Well-known businessman congratulated by MP on award

* Owner Reza Noori, left, and Simon Baynes MP outside Castle Bistro in Chirk.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes made a socially-distanced visit to Castle Bistro in Chirk to meet owner Reza Noori and congratulate him and his staff on receiving the Travellers’ Choice Award on Tripadvisor.

Mr Noori is well known in Llangollen and runs businesses in the town.

He established Castle Bistro in 2016 and received the award for consistently earning great reviews from travellers and for being ranked within the top 10% of hospitality businesses on Tripadvisor.

Mr Noori said: “We’ve been incredibly proud to receive this award. And it’s great recognition of how hard all our staff have worked to make Castle Bistro an excellent place to come and enjoy a meal. 

"I was very glad to catch up with Simon and tell him about some of our exciting plans going forward. And I want to thank all of our incredibly loyal customers for helping us get where we are.”

Simon Baynes said: “Reza and the whole team at Castle Bistro do an incredible job welcoming visitors to Chirk and making amazing meals. 

"This award is very well deserved. And it’s great to see one of our local Chirk businesses doing so well. I look forward to returning soon for a meal with my family.”

Legion set to mark VJ Day on Saturday morning

* The traditional poppy wreath will be laid on the war memorial. 

Llangollen Royal British Legion has given details of how it will be marking the 75th anniversary of VJ - Victory over Japan - Day next Saturday, August 15.

The ceremony to commemorate the end of the Secon World War in the Far East will be curtailed due to the coronavirus situation and there will be not be the usual march through town led by a band. 

Branch chair Phil Stroud said: "We will form up at the war memorial in Centenary Square for 10,50am and will be joined by 15 of the Legion's riders.

"The Service of Remembrance will start at 10.55am. 

"There are likely to be approximately 30 people on parade and, wearing masks, we will be arm's distance to meet the two-metre rule.

"There will be no march nor a band but the traditional Last Post and Reveille will be played through the PA system.

"A poppy wreath will be laid at the war memorial."

The tenor bell (the heaviest of the eight bells) at St. Collen's will be tolled 75 times at 11.10 a.m.on VJ Day 75 to mark the 75 years since VJ Day 1945.

As a matter of interest, the bell weighs over 16cwt.

* The war memorial inside St Collen's Church.

Reminder to take part in Test, Trace, Protect strategy

Denbighshire County Council is reminding customers and businesses about the importance of the Test, Trace, Protect strategy.

It says the strategy is key in controlling the spread of new outbreaks, particularly as public spaces start to re-open and customers are being assured it is safe to provide contact information and it is vital to help isolate an outbreak.

The strategy applies to hospitality businesses including pubs, bars, restaurants and cafes as well as tourism and leisure facilities, including theme parks, museums and cinemas, and close contact services including hairdressers, barbers, beauticians, tattooists, sports and massage therapists.

Cllr Mark Young, the council’s Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities, said: “Certain businesses should now be collecting names and contact details of all their customers and this is really important. 

"We are asking customers to co-operate with the request. Along with social distancing and good hygiene, the Test, Trace, Protect strategy is key to helping to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19.

“Businesses have been working hard to ensure they are re-opening safely and we urge them to ensure these regulations are adhered to.”

Businesses are required to take the names of customers or visitors, or if it is a group of people, the name of one member of the group – the ‘lead member’ as well as a contact telephone number for each customer or visitor, or for the lead member of a group of people and the date of visit and arrival and departure time.

If you have recently been to one of these businesses and have not been asked for your contact name and number then the council would like to know. Please email envhealth@denbighshire.gov.uk with the name of that business.

County should monitor removal of parking bays, says MP

* Simon Baynes MP, left, on a socially-distanced picture with Hwyn Davies of the butcher's shop.

* ... and with Jan Deeprose of Lily Rose Interiors.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes says he hopes the county council will monitor the effects of the planned temporary parking suspension in Castle Street and reinstate it or modify their plans if necessary.

Mr Baynes made the comment after visiting a number of businesses along Llangollen's busy main street on Saturday.

The county council has been consulting on its controversial plan to temporarily remove parking bays along the street as part of its planned measures to allow better social distancing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

But the idea has met with opposition from some traders and local residents.

After his Saturday visit, Mr Baynes posted on his Facebook page: "Very good to visit some shops and hospitality businesses yesterday on Castle Street in Llangollen and hear about the recovery since lockdown and also their concerns about Denbighshire County Council’s plans to suspend the parking bays on Castle Street in order to benefit social distancing and improve traffic, cyclist and pedestrian flows."While I understand and respect the council’s objectives, the businesses I met said the short stay parking is very important for quick purchases by customers, takeaways and stock deliveries.
"Having had a town centre second-hand bookshop myself some years ago, I fully understand the importance of a judicious mix of long and short term parking in town centres.
"I hope very much that Denbighshire County Council will carefully monitor the effects of the planned parking suspension during the temporary period and reinstate it or modify their plans in the future if local businesses in Castle Street are badly affected given that the prosperity of the shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants is vital for the long term future of Llangollen, particularly in terms of ensuring a diversity of independent shops and hospitality businesses."

Helicopter rescue drama near Sun Bank

SEE UPDATE AT FOOT OF STORY

More than one helicopter is thought to have was involved in the rescue of what is believed to have been a walker from the Panorama near Sun Bank earlier today.

This picture is taken from a short video film posted on Facebook by local dance instructor Julie Kirk Thomas who lives nearby.

Julie, who runs the weekly Strictly Fun Dancing sessions in Centenary Square at 10.30am on Mondays, told llanblogger: "It's been very busy here with helicopters and I was filming from our garden.

"We noticed climbers on the old quarry behind us this morning whilst dog walking.

"It all went quiet just after 3pm today."

The Daily Post online reported later this afternoon:

"A woman has been flown to hospital after falling at a former quarry now used by climbers.

"Emergency services were called to the Trevor Quarry site at Panorama Walk near Llangollen just after 12.30pm on Saturday after reports that a woman had fallen.

"The Wales Air Ambulance and coastguard helicopter were both required to attend."

Isherwood raises concerns over care home funding during pandemic

Shadow Minister for North Wales Mark Isherwood has expressed concern over the £22.7 million support package announced recently by the Welsh Government for local authorities to help adult social care providers meet the additional costs associated with the pandemic.  

Although it is now August, this funding covers the period from July 1^st, and leading figures in the care sector have claimed it discriminates against care providers in North Wales in favour of those in the south of the country.

Mr Isherwood has been calling for more support for care homes in North Wales since June and has challenged the Health Minister over the matter on a number of occasions during virtual Plenary meetings of the Welsh Parliament in recent months.  

Therefore, whilst welcoming the additional support package, he is disappointed that care home providers in North Wales will receive substantially less than those in South Wales.  

He said: “Once again, care home providers in the North are the poor relations. 

"As Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales has stated: 'Funding is allocated via local councils and health boards which means we essentially have 29 variations on a theme which is an absolute nonsense. The vast majority of care home residents are publicly funded and providers have been forced to dance to the varying tunes of local councils for a generation. The absurdity of the situation was recently highlighted by the Cheapskate Awards handed out by Care Forum Wales which illustrated the unfair post code lottery plaguing the sector in Wales.'

“Five North Wales Local Authorities were presented with Cheapskate Awards for paying amongst the lowest care home fees in Wales amid the coronavirus crisis, with an inbuilt North-South divide.

“Sadly, care homes in North Wales are being left behind when it comes to funding, despite calls from myself, other politicians and the sector, for North Wales to be treated fairly.  

“As Care Forum Wales have said, the overwhelming priority now must be ‘to devise a national action plan to implement long-term structural change to mend a system that’s broken and fragmented’.”

Mr Isherwood added: “Aside from the unfairness of the system, Care Forum Wales have also warned that this additional funding will serve only as a ‘temporary sticking plaster’. 

"The Health Minister has said he will review the situation in September, but the majority of care home providers cannot wait until then. They need action now from the Minister to balance the system and alleviate as far as possible the likely impacts of any second wave of Covid-19 infections, and the routine seasonal flus and other pressures that the latter part of the year will bring, so that care homes and nursing homes can support NHS Wales through this coming winter.”

County explains why car park can't be used by permit holders

The county council has explained why a sign which has appeared outside the East Street car park in Llangollen saying it can no longer be used by parking permit holders.

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “The sign relates to the free two-hour parking offer in six of the county’s car parks which runs up until December 31. 

The car parks chosen for this offer are predominantly short stay car parks where permits are not valid. This is to ensure spaces are kept free for shoppers and visitors, generating a higher turnover of visits to help support our town centre businesses.

“However, in Llangollen because permits are valid in the town’s short stay and long stay car parks, we chose East Street Car Park for the offer to ensure spaces are kept free for shoppers and visitors, while still allowing permit holders to use Market Street, Mill Street or Hall Street car parks.”