Railway in running for tourism award

Llangollen Railway (pictured) has been shortlisted for a major award.

The heritage organisation is one of the final four in the Best Attraction category of the Go North Wales Tourism Awards along with Bodnant Garden National Trust, Zip World and Llandudno Pier.

The winner will be announced at the presentation evening to be staged at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Thursday November 16.   

This category is open to attractions which can demonstrate what they have done to enhance the visitor experience.

The awards, sponsored by Traveline Cymru and in partnership with Heart, celebrate and recognise excellence in the region’s hospitality and tourism sectors, as well as showcasing and celebrating the achievements, hard work and dedication of those working in the industry.

Awards are open to all tourism businesses and individuals in North Wales.

County has nuisance phone call blockers available

Denbighshire Trading Standards are looking for residents who could benefit from a blocker unit which aims to reduce the number of unknown callers they receive. 

As part of a national trial, the team has a limited number of units available to loan out to vulnerable residents in Denbighshire on a trial basis to see if this will help combat their nuisance caller problems. 

The results of the individual units will be shared nationally and will be discussed with the individual or other nominated person. 

The unit offers three different incoming call handling profiles to choose from. 

All the profiles allow calls from trusted callers to get through unimpeded – the difference is in the way they control unrecognised callers. 

You can change the profile whenever you want so that the blocker always gives the appropriate level of protection even if needs change. 

You can easily monitor and control the unit via your personal internet control panel.  This allows you to view a log of all of your incoming and outgoing calls, edit your trusted callers list and change your configuration settings. 

* If you know of someone who might benefit from this and would be interested in trialling a unit you can contact the team via tradingstandards@denbighshire.gov.uk or on 01824 706446. 

County firms "positive" about future says survey

Businesses in Denbighshire remain positive about the future, according to a recent survey.

Denbighshire County Council’s annual Business Survey had more than 470 responses, with the majority saying they are more confident about the future than ever before.

The annual survey feeds into the Council’s March for Business month, which offers a wide range of training, networking and advice sessions to the county’s traders, based on feedback in the survey.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire, said: “I’d like to thank the businesses that took the time to complete this survey.

“It is important we continue to listen to the needs of entrepreneurs in the county and offer help and support based on their needs. That way we can offer training and support to businesses that will be a real benefit to them in pursuit of growth.

“I’m pleased so many businesses feel confident moving forward. Denbighshire is here to support businesses and we have a wide-range of projects to help and support businesses within our Economic and Community Ambition Strategy.

“I’m particularly pleased with the feedback on training needs, which shows we have been ahead of the game with our digital skills focus over the past couple of years.”

Mike Horrocks, Denbighshire’s Economic & Business Development Team and Programme Manager said: “A total of 80 per cent of businesses who took part in our events last year said that they’d taken the all-important steps to act upon the advice, information or contacts that they’d gained.  It’s that action that makes a real difference to the local economy.”

The survey, conducted by the council’s Economic and Business Development team, found more than 70 per cent of respondents said their business is stronger than it was in 2016 while only 1 per cent said it was weaker.

More than a quarter expect to increase staff numbers, while 63 per cent are expecting sales to increase.

The survey also found more businesses have taken up broadband and superfast broadband in the last 12 months, recognising that a digital presence and the skills to exploit this are crucial to future business success.

Last year March for Business saw 400 attendees take advantage of 13 events across 10 locations with the benefit of access to 45 business experts.  The 2018 programme of events will be announced early in the new year.

* For more information contact econ.dev@denbighshire.gov.uk or telephone 01824 706896.

Please find a link to the following video which details March for Business 2017 in English and Welsh for use online

Llangollen Flower Club's Christmas show

LLANGOLLEN CHRISTMAS SHOW AT THE TOWN HALL.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21st AT 7-30 PM.

GUEST DEMONSTRATOR WILL BE DAWN WEAVER FROM CHESTER

SHE IS A MASTER FLORIST, JUDGE AND TEACHER  AND ALSO A CHELSEA GOLD MEDAL WINNER.

MULLED PUNCH AND A MINCE PIE ARE INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF £8.00.

ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE RAFFLED ALONG WITH A HUGE CHRISTMAS HAMPER AND OTHER GOODIES AT THE END OF THE SHOW.

TICKETS FROM CLUB MEMBERS OR ON THE DOOR. DOORS OPEN FROM 6-45 PM.

A GREAT START TO THE FESTIVE SEASON  WITH PLENTY OF HINTS AND TIPS.

Entries sought for church's Christmas competition

* A colourful entry from a previous year.

Entries are being sought for this year's Christmas Tree Festival at Llangollen Methodist Church.

This is a popular event, taking place in December, where visitors are asked to vote for their favourite trees which go on display at the church in Princess Street.

As usual there are two categories, Traditional and Christmas in Another Country.

Organiser Janet Storm said: "As you can imagine it is a closely fought competition with much fun to be had in participation.

"You will need to supply and decorate a small tree, no taller than five feet (1.5 metres) using an appropriate Christmas theme.

"You might like to link the decoration to your business or organisation, or just be creative.

"Any lights used must be battery operated. Hard bases are provided for you to cover with a cloth or paper as you wish.

"It is an opportunity for you to promote your business with small business cards or promotional materials being allowed around the base of your tree.

"Setting up of the trees will take place on Thursday December 7, between 12noon and 4pm, with dismantling on Thursday  January 4, between 12noon and 4pm."
 
* To register your intention to enter, contact Janet and Elias Storm on: 01978 253177, or email them at: eliasandjanet@gmail.com  before Saturday December 2.

Hannay gives Twenty Club a ripping good hit

* Dan Pedley as Hannay.

A comedy take on a ripping good yarn of  British derring-do has given Llangollen Twenty Club a dashed good hit with its latest production.

Society regular David Edgar has taken the spy novel Mr Standfast by John Buchan and filled it full of laughs and the resulting two-acter, Hannay Stands Fast, which he also directed, is the newest work the Twenty team has ever performed.

Premiered at the Town Hall last night (Thursday) it had the audience in stitches for most of the action.

And action is the right word because, throughout,  the stage was the scene of frenetic activity on the part of the multi-tasking and talented cast of just four.

The plot sees Hannay, an old-school British hero, recruited by British intelligence to root out a dastardly German master-spy who is threatening the security of the realm in the days just before the outbreak of the Second World War.

Played to perfection by Dan Pedley, Hannay sets about his task with typical British phlegm and along the way enlists the help – and then wins the heart - of the stunningly attractive Mary Lamington, portrayed with real flair by Clare Wall.

The pair get themselves into a myriad tricky and often hilarious situations and meet up with a mind-boggling array of crazy characters which has the cast doubling, tripling and quadrupling up like mad on the parts.

Providing the engine of these multiple personas is society stalwart John Clifford who at various points appears as everything from a simple-minded bucolic to a crazy (female) Scottish housekeeper and from a surly gangster to a 1930s travelling football fan.

However, his fellow cast members, including a notable Gwyneth Marshman, are no slouches either and all appear in so many multifarious guises that at times one tends to lose track of who they are supposed to be at any given moment.

Prop shifting must have been another nightmare as the scenes change like a kaleidoscope.

A big budget production this isn’t, so it’s particularly enjoyable to watch a scene near the end where a frantic car cash is portrayed as a series of moving silhouettes.

And where else could you see a death-defying tussle between Hannay and the baddie, played deliciously by Si Kneale, fought out at the top of a couple of steel stepladders standing in for the Eiffel Tower?

The Twenty Club have got a real hit on their hands with this production which runs again this evening (Friday) and tomorrow (Saturday).

Lease deal "shortly" for health centre pharmacy

* Llangollen Health Centre.

Health chiefs say they hope Llangollen Health Centre will soon have its own pharmacy.

A number of llanblogger readers have been asking when Rowlands would be relocating from Regent Street to the new £5 million centre which opened to patients in the summer of 2015.

We asked the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board for an update on the situation.

And a spokesperson replied: “Pharmacies which wish to relocate must follow a formal, regulated process, which can take a significant time to complete.

“On 5th June 2017 Welsh Ministers confirmed that it upheld the decision of the Health Board to approve the surgery’s relocation application.

“Rowlands and the Health Board are working together to finalise the formal lease agreement which is required, and it is hoped that this will be concluded shortly.”