Llan-written novel gets its release

_{A Llangollen-based author has produced a new novel set in Lincolnshire – although he says that it was largely written at a popular café in town.}

_{Eamonn Griffin (pictured) says he penned most of the book, entitled East of England, in M'Eating Point on Berwyn Street, although it doesn’t mention Llan at all.} 

_{The noir-ish thriller was published last week by an organisation specialising in crowd-funding called Unbound.}

The book's available from Amazon, Waterstones, Hive and all other book retailers (online and offline) in paperback and ebook format, and locally may be ordered via Courtyard Books in Llangollen (an online purchase via Hive may be configured to support that shop too). 

A synopsis of the story says:

Dan Matlock is out of jail. He’s got a choice. Stay or leave. Go back to where it all went wrong, or simply get out of the county. Disappear. Start again as someone else. But it’s not as simple as that. 

There’s the matter of the man he killed. It wasn’t murder, but even so. You tell that to the family. Especially when that family is the Mintons, who own half that’s profitable and two-thirds of what’s crooked between the Wolds and the coast. And who could have got to Matlock as easy as you like in prison, but who haven’t touched him. Not yet.


And like Matlock found out in prison, there’s no getting away from yourself, so what would the point be in not facing up to other people?


It’s time to go home.


East of England blends a rural take on the noir thriller with a fascination with the British industrialised countryside that lies east of the Wolds, between the Humber and the Wash. Unlit byways rather than the neon-bright and rain-slicked city. A world of caravan parks, slot machines, and low-rise battery farms.


The flatlands of the east coast; decaying market towns and run-down resorts, and the distant throb of offshore windfarms. Where the smell you’re trying to get out of your clothes is the cigarette taint of old phone boxes and bus shelters, and where redemption, like life, is either hard-earned or fought for, one way or another.   


Author Eamonn Griffin was born and raised in Lincolnshire. 

He's worked as a stonemason, a strawberry picker, in plastics factories (everything from packing those little bags for loose change you get from banks to production planning via transport manager via fork-lift driving), in agricultural and industrial laboratories, in a computer games shop, and latterly in further and higher education.


He’s taught and lectured in subjects as diverse as leisure and tourism, uniformed public services, English Studies, creative writing, film studies, TV and film production, and media theory. He doesn’t do any of that anymore. Instead he writes fulltime, either as a freelancer, or else on fiction. 


Eamonn has a PhD in creative writing with the University of Lancaster, specialising in historical fiction, having previously completed both an MA in popular film and a BSc in sociology and politics via the Open University. He really likes biltong, and has recently returned to learning to play piano, something he abandoned when he was about seven and has regretted since.

East of England is published by Unbound Digital. ISBN: 978-1789650143

Review copies are available via Netgalley at: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/155755

For details of the book, go to: https://unbound.com/books/east-of-england/

County asks people to complete online transport survey

The county council is urging Llangollen residents to take part in its latest online fact-finding exercise.

The Denbighshire Transport Survey, developed in partnership with Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC), aims to gauge the interest and feasibility of the development of an integrated community transport hub in the county, and how to most effectively provide a range of transport options across the region.

People can complete the survey online over the next month. 

Here’s the link for the English - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/XWKYQX3

... and for the Welsh - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/D37JTN8

Kia ProCeed: Silly name but a real looker

* The new Kia ProCeed - from the side and (below) rear. 

Kia ProCeed launch report by Steve Rogers

KIA has opened its 2019 campaign with a real bobby dazzler.

Meet the new ProCeed, the range topper that has taken Ceed in a whole new direction with a bold shooting brake design.

Until now ProCeed - yes it still has the silly name - has been a three-door hatch. That market is virtually dead but rather than scrap the hatch it has been reinvented and the result is stunning.

This is essentially an estate car, a rival even to the Ceed Sportwagon, but it is lower and longer than its sibling with a swooping coupe style roof and steeply raked tailgate.

No-one in the sector which is bossed by Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf has anything like it so watching how Proceed develops is going to be interesting.

Only the bonnet and front wings have been carried over from Ceed while improved dynamics have spiced up the handling which becomes evident when driving the GT model with its 201bhp 1.6 litre petrol engine, but more on that later.

There are three trim levels GT Line, GT Line S and GT powered either by a 1.4 litre turbo charged petrol or a 1.6 diesel for all but the GT which gets the 1.6 litre petrol.

Inside it's standard Ceed fair with the range topping 8-inch touchscreen controlling the majority of the functions although Kia prefers switches for the radio and heating controls which are ranged clearly across the central console which is just the way I like it.

Although Proceed has a definite sporting edge it is no flaming hot hatch so there is a good compromise between ride comfort and out and out handling.

Make no mistake the car will fly around bends faster than will ever be needed on public roads but at the same time bumps are well cushioned so this is very much a car the family can enjoy.

Cabin space is good and a six footer sat comfortably behind my driver's seat, and in spite of the dipping roofline the 594 litres of boot space is not far behind the 625 litres for the Sportwagon.

Kias have always been generously equipped and that is the case here. Even the 6-speed manual GT Line which opens the range at £23,835 has navigation, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, auto dipping headlights, electronic parking brake and that is just a snapshot. Add an S and there is even more with heated outer rear seats, power adjustment and memory setting for the driver's seat and a powered tailgate.

If the bank balance allows it is worth splashing out £1,100 for the seven speed automatic which is smooth and slick and can be used as a manual either via the gear lever or steering wheel paddles.

Safety features have become the norm and there is no shortage here with crash avoidance braking that includes pedestrians, steering the car within the lane, blind spot collision warning ... I could go on.

In spite of the lack of interest in diesel power Kia is offering the 1.6 litre with its fairly modest 134bhp.

The ProCeed deserves more and you will get it from the more punchy 138bhp 1.4 turbo charged petrol which is nearly a second quicker to sixty (9.1secs) but you will lose out heavily on economy - 42.8mpg versus 56.5mpg for the diesel.

Which brings us to the jewel in the ProCeed crown, the 1.6 T-GDi. For me this is the engine for this car. There is a spiky rawness to it, growling under acceleration and eager to respond at low revs. It is the only model where the performance matches the car's matcho looks. A sprint to sixty takes 7.2 seconds, not as quick as the hottest Golf or Focus.

The folk at Kia say, they are unlikely to go for anything bigger on the engine front so they will not be asking parent company Hyundai for the dazzling 2-litre powering the i30N let alone the i30N Performance.

At least the 1.6 T-GDi has given an added buzz to the Ceed hatch which has identical performance to ProCeed GT and handling to match the hike in power. The new Ceed GT model has hit the showrooms and costs £25,535.

My guess is all eyes will be on its pretty new sister. Aside from Stinger this is the best looking Kia ever. It has a feel good factor and looks the business particularly in profile or from the back. I don't see how it can fail.

* Prices: £23,835 (GT Line petrol manual) to £28,138 (GT auto). GT Line S £28,685.

County approves 6.35% council tax rise

Councillors in Denbighshire have agreed the budget for the next financial year.

At a meeting in County Hall, Ruthin, members were asked to formalise the budget and agreed that council tax levels should increase by 6.35% in the next financial year.  This will address current financial pressures in Children’s and Education Services, social care, highways and environment.

The 6.35% equates to an additional £72.24 a year for a Band D property, or £1.52 a week.

Savings of £5.6 million were identified by services directly and these have been found through a wide range of cuts and efficiencies in functions that support the Council, with the services offered directly to the public being protected as much as possible.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance, said: “It is our duty as councillors to make sure that the budget balances at the end of the financial year and the uncertainty over the levels of settlements in recent years has made our jobs a lot harder.

“Significant real terms funding reductions to local councils in Wales have continued whilst costs continue to grow. Schools and social care represent the most significant elements of the Council’s budget and the costs of these is growing beyond the resources available.

“While the council will always endeavour to be more efficient to save money, given savings of over £35m have been made in the last six years, it is no longer possible to address the funding gap through efficiency savings alone and a careful balance between service savings and local taxation has to be struck.

“The Council also expects to need to find £7 million in savings in 2020 and £4.5 million the following year.  That means that tough decisions are needing to be made and further cuts are predicted over the coming years. However, we are making a commitment to continue to provide the best services possible for the residents of Denbighshire.

Information about council tax, how the money is allocated and the benefits available to Denbighshire residents will be included in the Your Money booklet, which will be available on the Council’s website 

Brewery and builders to sponsor Llanfest 2019

Picture by Mike Jones.

Two Wrexham businesses will sponsor this year’s Llanfest which will wind up this year's Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod on Sunday July 7.

Wrexham-based housing developer SG Estates and Wrexham Lager have been named joint backers of the event which will this year star The Fratellis, The Coral, The Pigeon Detectives and nineties power pop rock trio Dodgy.

It is the first year SG Estates has sponsored the festival and the company says it is committed to preserving its Welsh heritage and supporting the eisteddfod.

Managing director Steve Griffin said: “It is at the heart of our local community in Llangollen. As a company dedicated to sustaining and developing the area, we are keen to support this local event and we see this year’s sponsorship as the start of a long-term partnership.”

Wrexham Lager’s involvement in the event goes back over 70 years, shown by the fact that festival organisers have found an advert for the brewery in the first official International Eisteddfod programme from 1947 (pictured below).

Mark Roberts from Wrexham Lager said: “The festival is without doubt one of the highlights of our calendar and we are proud to be one of its longest standing sponsors.

“We have been supporting the ethos of the festival from its inception all those years ago, bringing diverse communities together to enjoy and celebrate as one.”

Llanfest was launched in 2011 as the eisteddfod’s finale party to introduce the event to new, younger audiences and attract festival-goers from across the country.

The announcement of The Fratellis and The Coral’s appearance follows the success of Indie pop legends Kaiser Chiefs in 2018 and legendary Welsh band Manic Street Preachers in 2017.

Tickets start at just £39 and go on general sale today (February 1).

 

Organisers have introduced a new layout for 2019, freeing up extra space in the Pavilion, with additional premium standing available at the front of the stage.

This will see capacity increase to more than 5,200. As well as this, a tiered seating area will also be available in the middle of the arena.

There will be live performances from a range of local artists from 2pm on the outside stages and the support acts Dodgy and The Pigeon Detectives will run from 6.15pm in the Pavilion, before The Fratellis and The Coral take to the stage.

* For more information and to buy tickets go to www.llangollen.net or contact the Box Office on 01978 862001.

Chamber to host special session on business rates

Representatives from the Welsh Government will be attending a special meeting to unravel the complexities of business rates and how Llangollen traders could benefit to the tune of up to £2.5k.

The meeting will held at the Hand Hotel, Llangollen next Tuesday, February 5 at 6pm and has been arranged between Minister for Economy and Transport Ken Skates and  Llangollen Chamber of Trade and Tourism.

The aims to give retailers in Llangollen the opportunity to find out more about business rate relief and how it could help them.

Last month, Wales's then Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford announced that retailers  with a rateable value of up to £50,000 will receive a £2,500 cut to their business rates for 2019/2020. Some could see a zero rates bill for properties with a rateable value of up to £9,100.

At the meeting chamber members will have the chance to hear more about the benefits of business rates relief and question Welsh Government representatives Adam Evans, Business Wales Senior Manager, and Julie Questa, Senior Policy Manager: Local Taxation.

Chamber chair David Davies said: “We are grateful to the Minister for Economy and Transport Ken Skates for making this meeting happen.

"Our high streets are having a tough time at the moment  and Llangollen is no exception.

"It is therefore important that our members maximise every opportunity to boost their businesses and take advantage of any economic development assistance that come their way.

"We would encourage as many business people as possible to come and hear what the Welsh Government has to say on the matter on how it can benefit their business.”

If you have a retail business in Llangollen and want to know more about the implications of the new business rate relief then join the Chamber of Trade and Tourism for networking at 5.30pm. The meeting, which starts promptly at 6pm, is free to members and first-time visitors. 

March for Business returns for 2019

An annual month-long series of events to support businesses returns this March.

Denbighshire County Council’s March for Business month returns with 25 events offering more than 100 hours of business support at venues across the county.

The business month, held throughout March, includes social media and retail skills training, networking events with the Federation of Small Businesses and the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce as well as events with Superfast Business Wales and the Development Bank of Wales.

A chance for food buyers to sample local food and drink produce to secure more contracts for local businesses will also be held.

Blas Lleol - Meet the Producer is being organised in conjunction with the Clwydian Range Food & Drink Group and the Llangollen and Dee Valley Good Grub Club.

Other events include a session for businesses to make the most of the Urdd Eisteddford when it is held in Denbigh in 2020 as well as an event to help businesses who export.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire, said: “Our March for Business programme has been designed to meet the needs of businesses in the county.

“March for Business offers firms the chance to network and get expert advice around issues that matter to them.

“They can then take this knowledge forward and help grow their business, making a real difference to the county’s economy.

“There is also a focus on helping young people with the transition from education into business, something the Council believes will help the county’s young people develop the skills they need.

“The focus of March for Business was devised following feedback from our annual business survey and shows the Council is listening to businesses and offering them support to suit their needs.”

March for Business is part of the Council’s work on developing the local economy to make sure the county’s communities are resilient and residents have access to good and services.

For more information or to book visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/marchforbusiness