Cat puts out the call for supplies to keep food operation going

* The team from Pizza Palace on Castle Street who have been helping with the food operation.

Each day during lockdown the Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group started by Cat Meade and her friends has been providing lunch and dinner for 13 people who aren’t able to prepare food for themselves.   

To keep this vital service going the group has raised funds through regular raffles on its own Facebook page and there has also been strong support from Llangollen Rotary Club and Llangollen Inner Wheel’s Moira Gleed and Angela Jefferies along with Cat’s own mum.

Further support has come from local businesses Dee Pizza, Kelly’s Chippy, Llangollen Pizza & Kebab and Simran Shah at Aydan’s Tandoori.

Cat says that to keep the meals coming the group is still in need of supplies such as drinks, pot noodles, porridge pots, crisps, snacks, hot chocolate, tea, coffee and cups of soups.

She said: “If you would like to donate a bag of chips etc from an eatery or supply goods, If you can help we have set up a drop off point with Stephen Brady at Recollections Ltd on Abbey Road, next to the Bridge End. If you have an extra portion of food we can use or freeze, or if you can donate a £1 or anything you can via paypal at catmeade@hotmail.co.uk where I shop weekly at Aldi for goods.”

* Cat has also taken to Facebook to say a big thank you to her employers who have not only allowed her to use their office resources since the pandemic began but have also contributed thousands of pounds towards the work of the help group.

She posted: “As you all know I started this page along with Bethan Mascarenhas  some 10 months ago. 

“I have had a lot of help along the way from Admins to Volunteers, created Llangollen Raffles to fundraise and assist local businesses which has also bought a bit of fun to our community in the process. 

“You may also know by now that I have a full-time job running the Llangollen Wingetts branch for sales, lettings and commercial of which has been a very demanding year.

“I am very lucky to have a job that I love but also that has remained in full swing during the pandemic for which I am extremely grateful. 

“What you may not know that behind me I have two amazing directors in Emma Hayward and Leigh Hayward who own Wingetts.

“From day one I published our office number as a helpline, I published leaflets from the office printer, donated in our competition for NHS drawings which we displayed in our Llangollen office with £1,000 to Air Ambulance and gave prize to winner, staff have gifted donations and goods, supported local fundraisers and donated to all causes. 

“I have always loved my job and proud to be part of the Wingetts family What you don’t see is that Wingetts as a business has contributed over £5,000 during these past 10 months to Llangollen and my fundraising appeals. 

“We are family and we are #llangollenfamily we support one another. I just wanted to say a big thank you to Wingetts Ltd Wrexham & Llangollen for supporting me and Llangollen.”

County promises to monitor Castle Street potholes

* A number of potholes on the bridge have now been given attention.

The county said the pothole situation on Castle Street is to be kept under review after it carried out repairs to some of the cavities in the roadway.

llanblogger recently highlighted the number of deep holes along Llangollen's main street by sending a series of pictures of some of the worst ones to the county council.

As a result a council spokesperson said an officer would be sent to inspect the holes to see if they were a safety hazard.

On Monday of this week llanblogger revealed how a number of the deepest holes had been filled in - sparking a flurry of comments about the quality of the repairs.

On Tuesday workmen were back to give attention to the remaining holes.

Possibly the deepest of all the holes on the bridge has now been filled along with a number of others further along the street.

A council spokesperson said yesterday: “Work has been carried out to make some repairs on Castle Street and we will continue to monitor the condition of the highway for any further safety works needed.”

llanblogger will also keep the situation under review.

Health centre's vaccinations latest

Llangollen Health Centre has just put out its latest message about Covid vaccinations on social media.

It says: "Our team have been doing a sterling job contacting all our patients who are in the next two priority groups for the Covid vaccine - those aged 70 - 79 and those on the official shielding list.

"We have over 1,300 patients in these groups and so far we have contacted 969 patients. Thanks to the team for working so hard on this over the past few days.

"If you are in one of these priority groups but have not yet been contacted please be patient - we will get to you over the next couple of days."

Call for parking areas to be closed to stop Covid rule breaking

* The Panorama near Llangollen.

A Llangollen resident is asking the area's two county councillors to consider temporarily closing parking areas in a local beaut spots to prevent their use by lockdown rule-breakers.

On Tuesday llanblogger highlighted the story about Clwyd West Senedd Member Darren Millar and two Denbighshire County Councillors, Martyn Holland and Huw Williams, who were asking for lay-bys on the main A494 to be temporarily closed.

They were concerned that people are parking in them to access nearby fields to go walking and sledging during lockdown, despite Welsh Government Covid rules stating that people should not travel for exercise.

A concerned local resident has now written to Llangollen county councillors Graham Timms and Melvyn Mile asking them to consider similar measures in this area.

In his email to them, he says: "Having read the article in llanblogger, I just want to let you know of an issue up on the Panorama. 

"I was up there yesterday afternoon on my mountain bike, exercising from home back to home in accordance with the current Welsh Covid Regulations. 

"I was disappointed therefore to see cars parked in informal parking spaces as you go from by the castle along as far the junctions at the top of Garth. 

"Some people are clearly breaching the regulations and disregarding public safety in relation to the pandemic which is very regrettable. I saw about nine vehicles including a chap who was getting a drone out of the boot of his car to fly in this beautiful location.

"You therefore might like to consider asking for these lay-bys to be closed similarly to the request of your fellow councillors in Denbighshire. 

"I would also mention that there was considerable rubbish dumped in the parking space as you come up the hill from the Sun Trevor, turn right and the informal parking area is on the left at the top of a rise."

Town Council by-election could be held on March 18

* Llangollen Town Hall, base of the town council.

If the vacancy is contested, a by-election for the seat of former Cllr George Hughes on Llangollen Town Council will be held on Thursday, March 18. 

Mr Hughes resigned from the council last October.

In Wales, any by-election scheduled to take place after March 16, 2020, or was due to a vacancy that occurred during the pandemic, could not take place before March 2021.

Any person wishing to stand as a candidate at the by-election should contact the Returning Officer at Denbighshire County Council on 01824 706114 or 706118, or email elections@denbighshire.gov.uk to obtain nomination papers.

Completed nomination papers must be presented in person by appointment with the Returning Officer or her Deputy at County Hall, Ruthin no later than 4pm Friday, February 19.

Roadworks planned for Regent Street this week

Latest local roadworks notification from one.network is: 

Regent Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 04 February — 04 February   Delays likely - Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)   Works location: The Grapes, Regent Street, Llangollen   Works description: Cherry picker Permit   Responsibility for works: Welsh Government   Current status: Planned work about to start   Works reference: PD510212110734619

Council workmen fill in more Castle Street potholes

Workmen are this morning (Tuesday) in the process of filling in the remaining potholes on Castle Street.

llanblogger recently highlighted the number of deep holes along Llangollen's main street by sending a series of pictures of some of the worst ones to the county council.

As a result a council spokesperson said an officer would be sent to inspect the holes to see if they were a safety hazard.

Yesterday llanblogger revealed how a number of the deepest holes had been filled in - sparking a flurry of comments about the quality of the repairs.

Today workmen were back to give attention to the remaining holes and were still in the area at the time of posting this story.

Possibly the deepest of all the holes on the bridge has now been filled along with a number of others further along the street.

llanblogger will be checking again to see if all the potholes have been filled.  

* Possibly the worst pothole of all, on the bridge, is now filled.

* The hole at junction of Castle Street and Parade Street has been filled.

* The hole at the Market Street/Castle Street junction was yet to be done this morning.