Operatic gets audience swinging into Christmas

* The Operatic's Christmas show was a feast of festive fun.

Llangollen Operatic Society infused a packed audience with a massive dose of Christmas spirit during their glittering seasonal show at the Town Hall last night.

Swing Along A Christmas was a real cracker of a production featuring a host of songs and sketches from a range of talented performers.  

Perfect choice for host was Louise Cielecki, a graduate of the society’s own Young ‘Uns junior section who is now studying drama.

Her bubbly character got the whole thing off to fizzing start as she split the audience into two halves and encouraged them to compete in roaring out the loudest `merry Christmas’.

A large contingent from the Operatic hit the stage with stylish number from the musical Polar Express before around half a dozen members of the Young ‘Uns appeared to sing snatches from their forthcoming production of Honk! which hits the stage early next year.    

Multi-talented is the right term for Michael Jenkins who was next in the evening’s line-up.

Taking time off from directing the panto Aladdin at the Stiwt in Rhos, he found time to conduct the Operatic’s choral contributions in this show, do a couple of solo numbers himself and also take part in comedy duet.

His solos - including the Bing Crosby evergreen White Christmas set to a swinging rhythm – helped underline the seasonal tone and later he joined Louisa Jones in the old Dean Martin winter warmer, Baby It’s Cold Outside.

Host Louise hung up her mic for a while to join fellow Young ‘Uns alumni Nathan Lloyd in a neat comedy sketch which ended in a song before the Operatic choristers were back to keep up the pace with a number of their own.

Philip Main stepped out from the chorus to give an astonishing countertenor – or perhaps falsetto – rendition of Panis Angelicus.     

Another admirable voice, that of Lizzie Richards, then brought us the stunning Let it Go from the musical Frozen, a real showstopper to end the first half.

Ross Wilson led the charge into the second part of the show with two genuine Rat Pack-style swingers, Dean Martin’s Ain’t That a Kick in the Head and Michael Buble’s Feeling Good.

A neat atmospheric touch came when Ross took his performance out into the heart of the audience.

Louise and Nathan returned for a second two-handed comedy routine and song, followed by the Operatic singers with Winter Wonderland.

A new Operatic star appeared in the east when Dan May strode on stage to present a soulful interpretation of When a Child is Born in his debut performance before an audience.    

Alison Ravenscroft came out next with a cheekily neat Baby It’s Cold Outside – perhaps, as host Louise joked, a little unexpected from a lady who played the Mother Superior in the Operatic’s recent smash-hit production of Sister Act.     

Lizzie Richards and Ross Wilson joined vocal forces for Let it Snow, leaving the entire Operatic team to round off with Jingle Bell Rock.

The audience then got their chance to join in the fun by singing along with Twelve Days of Christmas and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, sending us out into the night with all those fantastic tunes still ringing in our heads.

A pity the Operatic had just one night for their festive entertainment feast as this show could have run and run.  

Man in charge of Llan legion resigns

THE man who had been running Llangollen branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) has marched off in despair at its lack of active members.

John Lawton, who took over as chairman and secretary a couple of years ago because there was nobody available for either role, has now resigned from both positions.

* John Lawton at this year's Service
of Remembrance in Llangollen.

Mr Lawton, who lives in Wrexham, said: “Not one member in addition to the usual seven has bothered to attend any branch meeting for the last four years.

“This was in spite of me changing the time and venue to Llangollen Royal Air Force Association Club to make things easier.

“Surely if I can drive 34 miles to a meeting, then they can drive to the club from town.

“I feel that the lack of support made my job untenable so I saw no alternative but to resign.”

He added: “Myself and the member now standing in as chairman and secretary are due to meet the legion’s area chairman later this week to finalise things.

“I think the branch will remain open and I pray it does.”   

Llangollen RBL was formed 91 years ago in time to consecrate the town’s cenotaph in November, 1923.

Mr Lawton has previously been secretary of the Historic Warships in Birkenhead, a Petty Officer in the Sea Cadet Corps and treasurer of Llangollen Royal Naval Association.

Businesses warned over mailshot

Denbighshire Council's Trading Standards team is warning local businesses not to respond to a mailshot that could result in a bill of £790 per annum.

Businesses are being advised to ignore a letter from a firm with an address in Hamburg, Germany which is headed 'UK Data Control Scotland Business'.

The letter is designed to look like an official Government document, and requires the recipient to provide their VAT Registration Number to update the 'UK-DATA CONTROL portal'.
The letter also includes a form for businesses to check and sign to say their details are correct.

The small print indicates that a cost of £790 a year will be incurred by the business for a minimum of three years.

Emlyn Jones, Public Protection Manager for Denbighshire Council said: "We are concerned that local businesses may believe the letter to be from an official government source, which is not the case.

"If businesses sign and return the form to confirm their details are correct they could end up being tied into a contract and liable for the high costs of an entry in this portal.

"We have had several enquiries from businesses regarding this and we have advised them that they are not obliged to provide the information to this company."

* Any business concerned about a letter, email or phone call they have received can report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

 

Any consumer who wants to report a scam should Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06, for the Welsh language service call 03454 04 05 05, or alternatively report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, to help stop it happening to others.

AM pops into postal delivery office

* Ken Skates with (from left) Daniel Davies and Tom Price.

Labour AM Ken Skates visited his local delivery office to meet postal staff preparing for their busiest time of the year.

Mr Skates, Assembly Member for Clwyd South, chatted with workers in Llangollen early on Friday morning.

He said: “I really enjoyed meeting the staff and I’d like to thank everyone for their warm welcome. It was a great visit.

“The hectic Christmas period is a great time to remind people just how hard their local postal staff work, not just now but all year round. I hope they’re able to put their feet up at some point and enjoy a well-deserved break.”

Lee Fennel, delivery office manager at Llangollen, said: “Our postmen and women are working extremely hard to deliver Christmas cards, letters and parcels to people across the area. We are grateful to Ken for visiting the office to see our operation and to support the team.

Lee added: “We’d like to remind our customers to post early, and please always use the postcode as this helps us greatly at this busy time.”

Prospective candidate visits Castle Street businesses

* Simon Baynes, left, outside the Cottage Tea Rooms with

Mehmet Cakiroglu who works there.

On Small Business Saturday, Simon Baynes, the Prospective Welsh Conservative Assembly Member for Clwyd South, visited three businesses which adjoin each other on Castle Street in Llangollen - Candy Cottage, Cottage Tea Rooms and Cottage Cards & Crafts.

He said: “These three businesses cater for local residents and visitors alike. They are welcoming places to visit which showcase what is best about Llangollen.

"Candy Cottage sells homemade fudge and locally made ice cream. The Cottage Tea Rooms are busy all year round, open seven days a week and operate as a bistro as well.

"Cottage Cards & Crafts makes a perfect place to shop local and stock up on Christmas presents as well as being vital to the tourist trade."

He added: "We need to make sure that small businesses like these have the best conditions in which to operate.

"This is why the Welsh Conservatives are campaigning for a better support package for small businesses – cutting business rates, improving access to finance for small firms and incentivising small businesses to take on additional staff.

"If every small business was able to take on a single additional employee, unemployment in
Wales could be wiped out overnight."

Tattoo parlour's hygiene standards recognised

A tattoo parlour in Llangollen is one of four across Denbighshire which have been officially recognised for achieving stringent health and safety standards.

 

As part of an awards scheme introduced in the county – the first authority area in North Wales and only the second in Wales to do so - the parlours made the grade in the Tattoo Hygiene Rating Scheme after being assessed by staff from Denbighshire’s Public Protection department. 

 

A number of factors were considered as part of the assessments, including cleanliness, health and safety, after care advice, staff training, personal cleanliness of operators and record keeping.

 

The successful tattoo businesses included the one run by Liz Fletcher, called InK and Essence, in Llangollen, which was awarded a three-star rating.

 

The other parlours were in Rhyl, Prestatyn and Clawddnewydd , which all achieved four-star ratings.

 

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member with responsibility for Public Protection, said: “I would like to congratulate the tattoo parlours named for reaching some of the highest levels of cleanliness and health and safety, as recognised in the ratings scheme.

 

“We are delighted to be the first authority in North Wales to adopt the ratings scheme, as we feel it is vitally important that the public have confidence that these establishments follow stringent guidelines to protect the well-being of individuals."

Llan panto group presents Alice in Wonderland

 

* Justine Bradey as the Queen of Hearts. 

 

LLANGOLLEN Pantomime Group is marking the 150^th anniversary of the publication of the story Alice in Wonderland with a spectacular local production.

 

Rehearsals are well underway for the annual pantomime which will take place at Llangollen Pavilion from Thursday, January 14 to Sunday, January 17.

 

Billed as the traditional story with a modern twist, the show will include bush-tucker trials and will be accompanied by a live band.

 

The script has been written by the pantomime’s director, Nico Decourt from Abbey Road, Llangollen.

 

He said: “We’re delighted to be performing Alice in Wonderland as it marks its 150^th anniversary. It’s a story which stands the test of time and brings plenty of opportunities for fun and mischief in the modern pantomime setting.

 

“The cast and crew are working really hard to ensure the audience enjoys a fabulously entertaining show once again.”

 

This is the 31^st production by the Llangollen Pantomime Group. Whole families regularly participate in the production with parents and grandparents performing alongside their children and grandchildren.

 

This year’s lead, Alice, is performed by Serena Young who is making her debut in the Llangollen Pantomime. 

 

The show runs from Thursday, January 14 to Sunday, January 17 at Llangollen Pavilion.

 

Doors 7pm, show 7.30pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee (doors open 2pm, show 2.30pm). For the first time, tickets are available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenpanto and from Jades Hair & Beauty, Llangollen or Gwyn Davies (Butchers), Llangollen. You can also reserve tickets by calling 01978 860297.