Eisteddfod celebration ale to premiere at food show

* Raising a toast to Harmony Ale ... Hamper Llangollen chairman

Colin Loughlin with Ynyr Evans from Llangollen Brewery.

A craft brewery has created a special ale so beer lovers can raise a hearty toast to Llangollen International Musical Festival’s landmark 70^th anniversary next year.

Ynyr Evans, who heads up the popular Llangollen Brewery based in Llantysilio just up the road from the famous Eisteddfod site, will be helping ale aficionados say cheers to the iconic annual cultural event when he launches the tasty new brew at this year’s Hamper Llangollen food festival.

And he reckons they’re in for a real treat when they taste his Harmony Ale, inspired by the Eisteddfod’s proud heritage of using music to promote peace and understanding amongst nations.

Thousands of foodies are expected to flock to the popular food festival which will see the Denbighshire tourist town become the culinary capital of Wales over the weekend of October 15 and 16.

Next July’s Eisteddfod will see a round of celebrations to mark 70 years since the very first festival was held in 1947 to foster international reconciliation and friendship in the dark years just after the end of World War Two.

It was with this in mind that 31-year-old Ynyr decided to produce the new ale which he says is specially blended to create a subtly harmonious flavour.

“I’ve been working on the new ale for some months now because I wanted to get the taste just right,” he explained.

“It’s a medium brown traditional bitter which is well-hopped to produce subtle after-tones conveying the Eisteddfod’s atmosphere of harmony.

“I love the festival and have been going there for many years both as a visitor and supplier of beer for the on-field and indoor bars.”

To come up with the new Harmony Ale, Ynyr has brought to bear years of brewing experience which began when he and his uncle Steven Evans, who owns the Abbey Grange Hotel and a number of pubs in the area, went into the beer making business together back in 2010.

Their new brewery was based in what had been the Abbey Grange’s farm shop on the road up to the Horseshoe Pass and close to historic Valle Crucis Abbey.

Ynyr, who had previously obtained a degree in geography and a master’s degree in countryside management, recalls that in the early days they were producing just 250 litres of ale per brewing but that expansion of the operation rapidly followed.

He said: “We extended the brewery into the old stables behind the hotel and gradually upped our production to our current 2,200 litres per brew and also increased our staff to three full-timers and two part-timers.

“We sell to scores of pubs across North Wales and into the North West of England but concentrate very much on looking after our local customer base.

“We only use the finest ingredients and local underground water source to produce our distinctive country ales, which include Llangollen and Welsh Black Bitters, Grange No. 1 and Wrexham Borders pale ales and Llangollen Lager.       

“A couple of years ago we created a beer named Holy Grail inspired by a local legend involving the great Cistercian abbey of Valle Crucis and Dinas Bran Castle, on the hilltop towering over Llangollen.

According to the story, the castle is the final resting place for the Holy Grail, the cup that Christ drank from at the Last Supper and that there is a tunnel all the way down to the abbey below.

“We launched it at Hamper Llangollen and it went down so well that we’ve kept it in our product line-up.

“We’re doing a single brew of the new Harmony Ale, which means we’ll have 2,200 litres in nine gallon casks selling at about £3 a pint.

“Apart from launching it on our stand at the food festival we’ll also put some of it into local pubs to see what people think of it. If it does we'll consider keeping it too.

“We’re really looking forward to being at Hamper Llangollen again because it’s such a popular festival which we’d never think of missing and I can’t wait to unveil the new Harmony Ale.”

Eisteddfod marketing officer Megan McNutt was very impressed that Ynyr had taken the trouble to brew up the new ale especially for the festival’s landmark anniversary.

“It’s a lovely idea and we’re very grateful to him,” she said.

“It’s particularly nice to see the Eisteddfod being supported in this way by a very prominent local enterprise because apart from its international outlook, our festival relies very heavily on community support."

Hamper Llangollen chairman Colin Loughlin is also looking forward to sampling the new brew.

He said: "I think it's a wonderful idea to create a new ale to celebrate this major milestone in the Eisteddfod's history.

"The fact that the brewery has chosen to launch it at Hamper Llangollen is a perfect way of bringing two of the town's iconic festivals together.

“We're looking forward to a really special event this year. Thanks to a whole host of indigenous companies, North East Wales is rapidly establishing a reputation as a centre of excellence for high quality cuisine.

“The food festival is a perfect shop window for the companies who form the backbone of our rural economy.

"The location of the Pavilion is absolutely spectacular - I can't imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting."

* For more details about Hamper Llangollen 2016 visit www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Wild Pheasant hotel has new owner

The Daily Post is reporting this afternoon that Llangollen's Wild Pheasant hotel has been sold - two months after its sudden closure.

For the full story, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/llangollens-wild-pheasant-been-sold-11975097#ICID=sharebar_twitter

Tackle Ruabon speeding, urge Labour duo

Wrexham Council has been urged to tackle speeding drivers ‘hammering’ through Ruabon.

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates and local councillor Dana Davies say many residents have raised concerns about motorists routinely flouting the 30mph limit on the B5605, the busy main road through the village.

Mr Skates said: “A growing number of my constituents are raising concerns about speeding through Ruabon, which has been ongoing for many years and, sadly, shows no sign of slowing down. I know Dana gets a lot of complaints about it, too.

“There is a play area not far off the main road, and parents are rightly worried about letting their children cross it because of cars regularly hammering along. I have asked the council to consider traffic-calming measures to ensure – as far as possible – that vehicles stick to the speed limit, and hope to have a response soon.”

Cllr Davies, leader of the Labour group on Wrexham Council, said: “This is an issue I’ve raised repeatedly and one I get a lot of complaints about. You get cars racing along that main road on a daily basis, and we’re not just talking about a few miles over limit. Something needs to be done sooner rather than later.”

Mr Skates has also asked North Wales Police Chief Constable Mark Polin to consider enforcement action in the village as a deterrent.

Silver Band to hold ladies' fashion night

Llangollen Silver Band will be holding a Ladies' Fashion and Fun Night at the band room on Saturday, d October 22, from 7pm.

Tickets cost £3, with this including a free drink and nibbles.

Tickets can be bought from the market at the Fringe or from band members.

The band says it would also be extremely grateful of any donations of unwanted ladies' clothing that could be sold during the evening.

Donations can be taken to the band room on practice nights (Monday 6:45 - 9pm and Friday 6 - 8pm).

MP calls for more government support for charities

* Susan Elan Jones MP at the UK Labour Conference in

Liverpool with a representative of national volunteering charity Volunteering Matters.

Susan Elan Jones MP has called for the Government to think more carefully about it can best support charities during two speeches at this year's UK Labour Party Conference.

The Clwyd South Labour MP, who co-chairs the All Party Parliamentary Committee for Charities and Volunteering, spoke at meetings organised by the Charities Aid Foundation and Common Vision about the future of charities.

Ms Jones proposed new ideas on grants to cover overheads, accountancy changes to support social enterprises and the need for extra support for small, community-based charities.

The MP also called on the Government to scrap the Lobbying Act.

She said: "It was a great pleasure to take part in two very well-attended meetings with many people who work or volunteer for charities. I was very pleased to take part in these events and to work with many national and local charities in this way."

Dai Chef to recreate Pavarotti meal at Hamper Llangollen

A TOP celebrity chef will recreate the memorable meal he cooked for legendary tenor Lucian Pavarotti.

Dai Chef (left) will be sharing the superstar tenor's gastronomic secrets when he appears live at this year’s Hamper Llangollen Food Festival. 

Thousands of foodies are expected to flock to the popular event which will see the Denbighshire tourist town become the culinary capital of Wales over the weekend of October 15 and 16.

During his time at the Bryn Howel Hotel, Dai cooked for a whole host of superstar singers, including José Carreras and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, who came to appear at the Llangollen International  Musical Eisteddfod.

But the high of his glittering career for Dai was spending a week as personal chef to Pavarotti when he headlined during an emotional return to the festival in 1995.

Pavarotti's (pictured right) pilgrimage came exactly 40 years after he had first competed there as a 19-year-old member of the Chorus Rossini choir from Modena, Italy in 1955.

To celebrate the occasion Dai will weave his magic to prepare again the meal he prepared specially for the maestro in that glorious summer 21 years ago.

Dai, who is now executive chef at The Cliffs restaurant in Morfa Nefyn near Pwllheli, said: “At the time Pavarotti came to stay I was executive chef at the Bryn Howel in Llangollen, then one of the top five hotels in Wales.

“I was appointed as his personal chef for the week and used to serve him in the restaurant and his private suite.

“He was there with his father, Fernando, and a full entourage, including his promoter Harvey Goldsmith, and I used to prepare every meal for him.

“On the Sunday night after his smash hit concert at the Eisteddfod, just up the road from the hotel, I created a special meal for him and his 450 guests.

“I’ll never forget what it was. The starter was a smoked salmon and soft cheese roulade and the main course was Welsh sirloin beef flamed in whisky served with cream of wild mushrooms.

“The most memorable part of the meal for me was the dessert, which was a white chocolate and strawberry tart.

“Pavarotti loved it so much he asked me to prepare four more of them, although he didn’t eat them all there and then and took them back to his suite to serve to his friends and visitors.

“The story about this got out and led to a BBC2 TV documentary programme called Four Tarts and a Tenor.

“I must say the tart was so good I still serve it now at The Cliffs.”

Dai added: “This is exactly the meal I’ll be recreating for visitors when I do my live cooking demonstration at Hamper Llangollen, which is a festival I love appearing at as I was one of its original founders.

“Llangollen is actually like my second home because during my time at the Bryn Howel I lived in nearby Chirk and had the dual role of chairman and a second row player with Llangollen Rugby Club.

“I have cooked for other big names from the music world like José Carreras and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa but I’d say that working with Pavarotti was definitely one of the pinnacles of my career.

“It was one of those times when everything was just right – my own abilities, the hotel I was working in and the Eisteddfod – I’ll never forget it.

“Pavarotti himself was a fantastic man. He was at the top of his profession but never forgot his humble beginnings.

“Contrary to popular belief he wasn’t actually a big eater but he did eat often.

“While he enjoyed the larger set-piece meals I’d say his favourite dish, which I prepared for him often at the Bryn Howel, was a simple soup or potage made from a tiny bit of pasta with something like little pieces of lobster, fillet steak or asparagus.

“I’d so that for him in the morning and he’d eat bits of it throughout the day perhaps with some fresh bread and cheese on the side and a sprinkling of the balsamic vinegar from his home town of Modena.

“He told me his mother used to make it for him and he loved to eat it during his downtime in his room with his father. It was his comfort food, if you like.

“I also remember getting in boxes of fresh lemons, which he used to help his voice.”

Dai added: “Throughout the week the paparazzi were hanging around the hotel trying to find out what he was eating but I never told them anything as I was sworn to secrecy.

“All sorts of things were happening, like the old guys from the Modena choir who came with him singing in the car park of the hotel and some big Welsh cob horses being bought in to go through their paces for everyone.

“It was a real festival week with real celebrities and I want to recreate a little of that atmosphere with the meal fit for Pavarotti I’ll be preparing at Hamper Llangollen.

“I love the Llangollen event because, unlike some food festivals, it’s not in a marquee but in a proper setting with a big stage, which gives it a real sense of theatre when you’re doing cookery demonstrations.

“I also look forward to Llangollen because of all the old friends I meet there.”

Dai was born and raised in Aberystwyth and trained at a culinary college in Haverfordwest.

He gained his initial experience in the kitchens of some of the largest hotels in London’s West End and by the age of 21 he was the youngest chef saucier – in charge of the creation of delicious sauces – at the world famous Carlton Club in St James’s.

Later, Dai became head chef at the White Hart restaurant in Lewes, Sussex, and for a time was the personal chef of the owner of Simpson’s in The Strand, which is based in the same building as the capital’s iconic Savoy Hotel.

He then returned to Aberystwyth to run his own restaurant and during a 12-year period starting in the 1990s was executive chef at the Bryn Howel Hotel.

In 1996, Dai captained the Welsh team at the Culinary Olympics when it won a bronze medal for its culinary skills, and soon afterwards he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship at Glyndwr University in Wrexham.

After spell as a chef trainer – many of his pupils are now working in some of the world’s finest restaurants – Dai took another hands-on role as chef director at the Ship Inn at Red Wharf Bay on Anglesey and was later executive chef at the Bodnant Welsh Food Centre.

At The Cliffs, which has just undergone a £1 million refurbishment, he is in charge of a six-strong kitchen team and co-ordinates the preparation of up to 100 meals a night.

Hamper Llangollen chair Colin Loughlin is delighted Dai Chef is returning to the food festival again.

He said: "Dai is an exuberant character and a talented chef which is a recipe for success at the food festival.

"His appearance this year will be all the more memorable because he's recreating the meal he cooked for Luciano Pavarotti which will stir a great deal of interest.

“We're looking forward to a really special event this year. Thanks to a whole host of indigenous companies, North East Wales is rapidly establishing a reputation as a centre of excellence for high quality cuisine.

“The food festival is a perfect shop window for the companies who form the backbone of our rural economy.

"The location of the Pavilion is absolutely spectacular - I can't imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting."

* For more details about Hamper Llangollen 2016 visit www.llangollenfoodfestival.com and for more information about Llanvalley Natural products go to  www.llanvalley.co.uk

Labour duo praise primary school after visit

Children at a community primary school played host to their MP and Assembly Member.

Susan Elan Jones and Ken Skates visited Ysgol Acrefair and met Rebecca Turner, who became headteacher 12 months ago.

The Clwyd South politicians were full of praise for the school and staff.

Ms Jones said: “It was a very enjoyable visit, and I would like to thank Mrs Turner and her team – and especially the children – for such a lovely warm welcome. It’s clear that the relationships between staff and pupils are very positive, which contributes hugely to the children’s high levels of enthusiasm to listen and learn.”

Mr Skates said: “Ysgol Acrefair’s last Estyn report rated both the school’s performance and prospects for improvement as ‘good’, and while that was a few years ago it is obvious that the many positives highlighted then still apply now. The children are happy and well-behaved, and the school has a wonderful, friendly atmosphere.”

Mrs Turner added: “We were delighted to welcome Ken Skates and Susan Elan Jones to discuss our exciting plans to provide a greater range of support and activities for parents and children and the wider community of Acrefair.”