Chancellor announces help for post-Covid hospitality sector

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is to cut VAT on hospitality as part of a £30bn plan to prevent mass unemployment as the economy is hit by coronavirus.

The government will also pay firms a £1,000 bonus for every staff member kept on for three months when the furlough scheme ends in October.

And Mr Sunak announced a scheme to give 50% off to people dining out in August.

These measures were announced in Parliament this afternoon in The Chancellor's summer statement on the economy.

For the full story, see the BBC online at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53268594

Eisteddfod plans to build houses on its overspill car park

* The site of the proposed development off Abbey Road. Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has applied for planning permission to build seven houses on the overspill car park close to its main site off Abbey Road. The proposed development of three-bedroom homes would be served by two private shared driveways.

The site is a small triangular paddock off the A542 and is currently listed as brownfield for development purposes.

A design statement issued by the applicant’s agents, Fisher German of Chester, admits the proposed scheme is outside the development boundary and is therefore contrary to Denbighshire’s current Local Development Plan (LDP).

But the statement adds: “Notwithstanding, the (county) council currently has a significant shortfall from the plan-led housing requirement figure.

“The site adjoins a settlement boundary, in a highly accessible and sustainable location, and the provision of housing should be afforded significant weight so as to outweigh any policy conflict, subject to technical matters.

* A plan of the proposed housing development.

“The site is an under-utilised brownfield site located within a settlement. It may fall just the wrong side of the settlement boundary, but numerous appeal decisions and court rulings have confirmed that settlement boundary lines do not necessarily reflect the position on the ground.

“In this case, the site is connected to the town by continual development and very obviously forms part of its associated wider developed area.”

* A sketch of the housing types proposed.

A transport statement has been submitted alongside this application. This confirms both existing accesses to the site are suitable for the development and that “good visibility splays are created”.

The statement also confirms that a “minimal increase in traffic” would be created on Abbey Road as a result of the development.

A decision on the plan by county planners is pending.

* Further details of the application can be found on the county council's planning portal at: 

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/resident/planning-and-building-regulations/search-and-comment-on-applications.aspx

Use reference number: 03/2019/1075

Shunter makes history by reaching end of line at Corwen

* The diesel shunter at the end of the line.

Monday saw the first locomotive to run through Llangollen Railway's new station site to the end of the line at Green Lane, Corwen,

During the course of an engineer's possession of the line for a weed-killing exercise, the class 08 diesel shunt ran from Llangollen to Corwen and entered the station loop to reverse back.

This was the first time since December 1964, when the line closed due to flooding, that a locomotive has reached the west end of the new Corwen station.

It was on a day when the volunteer work force was present preparing to reopen the works site for a resumption of building the final stages of the platform after the lockdown.

Railway spokesperson George Jones said: "It was a tremendous occasion for all present and a good result for all the effort which went into restoring the track over the gap which has existed in the embankment until it was infilled last year."

End of an era at Ysgol Y Gwernant

* Bethan Jones.

* Diane Davies.

July sees an end of an era for Ysgol Gymraeg Y Gwernant as two of its leaders are leaving. 

Head Bethan Jones and deputy head Diane Davies are both leaving their posts to pursue new adventures.

School spokesperson Meinir Rees said: "We wish Bethan all the best in her new job as head teacher in Llanrwst and we wish Diane an enjoyable  and relaxing retirement.

"Bethan and Diane have worked together for 15 years from the very beginnings of the Uned Gymraeg, then Ysgol Gymraeg y Gwernant. 

"Their determination, drive and enthusiasm has helped to secure Welsh medium education for the children of Llangollen and surrounding area for generations to come. 

"They have instilled and secured a school with exceptionally high standards and also a very caring and nurturing environment.

"They will both be greatly missed."

Eisteddfod faced "uncertain future" but for government help, says chair

* Last year's eisteddfod parade passes over the bridge.

Llangollen International Eisteddfod would have faced an "uncertain future" without financial support from the Welsh Government, its chair has told the BBC.

Dr Rhys Davies said the festival would have lost "hundreds of thousands" of pounds without grants to support it.

The event should have begun yesterday (Monday) but was cancelled because of Covid-19.

* For the full story, see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53298886

Parking spaces could be lost to allow social distancing, councillor reveals

* Llangollen is one of the towns where pavements 

may be widened to allow social distancing.

A Llangollen county councillor has revealed Llangollen could lose some of its parking spaces as a result of widening pavements to create more room for social distancing due to coronavirus.

Graham Timms makes the revelation as the Labour group of councillors on Denbighshire County Council – of which he is part – call on the authority’s leaders to introduce 30-minute free parking in town centres such as Llangollen to make up for the loss of spaces.

This move, they say, could come into force when the council re-introduces parking charges in August.

Cllr Timms said: “Llangollen is one of the towns where some parking spaces could be lost by widening pavements to create more space for social distancing.

“I am very keen to ensure that there is mitigation for parking places that are lost on our streets to ensure that our small businesses continue to thrive.”

Cllr Timms said he could not yet give any further information about what will actually happen in Llangollen as things were still at the planning stage.

On behalf of the Labour group its leader Cllr Joan Butterfield has written to the leader and chief executive of the council setting out the 30-minute free parking suggestion.

She writes: “We call on you to support local town centre businesses by introducing 30 minutes of free parking in all Denbighshire’s town and city centre car parks from 1^st August 2020.

“This will coincide with the re-introduction of parking charges in all Denbighshire’s car parks.

“Recent proposals to remove some of the free 30-minute on-street parking in some Denbighshire towns to create more space for social distancing will certainly make our high streets more attractive and safer places to shop.

“But this will also mean that some ‘pop-and-shop’ residents could have to start paying for their parking, making them less likely to shop locally. 

“Whilst we support moves to make our towns safer, we also recognise that small businesses play a vital role in providing services to local residents and visitors.

“These businesses have really struggled over the last three months, many of them have been closed and some that remained open have suffered from a huge reduction in incomes.  Now that the lockdown is coming to an end we need to ensure that Denbighshire finds ways to revitalise our town centres.

“We are particularly concerned about those town centre businesses that provide services for our residents; Butchers, Greengrocers, Newsagents, Bakers and many others.

“They contribute to the vibrant atmosphere on high streets and make them attractive places to be. We need to support them at this time to ensure that they can continue to serve their communities and make their contribution to get the economy moving again.

“We need our town centres to have a good range of shops for residents and visitors in order to stimulate the local economy and tourism as we begin to welcome visitors back to Denbighshire.

“We believe that offering an incentive of thirty minutes free parking in all town and city centre car parks will be good for businesses, residents and visitors.”

Landmarks lit up to highlight plight of entertainments industry

* The International Pavilion is turned red by Orb Sound and Lighting Ltd.

* The Town Hall lit up in red last night.

Two of Llangollen's landmark buildings were lit up last night as part of a national initiative to draw attention to the way the entertainments industry has been hit by the coronavirus crisis.

Across the UK over 600 venues where entertainment is usually held registered to take part in the Light It In Red campaign.

And the team from locally-based Orb Sound and Lighting Ltd, who themselves have been badly affected by the enforced cancellation of live entertainment events, put Llangollen Town Hall and The International Pavilion on the list.

Both were lit up brightly lit up in red just after darkness fell last night, the Pavilion most poignantly on what should have been the eve of International Eisteddfod week.

Olli Bentley from Orb said: "This month, the team should have been working hard to support two of the biggest events of the year – the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, and the Llangollen Fringe Festival.

"Sadly, due to the ongoing COVID pandemic both events, along with thousands of other events across the UK, have had to be postponed until next year.

"In the events industry over 25,000 businesses have had to cancel and postpone events due to COVID-19, forcing over half a million workers to lose their income, virtually overnight.

"Inspired by Germany’s ‘Night Of Light 2020’, 645 venues across the UK have registered to take part in the Light It In Red campaign. 

"Each venue was lit up in red to draw attention to the dramatic situation that the events industry is facing, and to highlight to the government that the industry still urgently needs some help, before it’s too late."

He added: "ORB Sound and Lighting Ltd thought it would be appropriate to light up the Royal International Pavilion where the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod would currently be happening, and also the Llangollen Town Hall where the Llangollen Fringe Festival would have been taking place later this month.

"We usually joke with our clients that we’re always the first ones in, and the last ones out of every job. Sadly, this time we were the first ones to become jobless, and we will be the last ones allowed to restart.

"We would like to personally thank both venues for permitting us to light them up and thank the staff at LIME and Llangollen Fringe Festival. We would also like to thank Speeches and Cream Prestige Events, Massey Live and Festival Fireworks for their assistance."