Sainsbury's store opening cuts "won't stop Llan development"

llanblogger exclusive ...

A RUMOURED plan to scrap its major programme of store openings won’t affect the new Sainsbury’s supermarket earmarked for Llangollen.

That’s the assurance from a spokesman for the retail giant who says work on the development A5 is due to start shortly.
 

The store will be built on the site of the existing Dobson & Crowther  printworks whose new factory is rapidly nearing completion at nearby Cilmedw.   

A story in a national newspaper late last week claimed that J Sainsbury is set to scrap a giant programme of store openings and slash its dividend as part of a dramatic overhaul drawn up to fight falling sales.
 

Sainsbury’s will this week unveil the results of a strategic review, which is expected to reveal it is reining in costs in an effort to save cash and shore up its balance sheet.

The measures are intended to allow Sainsbury’s new chief executive, Mike Coupe, to invest in lowering prices as well as expanding the company’s online, convenience store and clothing businesses, which are performing well.
 

Sainsbury’s sales are falling for the first time in decade as Britain’s “big four” grocery retailers fight shifts in shopping habits and the rise of the discounters Aldi and Lidl.

The story said it is understood that Mr Coupe will also slash capital expenditure and Sainsbury’s new store openings.
 

Sales in large out-of-town supermarkets are falling and Sainsbury’s wants to focus on opening smaller convenience stores.

But a Sainsbury’s spokesman exclusively told llanblogger earlier today (Monday): “Our new Llangollen store is being developed in conjunction with our development partner J Ross who will be constructing the store before handing it over to us for its fit-out and opening.
 

“We understand that they will be commencing work on that initial phase of work, the construction of the shell, shortly.”

Explaining the background to the controversial development, which divided public opinion in Llangollen, the spokesman added:  “J-Ross need to complete the relocation of Dobson &Crowther, prepare the site and construct a shell.

“They then hand that shell over to Sainsbury’s, we fit it out and open the store.

“It’s a slightly different process to the majority of our new stores where we would be responsible for the construction of the new store from start to end.”

Museum hosts talk on Eliseg's Pillar

* The Eliseg's Pillar display in Llangollen Museum's central gallery.

ARCHAEOLOGIST Suzanne Evans will be giving a talk on the Pillar of Eliseg display, currently running at Llangollen Museum, on Sunday, November 16.

The pillar, also known as Elise's Pillar or Croes Elisedd in Welsh, stands near Valle Crucis Abbey just outside Llangollen and was erected by Cyngen ap Cadell, ancient king of Powys, in honour of his great-grandfather Elisedd ap Gwylog.

Suzanne Evans, who is an archaeology lecturer at Coleg Llandrillo Cymru and also chairman of Llangollen Museum, will be talking to members of Corwen and Dee Valley Archaeological Society (CADVAS) about the excavations which led to the museum display, entitled Treasures of Valle Crucis Abbey, and those of the Bronze Age burial cairn on which Eliseg’s Pillar stands.

In the talk, which starts at 12.30pm, she will also speak about the future development of the project.

 

* The site of the pillar near Valle Crucis Abbey.

Museum spokeswoman Gillian Smith said: “Everyone, society member or not, are very welcome to attend the talk.

“Following the talk there will be town walk led by Janet Wakefield.

“Please come along and support the Museum and CADVAS who will be working hard in the future to support the museum.

“We encourage and welcome local groups, societies and schools. Please contact us to arrange a talk, tour or speaker.”

Llangollen remembers the fallen

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Hundreds of people packed the centre of Llangollen for the annual Service of Remembrance this morning Sunday.

 

The moving ceremony was this year given special poignance as it is the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War in 1914. 

 

The Rev Andrew Sully, Vicar of St Collen's Church, led the service assisted by other local clergy.

 

The traditional Ode of Remembrance was read out by John Lawton, of the Lllangollen branch of the Royal British Legion, followed by the laying of wreaths by representatives of numerous local organisations and groups, including the Mayor, Cllr Bob Lube, on behalf of the Town Council.

 

As the wreath-laying was taking place the names of local servicemen who fell fighting for their country were read out.

 

Following prayers and hymns, the parade, led by Royal British Legion standard bearers and Llangollen Silver Band, proceeded through the town centre. In its ranks were various groups such as local military cadets, Scouts, Guides and Brownies.

 
 
 
 

 

* The Rev Andrew Sully leads the ceremony.

 

 

* Llangollen Silver Band heads the parade.

 

 

* The Town Council contingent in the parade.

 

 

* Ex-servicemen march down Castle Street.

 

 

 

* Guides, Scouts and Brownies in the parade. 

AM raises North Wales health concerns with Minister

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood  has called on the Welsh Government to take urgent action to address the high patient/GP ratio in North Wales and the subsequent impact on out-of-hours services.   

 

At a British Medical Association Cymru Wales briefing session in the Assembly in June, which was attended by a Mold GP, the chair of the North Wales Local Medical Committee stated that “general practice in North Wales is ‘in crisis’, that several practices have been unable to fill vacancies and many GPs are seriously considering retirement because of the current expanding workload”.

 

Raising the matter in this week’s Questions to the Health Minister, Mr Isherwood said: “While the UK Government has launched a pilot scheme for GP Surgeries in nine areas to bid for money to open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, Members who attended the  June 3rd briefing event in the Assembly by British Medical Association Cymru Wales and the North Wales Local Medical Committee will have heard that patient/GP ratios in north Wales have risen to 3,800:1 - double the safety rate normally recognised by the Welsh Government and health providers. How will this impact on out-of-hours services in Anglesey and more widely across the region? What urgent action is being taken to prioritise remedies to address this?”

 

The Deputy Minister for Health, Vaughan Gething AM, replied: “It is, of course, entirely appropriate that that nurse-practitioner service has the support of other medical practitioners as appropriate, and that may be for the GP service that should be available to them at all points in the out-of-hours service. So, I would not accept that the figures that he has quoted show that this is a service that is not being run in an appropriate way that puts the needs of the patient, and the needs of a patient in an out-of-hours-context service, first, and I am quite satisfied that this is an appropriate use of resource.”

 

Mr Isherwood added: “The Royal College of General Practitioners Wales ‘Put Patients First: Back General Practice’ campaign reports that real terms spending on GP practices in Wales has dropped by more than £27 million over three years and highlighted a major concern in primary care, with the average age of GPs in North Wales now over 50, described as “a ticking time bomb”.

 

The British Medical Association (BMA) Cymru Wales’ document  ‘GP Practice—A Prescription for a Healthy Future’, launched in the Assembly last month, included ‘Successive (Welsh Government) Ministers have made commitments to involve GPs in the running of NHS Wales, to expand primary care, to invest in the development of extended primary care teams and to locate those teams in modern, purpose-built centres.

 

"However, despite the good intentions, none of this happened in the way that was intended."

Santa swoops in to check festival plans

* Santa and faithful “helfer” Gorgeous George board the Wales Air Ambulance for their flight to Llangollen.

SANTA chose a high-flying way to check out the route he’ll be taking into Llangollen’s annual Christmas Festival later this month.   

He winged his way over the famous tourist town aboard a helicopter provided by the Wales Air Ambulance, the charity which will benefit from the big seasonal show on Saturday, November 29.

Santa – known in Wales as Sion Corn – always tries to find a novel way of getting to Llangollen and last year he and his trusty elves braved the rapids of the River Dee to reach their destination.

 

This year with the help of the Air Ambulance and Gorgeous George, his faithful “helfer”, he took to the skies to check the airspace over Llangollen. 

Swooping and soaring above the town they traced the route he will take before joining the traditional festival parade and later handing out presents to children waiting to meet him in the Town Hall.

However, Santa was heard to whisper to George that the helicopter was a bit slow compared to his usual magic sleigh and couldn’t even disappear!

The Christmas festival features stalls, entertainment, music, Punch and Judy and morris dancers.

The parade starts at 1pm and the Christmas lights will be switched on at 5pm followed by a spectacular fire dance and fireworks.

Details of local roadworks

The county council has given details of the following local roadworks:

A542 Abbey Road, November 13 and 14, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Berwyn Road, November 13, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Regent Street, November 14, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works.

Bache Mill Road, November 25-December 2, temporary traffic lights to allow electrical works by ScottishPower; A5 Berwyn Street, November 14,  temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Queen street, November 15 and 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works.

Oak Street, November 29, road closure to allow Christmas festivities by Llangollen Town Council; A5 Berwyn Street, November 12, stop/go signs to allow remedial works by O’Connor Utilities; A5 Berwyn Street, November 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works.

Fron Bache, November 9-11,  road closure to allow electrical works by ScottishPower; Geraint, November 18 and 19, road closure to allow works by Amberon; A5 Berwyn Road, near Mile End Cottage, temporary traffic lights to allow water works by Dee Valley Water.

 

A5 Queen Street, November 15 and 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Berwyn Street, November 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Regent Street, November 12, temporary traffic lights to allow remedial works by O’Connor Utilities; Pengwern, November 13-25, temporary traffic lights to allow electrical works by ScottishPower.

Countryside access issue raised in Assembly

The on-going dispute over off-road vehicles using the countryside around Llangollen has been cited in an exchange in the Welsh Assembly.

At a recent public meeting in the Town Hall both off-road users and residents shared their opposing views on the issue.

A follow-up meeting is due to be held soon.

In the Assembly last week North Wales Liberal Democrat AM Aled Roberts put a question to Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant about access to footpaths.

Mr Roberts, who attended the Llangollen public meeting, said: “Does the Minister have any intention of reviewing the statutory framework regarding access to the countryside?”

The Minister replied: “As part of the ongoing review of access, I intend to issue a Green Paper for consultation. I will look at improving the opportunities for responsible outdoor recreation together with reducing the burdens placed on local authorities and landowners.”

Mr Roberts came back: “A number of meetings have been held in the Ceiriog Valley and Llangollen areas, with Ken Skates and others in attendance, where there are problems with historic roads being blocked, to some extent, by 4x4 vehicles.

“Would you be willing to consider the complexity of the situation, because there are a lot of problems with councils not knowing exactly which routes these different roads should take.”

Mr Sargeant told him: “Yes, indeed; aside from the Green Paper with regard to seeking views on the network, that is something that I will ask colleagues across Government and my department to look at specifically. If there is a void of guidance, perhaps we should review that consideration.”