plan to use the building in Bridge Street as a community hub if the HSBC bank moves out next year has won the backing of Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates.

And he says he will put the idea to bank chiefs when he meets them next week to discuss their proposal to axe the branch next February.

The community hub scheme is the brainchild of local man Mike Edwards who was a member of the team which led the successful bid for Llangollen to win Cittaslow – slow town – status earlier this year.

Mr Edwards says if HSBC is determined to press ahead with the closure against the wishes of local campaigners, the bank building could be acquired on behalf of the people of Llangollen as a community facility housing small businesses, meeting rooms and a café.

Asked by llanblogger for his views on the idea, Mr Skates said: "I'm very pleased Mike is putting together a business case for using the building as a community facility and I will be putting this suggestion direct to HSBC when I meet bank officials next week on December 5.

"If they don't reverse their decision it is vital that Llangollen is not left with a vacant building or something that fails to add value to the town's economy and community well-being."

Explaining his idea, Mr Edwards said: “If the branch does close, the Welsh Government should demand that HSBC provides the building to the community on a medium term lease at a peppercorn rent.

“Cittaslow Llangollen could then investigate the condition of the property and put together a business plan to convert the building into a business and community support hub.

“This might have, say, a cafe on the ground floor with business space and serviced meeting rooms on the upper floors which could be let out to generate additional income.

“That way it's a project which would be self-funding in the long term because it would be generating income not merely soaking up money.

“There may also be space for a residential unit to be used be a caretaker-type individual who would be responsible for providing day to day support for the hub users.

“Some of the accommodation could be available for the use of local clubs and organisations to meet etc.”

Mr Edwards sees the Llangollen community hub being modelled on a similar scheme now successfully at Glyn in Chirk and housed in the former estate office overlooking Chirk Aqueduct.

KLS plans biggest Buy Local Day of the year

Campaigners in Llangollen are planning to stage the biggest Buy Local Day of the year early next month.

Keep Llangollen Special (KLS), which was set up to support businesses in the town in the face of what they see as a major threat from the planned Sainsbury’s supermarket, organises the Buy Local days at regular intervals throughout the year.

And it has now decided to hold the pre-Christmas event on Saturday, November 7, to tie in with Small Business Saturday.

As revealed by llanblogger yesterday, this is a concept which came originally from the USA, where it has helped increase spending in small businesses and bring in more long-term customers by creating a buzz on the high street.

It also helped small businesses network with each other, championed their role in local communities and highlighted the role of entrepreneurship.

The idea is being promoted locally by both Clwyd South’s MP, Susan Elan Jones, and Assembly Member, Ken Skates.     

Susan Elan Jones MP (pictured left promoting the idea) said: “Small businesses are important everywhere, but they are especially vital in an area like ours which contains so many villages and small towns. We need to give all the support we can to small businesses so that they do not go under in times of economic downturn.”

KLS was to have held its Christmas Buy Local Day on December 13 but after learning of the Small Business Saturday idea from the llanblogger story, members have now decided to stage the event on December 7, which, according to chairman Martin Crumpton, will “make a big day even bigger!”

He said: “We have also contacted the three banks in Llangollen to ask them to open their branches for the day.

“Many people will take advantage of Buy Local and the opportunity to buy for Christmas. We have local produce in town that’s second to none; what a treat for friends and relatives!

“We’ll do everything we can to make it the best trading day of this year’s calendar and call on everyone, from individual traders to the Town Council to get the Christmas decorations to the very highest standard to showcase what a wonderful, vibrant town centre we have.”

Mr Crumpton added: “Meanwhile, please remember we need evidence to present to HSBC where their closure will cause hardship to people who need to see human beings for their banking.

“Perhaps the regional managers at HSBC will get a nice visit from Father Christmas if they’ll let us negotiate with them?”

Over 1,000 caught using phones while driving

More than 1,000 motorists were caught using their mobile phones while at the wheel during the 2013 All-Wales Anti-Mobile Phone While Driving Campaign last month.

 

The two-week campaign, involving road safety partners across the principality, aimed to raise awareness among motorists about the real dangers involved when drivers break the law through phoning or texting at the wheel.

 

Officers from all four Welsh police forces carried out proactive patrols to target motorists who endanger other road users through this behaviour and educated drivers on the penalties they face if caught.

 

During the campaign, officers detected a total of 1,095 mobile phone driving offences.

 

North Wales Police issued 95 fixed penalty notices while in the Gwent area a total of 47 notices were issued to law-breakers.

 

In the Dyfed Powys force area 862 notices were given, while in South Wales 91 offenders were caught and apprehended.

 

Chief Inspector Darren Wareing from North Wales Police’ Roads Policing Unit said: “Despite the law change in February 2007 where using a mobile phone while driving can result in three penalty points and a further increase to a £100 fine back in August this year, drivers in Wales are still persisting with this dangerous activity and breaking the law.

 

“This campaign is just one part of our continuing effort to target and reduce the number of drivers who risk becoming involved in a serious or fatal collision due to using a mobile phone while driving.

 

"Along with drink driving, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt and driving carelessly, using a mobile phone behind the wheel, whether it be texting, using an app, or making a phone call is classed as one of the Fatal 5; the five most common causes of fatal road traffic collisions.

 

"Even the most experienced or competent of drivers can easily be distracted. A momentary lapse in concentration can have serious consequences and it is disappointing that 95 motorists in North Wales have broken the law and put their own lives and the lives of others at risk."

 

He added: "We all need to take account of how we drive on our roads and driving a vehicle requires us to multi-task so anything above and beyond that needs to wait until we are safely parked up or until our journey has finished.”

Politicians back small business day

* Susan Elan Jones MP backs Small Business Saturday.

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones and AM Ken Skates have given their backing to Small Business Saturday, which this year will be held on Saturday, December 7.

The idea originally comes from the USA. It helped increase spending in small businesses and a rise in long-term customers, and created a buzz on the high street.

It also helped small businesses network with each other, championed their role in local communities and highlighted the role of entrepreneurship.

Susan Elan Jones MP said: “Small businesses are important everywhere, but they are especially vital in an area like ours which contains so many villages and small towns. We need to give all the support we can to small businesses so that they do not go under in times of economic downturn.

"Small and medium-sized local businesses have a loyalty to their customers and their home area in a way that global multi-nationals do not. They must be supported.”

Ken Skates AM commented: “Small businesses form the backbone of our economy and deserve to be supported. Small Business Saturday is a great way for people to show their support.”

Extra cash will allow people to access advice services

Wales's Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister Jeff Cuthbert has announced a series of grants  that will allow almost 7,000 extra people to access free advice services.

This follows an invitation in May for organisations providing free and independent information and advice to apply for Welsh Government funding in 2013-14.

 

Along with the invitation was a request for organisations to adapt to a situation where funding to support their services is being drastically cut but the demand for their services is growing due to cuts to welfare benefits and the struggling economy.

 

Eight organisations will share a total of £936,330 and through their services will provide valuable advice on debt, housing and welfare benefit advice to approximately 6,376 people.

The eight agencies are: Advice UK (£173,743), Age Cymru Partnership (£13,153), Citizens Advice Cymru (£484,086), Law Centres Network (£32,025), RNIB (£20,988), Shelter Cymru (£79,158), SNAP Cymru (£90,710) and the Welsh Refugee Council (£42,467).

Jeff Cuthbert said: “This announcement is another example of our commitment to taking action to provide practical help to people living in, or at risk of falling into, poverty.

“Free advice services are more important than ever given the current economic climate and the impact welfare changes are having on whole communities. Thousands of people rely on specialist, expert advice, but funding is being squeezed at the very time when more people are turning to them for help. Many of these advice services are facing direct cuts to their funding.

“I want to make sure people do not fall through the cracks given the changes to the UK welfare system and am delighted to be announcing these grants.”

An additional £103,950 is being granted to three organisations to provide specialist discrimination advice to around 347 clients.

The three beneficiaries are: Race Equalities First (£25,073), Citizens Advice Cymru (£69,506) and the Royal Association for Deaf People’s Deaf Law Centre (£9,371).

The Minster added: “Ensuring everyone in Wales is treated fairly is fundamental to my vision for a country that embraces equality and diversity and that we can all be proud to live in. These grants will ensure that people who believe they have experienced discrimination can receive professional advice.”