Backroom team well ahead with eisteddfod planning

* Behind the scenes team, from left, Sue McEvoy,

Keith Potts, Peter Budd, Miles Hall and Christie Gerrard.

Six months before the curtain goes up on this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, a dedicated team of backroom staff are already well ahead with preparations to ensure the great festival goes as smoothly as ever.

And getting an early start on the myriad arrangements is always absolutely vital to the success of the event according to Eisteddfod company secretary Sian Eagar.

Sian, now in her third year in the post, said: “There’s quite a long planning process so that we can secure all the competitors from around the world for the week of the Eisteddfod and put together a programme of concerts which will have the widest possible appeal to our visitors, and naturally all this takes time to arrange.

“We’re thinking about the next one almost as soon as one year’s festival is finished in July and we start getting down to actual detailed planning from September or October onwards.”

The Eisteddfod has just six paid employees based at its headquarters in the Royal International Pavilion and, assisted by a small number of volunteers, they have all been hard at work on arrangements for Llangollen 2015 since the autumn.

One of the most important roles is that of events co-ordinator, a job done by Sue McEvoy since 2011.

Sue and fellow events team members Christie Gerrard and Peter Budd have a range of important tasks, from ensuring a broad and varied selection of entrants in the famous choral and dance competitions to the detailed planning of when and where they will take to the famous pavilion stage once they arrive for this year’s festival, which takes place from July 7-12.

Sue said: “I actually started work on detailed planning for this year as long ago as September, contacting likely choral and dance competitors from the UK and around the world.

“We have our own database of groups which have previously appeared or have expressed a desire to come to Llangollen and we send out letters to all these organisations and we also go out to see them perform at events like the North Wales Choral Festival which was in Llandudno last November.

“We made the final selection of competitors before Christmas and we are currently sending our confirmation letters to all the groups chosen.

“A total of 109 choirs and dance groups will be competing this year, including 62 from the UK and 47 from countries including China, Australia and the USA.”

Sue said that it’s not uncommon for representatives of some of the groups selected to visit the Eisteddfod headquarters to cast an eye over the venue where they will eventually perform.

In fact, earlier this week, one of the leaders of the St Paul’s Co-ed Primary School in Hong Kong, Kelvin Suen, was at the pavilion to meet Sue and her team to see for himself the legendary stage on which stars from Pavarotti to Bryn Terfel and from Lulu to Status Quo have performed and where his singers will make their own Llangollen debut.

Sue’s team also handle the applications for the Eisteddfod’s own bursaries – a pool of cash built from fundraising and on which accepted competitors can draw to help cover the cost of their accommodation, food and travel.

They are also busy putting the final touches to the programming of the event, painstakingly working out precisely when competing groups will appear on the stage during the preliminary rounds of competition and the finals.

Another vital job has been working on the contracts for artists who will appear at the concerts throughout the week and also helping to arrange hotel accommodation for the performers and adjudicators.

Sue added: “The arrangements for this year are now well in hand and I must say that everything is looking good for another great festival.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Eisteddfod office at the pavilion, pressing ahead with the gargantuan job of ensuring that everyone visiting the festival has the correct tickets to hand when they turn up at the field is long-time Llangollen volunteer Keith Potts.

Keith, who lives in the town, has been helping out at the eisteddfod since he was a little lad of four and for the past decade or so has held the highly responsible position as chairman of the tickets committee.

He said: “I usually start making the preparations in November and at the moment I am in the process of sending out letters to all our season ticket holders and Friends of the Eisteddfod.

“I’ll eventually send out about 1,000 of these, which takes myself and a few helpers about three days of work.

“I’ve also been making sure that our box office computer system is set up and ready to go, which I’m pleased to say it is.

“When I first started volunteering it was a case of putting the money in wooden drawers at the turnstiles and dishing out the tickets.

“But over the past 20 years it’s has all been computerised and we’re now on to our third or fourth generation system.”

It’s essential that the all-important ticketing process is handled as speedily and efficiently as possible as last year, for instance, Keith’s committee sold a staggering 30,000 of them amounting to about £1.2 million.

However, it’s not all down to computers and over the week of the festival a small army of around 35 volunteers will be on hand to help at the turnstiles at both ends of the Eisteddfod field.

“I’m looking forward to this year’s festival and thanks to all the work beforehand and during the week I’m sure we’re going to have another great event,” said Keith.

Sian Eagar added: “We’re all very excited about Llangollen 2015 and we’re looking forward very much to the public launch of our 2015 programme in early February.”

Chairman Gethin Davies said: “We’re very fortunate in having a tremendous team here at the Eisteddfod who do a fantastic job in tying everything together ahead of the event.

“When they’re added to the wonderful volunteers who are the lifeblood of the Eisteddfod it makes for something very special but without all the work done months in advance that week in July just wouldn’t happen.”

For more information on this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk or go to the Facebook page www.facebook.com/llangollen

Information request reveals more details of traffic study

A Llangollen resident is complaining that there were no wider consultations for a survey commissioned by Denbighshire County Council about parking and traffic management in the town.

The study was mentioned in a llanblogger story last month when it came under fire from local county councillor Stuart Davies.

He disagreed with a number of the suggestions it made about the traffic situation and also complained that neither county or town councillors were consulted during its preparation.

After reading the story, local resident Mike Edwards put in a Freedom of Information request for more details about the study.

He has now received a detailed reply from the county council.

In response to his question on which company had been employed to carry out the exercise and their qualifications and experience for the job, the county said: “Mott MacDonald. They are one of the top five engineering consultancies in the UK. The study was county wide and covered ten Denbighshire towns, including Llangollen.
 

“The aim of the study was to look at what parking and traffic management interventions could increase footfall for Denbighshire town centre retailers.

“The Mott MacDonald staff who worked on the study have 20-25 years’ experience in transport planning, traffic engineering and social research.”
 

Mr Edwards also asked what public consultations had the company carried out and which user groups and community groups and bodies were consulted.

The reply said: “20,000 residents across Denbighshire and surrounding areas were sent a questionnaire by post. 3,700 responses were received.
 

“An on-line business survey was also conducted where 300 businesses were invited to contribute and 80 responded. Three residents' focus groups were also held: one in Rhyl, one in Denbigh and one in Llangollen.

“All county councillors were also made aware of the study.”
 

Finally, Mr Edwards asked about the fees charged by the consultants for carrying out the study and received the reply that it was £37,000.

Mr Edwards said: “I am surprised this is the first time we've heard of the focus groups.

“I’d like to know who was invited and exactly where and when this took place?

“I would also like to know how many independent businesses from Llangollen were actually consulted and if the consultants examined the modern concept of shared space on Castle Street which Councillor Phil Thane is promoting.
 

“Another question is why has the consultant's report not been made available to the public to examine the data, arguments and proposals actually submitted bearing in mind the excessive cost of the exercise.

“Denbighshire County Council is in my view being arrogant in taking decisions on these issues without properly taking the community's views into consideration.
 

“Once again they are dictating what they think is good for our town.

“These types of issues were recently highlighted in the white paper on local government reorganisation and councils are failing in their responsibility to properly represent the views of their council taxpayers and electors.”
 

Mr Edwards added: “I've submitted a supplementary FoI request asking amongst other things why the Town Council and also the Chamber of Trade and Tourism were not consulted.”

Bulldozers move in on former Dobson & Crowther factory

* Bulldozers begin the demolition of the former Dobson & Crowther printworks. 

llanblogger reader Jude Williams has kindly sent us her picture showing demolition work going ahead today 9Wednesday) on the former Dobson & Crowther printworks on the A5.

The company recently moved to a purpose-built factory at nearby Cilmedw, allowing their original site to be redeveloped with a new Sainsbury's store.

However, a question mark hangs over whether the supermarket giant will ever move in after its bosses revealed recently that the future of their whole new store programme was being re-thought.

* On their respective websites developers J-Ross and builders Pickstocks both say work has started on the new Sainsbury's store.

The J-Ross news item says:

"J-Ross Developments Ltd has started construction on the next phase of its development in Llangollen, and will be working with its associated construction company Pickstock Construction to build a brand new Sainsbury’s food store.

"Two years ago J-Ross Developments gained permission from Denbighshire Council to relocate local employer Dobson & Crowther Ltd to a brand new purpose built printing facility at Climedw on the outskirts of Llangollen, and construct a new Sainsbury’s food store and car park on the old print works site.

* A picture which accompanies the news item on the J-Ross website. 

"Nick Scott, CEO of J-Ross Developments commented “We are delighted to be starting construction of the new food store for Sainsbury’s following the successful relocation of Dobson and Crowther to its new home a short distance away.”

"Dobson and Crowther moved from their old print works to their brand new facility half a mile away in October of last year.  

"Pickstock Construction intend to demolish their old premises during February with a view to starting construction of the new 3,205sqm Sainsbury’s food store next month.

"The riverside footpath which links the store to the town will also be improved to provide a safe and convenient pedestrian route to the town centre.

"Pickstock Construction has worked closely with Sainsbury’s new development team to plan the build programme, handing the new store over to Sainsbury’s at the end of the summer 2015."

UPDATE ...

Comment from Keep Llangollen Special (KLS) ...

It’s remarkable they’ve pointedly avoided pre-announcing Sainsbury’s decision whether to open or not here in Llangollen. Following a highly successful experiment in Home Shopping and Delivery – nearly £69’s worth of shopping costing just over £44 with a introductory offer - KLS is promoting this as a far superior alternative to the mediocre and spiritless experience of large-shed supermarkets.

 

It is inevitable that large-format supermarkets has reached their evolutionary dead-end and the leading chains will do as the banks has done and force customers to the Internet, leaving Express-type convenience stores in town centres for those who can’t access their websites.

 

We reiterate, whether Sainsbury’s do or don’t proceed, KLS remains focused and dedicated to making Sainsbury’s edge-of-town monstrosity unprofitable.

to the point where that to will be abandoned. Everything in our power will be done to support our local shops. J Ross is no friend of Llangollen, and neither is Sainsbury;s – they;re just hard-nosed business people determined to steal market share from small traders instead of generating new demand.

 

Martin Crumpton

Chair ΞKeep Llangollen SpecialΞ

Former Dinas Bran pupil's work set for premiere

* Composer Owain Llwyd.

A new work by a talented composer who orchestrated the music used in a trailer for the latest Hobbit movie blockbuster will be unveiled at a top music festival.

Owain Llwyd, 30, a former pupil of Ysgol Dinas Bran, Llangollen, who's also composed for the X-Factor, Top Gear and Big Brother, is looking forward to the premiere at Bangor Music Festival, which starts on March 4.

He's "really excited" about the commission which he has written specifically for North Wales Camerata – an ensemble of more than 20 young musicians, under the direction of Patrick Rimes.

The concert will be at Capel Penrallt, Bangor on Saturday, March 7, at 7:30pm.

Owain, a Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol lecturer at Bangor University, said: “It’s quite a change from what I would normally compose. It’s based upon a traditional Welsh tune called Y Deryn Pur but in my piece you don’t hear the full melody until the last few bars. Before that the melody is stretched.

“The whole piece, which is in three movements, is quite a change for me as a composer.

"I wrote the first and last movements over Christmas and the work is quite spiritual. I think it happened subconsciously but I lost four or five good friends and acquaintances, all of whom had strong North Wales connections, during that time.

“The result is Gentle Dove which is a piece for strings and trumpet. The first and last movements are almost in a memorial style while the second movement is more joyful and celebrates life.”

Owain, who’s post is funded at Bangor University by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, which works with universities across Wales to develop Welsh language medium opportunities for students, says as soon as he heard North Wales Camerata play he knew he wanted to write something specifically with them in mind.

He said: “That’s why I was so delighted to be commissioned by the Bangor Music Festival. As soon as I saw the Camerata play I was excited about the prospect.

“Gentle Dove is a piece for strings and trumpet. Gwyn Owen will play the trumpet but all the musicians have connections to North Wales and all are studying at UK music colleges.

Owain hails from Glyndyfrdwy, between Llangollen and Corwen, and attended Llangollen’s Ysgol Dinas Bran before completing his sixth form studies at Ysgol Y Berwyn, Bala. He studied music at Bangor University.

During the course of his three years as an undergraduate he won all five Eisteddfod composition medals in both the Urdd National Eisteddfod and the National Eisteddfod of Wales – the only composer to have ever achieved this.

He then completed his PhD in composition writing music for film and TV at Bangor before becoming a Welsh-medium music lecturer under the auspices of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

As well as lecturing in music at Bangor University and composing his own music, Owain is kept busy orchestrating the work of other composers.

He said: “I do a lot of orchestration work for the British composer Tom Player. Basically I notate the score for his music. Tom specialises in writing music for film trailers and TV adverts.

“It’s very common he will write the music and I score it up for the orchestra. Orchestration is an important part of the writing process. It has meant I have worked on some wonderful projects such as the last Hobbit film and TV adverts for companies such as Ikea.

“And I have also composed my own original music that has been included on such programmes as The X-Factor, Top Gear, the US Open, Masterchef and Big Brother to name just a few.”

Dr Guto Pryderi Puw, the festival’s artistic director and a renowned composer in his own right, is thrilled to have been able to feature a new work by Owain Llwyd within the 5 day long festival.

He said: “Owain’s reputation as a fine composer is growing very fast, not only in the film and TV industries but also within the concert halls. His music is direct and often full of rhythmic energy and will be greatly anticipated as part of a thrilling programme during the Saturday evening concert."

The life and work of music legend Frank Zappa will be celebrated at the festival where fans can talk to his widow, Gail, via a live link from California.

 

The iconic American bandleader, songwriter, composer and film director will be remembered in a series of events.

 

The theme this year is ‘Crossover and Multimedia’ with each concert having a connected educational project that will involve a number of local schools as well as the city’s university students.

 

The Apollo Saxophone Quartet will open the festival with a concert of crossover music influenced by jazz and minimalism together with the quartet’s own scores to short silent films in Reichel, Ffriddoedd Road, Bangor.

 

The festival will close with the awarding of the William Mathias Composition Prize for a piece for flute, clarinet, piano and electronics during the Rees/Roche/Pestova evening concert on Sunday, March 8.

 

For more information on Bangor Music Festival and for ticket information visit www.bangormusicfestival.org.uk

 

 

Skates backs traffic easing survey

An Assembly Member is backing a volunteer-run project which aims to ease traffic in Llangollen – and says the public can help too.

Ken Skates, the Labour AM for Clwyd South, was contacted by Sal Jefford from town improvement movement Cittaslow Llangollen and asked to support its crowd-funding campaign to raise £1,000 for a specialist survey.

Mr Skates, who is based in the town, said: “Cittaslow is aiming to commission an independent and unbiased traffic management survey to assess the problems we face in Llangollen and to explore options.

“A full feasibility study would cost more than £10,000, but renowned urban designer Ben Hamilton-Baillie has offered to do a one-day survey followed by a public meeting to discuss how to handle traffic in the town centre.

“To pay Ben, and set up a meeting in the town hall, Cittaslow needs to raise £1,000 – but they only have until lunchtime on March 3.”

Ben’s company Hamilton-Baillie Associates specialises in traffic management projects and designed a ground-breaking scheme in Poynton, Cheshire.

Cittaslow wants to reduce the dominance of vehicles and create a safer environment in the town, largely in response to local opinion.

Sal said: “We are asking the community to get behind this and support us via a crowd-funding project. We have already raised 20% of the funds, but we need to raise awareness and encourage the community to get involved and pledge what they can afford.”

Mr Skates added: “It would be fantastic to see residents pull together and show their support for a project which aims to create a safer community for both residents and visitors.

“Anyone who knows Llangollen knows there are traffic issues here, so I hope we can now get the ball rolling on finding a solution.”

* To contribute, visit http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/people-traffic-in-llan.

Railway's new season gets successfully underway

 * The first train arrives at Corwen East.

Llangollen Railway resumed train services through the Dee Valley from last Saturday when trains operated between Llangollen and the new terminus at Corwen. 

This followed a mid winter shut down whilst essential maintenance work on the railway has been undertaken and facilities at the new station have been completed.

The first train service was hauled by Great Western Large Prairie tank 5199,

Despite being a gloomy day, passengers joined the train at Corwen and others alighted to take in the town and the newly opened railway exhibition in Capel Goch.

Sunday was a better day when the sun came out and allowed for the train formation to be seen reversing out from Corwen, propelled by 5199 at the rear.

 

On normal weekday services three steam trains a day will operate from Llangollen, arriving at Corwen at 11.20, 13.37 and 15.47.
 

The 2015 timetable for the heritage railway provides for all public service trains to operate through to the temporary station at Dwyrain Corwen East as the new line extension is brought into regular use.

 

The exceptions are trains during the popular Days Out with Thomas events which will terminate at Carrog where activities are arranged for visitors.
 

In the absence of a run round loop, the timetable only allows short stop over period at Corwen, as the mode of operation for the return journey provides for the train to be propelled back to Carrog under the control of a driver in the specially modified rear coach.

 

This operation provides for the steam engine to ‘run round’ the train at Carrog where a longer stop over takes place and changes the arrangements which have become familiar to regular visitors.
 

During the current half term week, off-peak diesel railcar services are running with trains arriving at Corwen 11.35, 13.35 and 1535, departing five minutes later.

 

The diesel railcars with their exciting view of the line ahead, as seen from behind the driver, provide an excellent way for passengers to appreciate all the work that went into rebuilding the line from Carrog through to Corwen over the past three years.

 

The two-hourly weekday train service operates from March 23 and provides for visitors to spend time in Corwen, or to join the train at Corwen to travel to Llangollen for a short visit. At selected weekends an hourly service will offer more diversity of opportunities for travel.

 

The need is for the extended line to attract more visitors who will contribute to the regeneration of the area and improve the viability of the heritage train services.

2015 is an important year for the Llangollen Railway which celebrates the 150^th anniversary of the opening of the original Llangollen & Corwen Railway in 1865. 

It is also the 40^th anniversary of the start of the challenge to rebuild the railway after the derelict station at Llangollen was taken over by volunteers in 1975.

The 2015 season has a full range of special events planned, starting with a Day Out With Thomas weekend on February 21/22.

Police clamp down on illegal off-roaders

Yesterday (Sunday 15^th February), North Wales Police joined forces with Natural Resources Wales and Denbighshire County Council to tackle the issue of illegal off-roading and associated activity.

The operation, the second in a series designed to tackle the issue, saw teams of officers deployed around several areas in the Glyn Ceiriog, Dee Valley and Moel Fferna areas.

Inspector Gareth Jones explained “We had a lot of officers out yesterday, with officers from the Special Constabulary, Roads Policing Unit, Central and Eastern Divisions all assisting.  The aim was to target specific locations where we were expecting issues, whilst also having the ability to respond to calls from members of the public as and when they came in.

“It was an eventful day. We seized four vehicles, reported 12 others for various motoring offences, and also issued a formal warning for cannabis."

Two vehicles were seized following reports of illegal off-road activity on land off the Horseshoe Pass.  One of these cost the owner £500 on the spot to get his vehicle back.

Three motorcycles from the Wrexham area were stopped in the Nantyr Forest, on one of which, a Suzuki RM250, the owner had just made up a number plate and attached it to the bike.

Inspector Jones added “That’s not how it works, so we seized it and reported the rider.”

A large group of bikes from the Wirral area were stopped as they passed the church in Glyn Ceiriog. 

One bike was seized, and the others reported for motoring offences.

Inspector Jones said: "One rider didn’t have an appropriate driver's licence, so we seized that bike as well."

Several 4 x 4’s were also stopped as part of the operation.  Their tanks were dipped and the vehicles checked over by traffic officers. 

One was issued a S59 notice and reported, whilst the passenger was searched and a quantity of cannabis recovered.

Insp Jones added: “It was an interesting day.  Those that were illegal were dealt with appropriately, whilst those that were legal were both supportive of our operation and understood the reasons behind it.  That was pleasing to see.”