AM presses for action over A5 "danger" spot

Assembly Member Ken Skates has vowed to continue to push for parking restrictions at a "troublesome" spot on the A5 in Llangollen.

Clwyd South AM Mr Skates has been working with councillor Stuart Davies to get the Welsh Government to introduce double yellow lines to stop what he says is dangerous parking opposite Stans of Llangollen on Berwyn Street.

Mr Skates, who is based in Llangollen, said parked cars were causing a major obstruction for pedestrians – particularly elderly residents – trying to cross the road safely to access the shop and post office inside.

He added: “The Welsh Labour Government’s Transport Minister Edwina Hart appreciates our concerns over this issue, and has instructed officials to ensure funding is considered for the necessary work in the next financial year.

“I’m hopeful it will be signed off and carried out as soon as possible, and will continue to press for a speedy resolution to what is becoming an increasing problem for many of my constituents.”

Cllr Davies said he was "pleased to see the traffic scheme promised by the Trunk Highways Authority finally coming to fruition".

Canal & River Trust recruiting

The Canal & River Trust in Wales is looking for a temporary part-time staff member for the Trevor Basin Visitor Centre.

The job on offer is seven hours a day, three days a week on a rota to include weekends and carries a pro rata salary of £12,470.

According to the job advert, the requirement is to deliver customer driven service and product improvements within a safe environment, supporting the Canal & River Trust’s aims to improve safety whilst protecting the heritage and integrity of the inland waterway network.

* For more details, go to: https://careers-canalrivertrust.icims.com/jobs/1633/destination-assistant/job

Cottage Hospital closure raised on national TV

The closure of Llangollen Cottage Hospital was raised on national television last night (Thursday).

An edition of the BB1 current affairs panel show Question Time from Wrexham began with the issue of the performance of the NHS in Wales compared to its counterpart in England.

* Question Time chairman David Dimbleby.

First questioner from the floor selected by chairman David Dimbleby came from Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies.

He said: "The Betsi Cadwaladr health board has been closing cottage hospitals, one in Llangollen with about 15 beds.

"We've seen on national news - not Welsh news - national news queues of ambulances outside the Maelor hospital here.

"And why are they there? Because of bed blocking, and if the people in those beds could have gone to the cottage hospitals we wouldn't see the queues."

David Dimbleby responded: "Are you saying the Prime Minister is right to say to Wales, you cannot run a health service?"

Cllr Davies replied: "He's correct."

Appeal follows Llantysilio burglary

Neighbourhood Watch has put out a message to its members in the area appealing for information following a burglary in the Llantysilio area of Llangollen.

Sometime between 09.30am and 12.30pm on Tuesday, January 27 unknown offenders forced entry to the property and stole several items from inside.

Neighbourhood watch says: "If you noticed anything suspicious, or have any information relating to this incident please contact North Wales Police by dialling 101 quoting reference RC15012591.

"Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers Wales on 0800 555 111.

"North Wales Police would like to urge residents to always report suspicious activity to them at the earliest opportunity."

The add: "Please consider registering your valuable items on Immobilise.  This is a free service and helps keep a record of all important details including serial numbers, model numbers etc. 

"It helps to identify owners when lost or stolen property is found."

* To register go to: http://www.immobilise.com/

Superstar tenor Alfie Boe heads for Llangollen

 

* Alfie Boe will headline at this year's eisteddfod.

 

Superstar tenor Alife Boe is heading back to North Wales.

 

The classical heart-throb, has sold one and a half million records, been at number one in the classical charts many times and performed on Broadway, will be taking centre stage at this year's Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

 

Boe, dubbed Britain's Favourite Tenor, will be performing songs from musical theatre and movies at the glitzy evening concert on Thursday, July 9.

 

Joining him will be Welsh singer Sophie Evans, who went onto star as Dorothy in the West End production of The Wizard of Oz having finished runner-up in the TV talent show Over the Rainbow, classical saxophonist Amy Dickson along with Jonathan Antoine, the classically trained tenor who rose to fame on Britain's Got Talent.

The concert is being sponsored by the award-winning care organisation Pendine Park that's celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

Proprietor Mario Kreft MBE said: "We're absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor what promises to be a magical night of musical entertainment in such an important year for Pendine Park."

The festival's musical director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, said: “I’m thrilled Alfie Boe has agreed to headline what will be an absolutely fantastic evening concert. Alfie’s unforgettable West End performances as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables were critically acclaimed and rightly so.

“This isn’t his first appearance at Llangollen of course and audiences have always responded to him, he is definitely a firm favourite. But this will be the first time we have had a concert which will specifically celebrate musical theatre and movie themes. It will be a wonderful night and one not to be missed.”

For his part, Boe was delighted to have the opportunity to return to the Llangolllen stage, following in the footsteps of his hero, the legendary Luciano Pavarotti.

He said: “It’s a lovely festival, that’s why I keep going back. This will be my third visit I think.

“There is always a great audience and I know they will be up for a good night. I have always had a great reception at Llangollen.

“The programme will include some of the top songs from a great many of the very best musical theatre shows and film scores. And of course there will be a few surprises too.”

Boe’s concert will be one of the highlights of another packed week which will begin on Tuesday with Children’s Day and the Parade of Nations, led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite before the evening Heart of Llangollen concert featuring a galaxy of international talent.

Highlights of Wednesday will include the debut of the International Young Musician of the Year and the Children’s Choir of the World while Thursday’s competitions will see another first, the International Voice of Musical Theatre Trophy.

Friday’s Open Category for choirs will showcase styles like gospel, barbershop, jazz, pop and glee styles and will also see the International Voice of the Future decided with the prize including the chance to sing at one of the evening concerts the future.

The Blue Riband event, the Choir of the World for the Pavarotti Trophy, is decided on Saturday night as well as the Lucile Armstrong Dance Final and Sunday sees the Eisteddfod let its hair down for Llanfest before the climactic final concert.

Meanwhile, Boe has a hectic few months ahead before he arrives at Llangollen including the world premiere of a "symphonised" version of The Who’s rock classic Quadrophenia at the Royal Albert Hall.

He was born in the Lancashire fishing port of Fleetwood to an Irish mother and a Norwegian father and was the youngest of nine children.

His big break came when he was spotted by a businessman singing operatic arias as he cleaned cars in his job as a trainee mechanic.

The businessman, who had links in the music industry, suggested Boe audition for a London opera company which he did and that proved a turning point as he was quickly accepted.

So he upped sticks, moved to London and studied singing at the Royal College of Music, the national Opera Studio and joined the Royal Opera House’s Vilar Young Artists Programme.

He went on to conquer the world’s most prestigious opera stages, lead the cast of Les Miserables for nearly a year, and steal the show at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Last year he appeared on our small screens, starring in ITV’s biggest programme of the winter, Mr Selfridge, as music-hall singer Richard Chapman, and last year saw the release of his best-selling autobiography, My Story.

Now 41, Boe is married to Sarah, whom he met in San Francisco while rehearsing for La Boheme, and they have two children.

He added: “I certainly had a lucky break when the guy suggested I audition for an opera company. I’ve been so lucky but it has also been hard work.

“There have been so many highlights from the West End to New York but I suppose one of the best moments was singing on the balcony at Buckingham Palace as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert.

“It’s not every day you get to sing at Buckingham Palace. It was just a wonderful occasion. I sang ‘Somewhere’ from West Side Story alongside American soprano Renee Fleming. Now that would be a song I’d love to sing at Llangollen.”

The feelgood atmosphere of the Eisteddfod field through the week as hundreds of competitors and thousands of visitors mingle with spontaneous performances breaking out.

 

Visitors can enjoy live music at the 200-seat S4C Stage, join in with dance workshops or just soak up the heady atmosphere throughout the week world-class competitors perform in a spectacular celebration of cultures with stunning choral music and lively traditional dance, especially on Folk Friday when the outdoor stages will feature world-class music and dance.

 

To book tickets and for more details on the 2014 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Double the laughs for Llangollen Comedy Club

The comedy circuit's finest stand-ups will pay a visit to the Llangollen Pavilion tomorrow (Friday) evening.

After attracting sell-out audiences for their Llangollen Comedy Club nights last year, organisers Radiant Events have doubled the number of shows in 2015.

Headlining January's show is Liverpool comedian Steve Gribbin (below left).

Having previously performed at both the Glastonbury and Edinburgh Festivals, Steve is also a member of 'Cutting Edge', the acclaimed weekly topical show at the Comedy Store in London.

Joining Steve is Caimh McDonnell (below right), who describes himself as "the white-haired irishman whose name nobody can pronounce". As well as performing at comedy clubs across the UK, Caimh has recently been seen supporting Sarah Millican on her 'Home Bird' tour.

Introducing the acts will be regular compère, Silky. Described by John Bishop as "a very, very funny fella", his unique blend of hosting and musical comedy keeps audiences coming back for more at gigs up and down the country.

The shows are run by Llangollen based Radiant Events. Event manager Paul Brown says: "We had such a fantastic response to the comedy nights last year that we've decided to double the number of shows in 2015.

"We've got a regular slot on the last Friday of the month at the Pavilion, so a great night of comedy is always only a few weeks away.

"We've tried to keep tickets affordable at just £9 each - that's a lot less than you'd pay for the same line up in Liverpool or Manchester. Hopefully people will keep supporting live stand-up right on their doorstep".

The first Llangollen Comedy Club of 2015 takes place at the Llangollen Pavilion on Friday 30th January. Doors open at 7.30pm and the shows starts at 8pm. Tickets priced £9 are available to buy online at www.llancomedy.co.uk or in person at Gales of Llangollen and the Llangollen Pavilion.

* Compere Silky.

 

Campaigner hits out over ambulance figures

A Llangollen health services campaigner has commented on new figures which show that ambulance response times for the most urgent calls in Wales are the worst on record.

The proportion of ambulances hitting the target response time of eight minutes for the most urgent calls fell well below half in December.

The target for responding to Category A calls is 65% - but in December it was just 42.6%.

It was down from 51.0% in November 2014 and from 57.6% from December 2013.

Martin Crumpton, who campaigned the save Llangollen Cottage Hospital from the axe, said:

"Today’s release of the appalling figures for Welsh Ambulance targets, the worst on record, comes as no surprise – it was entirely predictable, as certain as cold weather and influenza in Winter.

 

"The real surprise is the use of politician-speak in the media today which overtly blames the bed shortage but without actually using those words.

 

"The BBC is also reluctant to translate them into plain English (or plain Welsh). The current politically-correct phrase is ‘handovers at A&E are exceeding their 15-minute target times, tying-up ambulances and their crews.

 

"This collective sin of omission translates directly into the bed crisis caused directly by losing over three-hundred beds since the infamous North Wales Health Is Changing scam, and what a scam it was.

 

"I’ve asked for a statement from BCUHB about announcing the reopening of cottage hospitals – the only viable solution, regardless of the waffle, excuses and downright dishonesty.

 

"I get responses two months late and not from all the bBoard members, only a well-prepared, hands-off, minimalist dance around the facts as an act of collective responsibility – a political deice used to suppress individual honesty, conscience and integrity.

 

"They have lost sight of who they serve – not the Minster, not me, not us – the frontline clinicians, technicians and nurses over whom they wield their strangling bureaucracy.

 

"My eyes go to Cardiff and the elusive and evasive Health Minister, of a cabal so committed to social engineering it thinks too great a demand can be met by persuading patients to reduce their needs. It is Cardiff which shields Betsi Cadwaladr from accountability."