Sion Corn checks his route to town's Christmas Festival

* Sion Corn at Lapland Station - or Carrog as it's usually known. Picture by Richard Walliker.

Sion Corn looked a little confused when he turned up on Llangollen Railway as part of his task to work out the best route to the town's Christmas festival in just a few weeks' time.

Because when he stopped off at Carrog he found the signboard showing 'Lapland' which is of course his legendary home near the North Pole. 

But it was soon explained to him by railway volunteers that Lapland is traditionally re-created at Carrog for when their Santa Special trains come rolling through at Christmas-time.

The town's Christmas festival is making a welcome return on Saturday November 26 after a three-year break due to the pandemic.

A spokesperson said: "We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible to mark the start of the town’s seasonal preparations. 

"There will be a Grand Parade starting from the Pavilion ground at 1pm and proceeding to the Town Hall for the official opening where Sion Corn - the Welsh Father Christmas - will stay for the afternoon to meet and greet as many of his friends as wish to do so at the start of his busiest part of the year.

"There will be lots to do for children old and young and a wide range of seasonal treats and activities.

"At the end of the afternoon there will be the usual firework display at which time the town's Christmas lights will also be switched on.

"Sion Corn will once again be dressed in his traditional green as he makes his preparations and is already planning his visit. 

"After three years he has lots to do as he decides how to make the journey as rapidly as possible."

Dementia Friends information session to be held at Town Hall

 

Applications for cash to improve play areas now open

Funding totalling £100,614 is available to improve open spaces and play areas in Denbighshire.

Denbighshire County Council’s Open Spaces Commuted Sums is now open to communities across the county.

The fund is open to town or community councils, community or voluntary groups.

Amount available in Llangollen is £1,238.21. 

The closing date for applications is 12:00 (midday) on Tuesday 31^st January 2023.

* Further information and application forms will be available online here: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/commutedsums

If you would like support to develop a community project or idea, get in touch with the council's Community Development Team via email: communitydevelopment@denbighshire.gov.uk

Llangollen Round's Judy Smith is Inner Wheel guest speaker

* Inner Wheel members present a cheque for Cancer Research

to Judy Smith of Llangollen Round.

Last Wednesday evening Llangollen Inner Wheel were pleased to have as their guest speaker Judy Smith of Llangollen Round. 

She told members how she got her first ideas of setting up the round when she had damaged her foot and was unable to walk. 

With the help of her husband and her friend, Sandra Woodall, she got the first event off the ground.

This initial idea has grown from the first year raising a few hundred pounds for Cancer Research and being supported by local enthusiasts to this year raising more than £100,000 attracting participants from all over the country.

The planning and running of the event is supported by many local companies and more then 100 volunteers, who man checkpoints, make cakes and help with catering etc.

Members were pleased to make a donation to Cancer Research

Latest local roadworks alerts

Latest local roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are:

Hall street Llangollen HALL STREET 14/11/2022 23/12/2022 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT (PHILIP BI LLANGOLLEN Atal Parcio / Parking Suspension Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Nr Winton ABBEY ROAD 24/11/2022 01/12/2022 Gwaith Trydanol / Electrical Works O'CONNOR UTILITIES (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

Chapel Street  14/11/2022 23/12/2022 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT (PHILIP BI LLANGOLLEN Un Ffordd/ One Way

A542 Heol y Farchnad / Market Street 26/11/2022 26/11/2022 Digwyddiad ar y Priffordd/ Event on the Highway LLANGOLLEN TOWN COUN LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Hall street Llangollen HALL STREET 14/11/2022 23/12/2022 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT (PHILIP BI LLANGOLLEN Atal Parcio / Parking Suspension Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

O/S PLAS BACH ON HALL STREET HALL STREET 07/11/2022 09/11/2022 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (LAUREN) LLANGOLLEN Atal Parcio / Parking Suspension Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

O/S PLAS BACH ON HALL STREET HALL STREET 07/11/2022 09/11/2022 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (LAUREN) LLANGOLLEN Atal Parcio / Parking Suspension Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

A539 MILL STREET 14/11/2022 15/11/2022 NMWTRA (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

A539 Castle St, Oak St, Bridge St & Chapel St, Llangollen CASTLE STREET 13/11/2022 13/11/2022 Sul y Cofio / Remembrance Sunday LLANGOLLEN TOWN COUN LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Primary schools' plan to make their roundabout safer

* The roundabout in front of the two schools. Picture from Google.

Llangollen’s two primary schools have been in touch with parents to tell them about plans to make the roundabout in front of their buildings safer to negotiate from next Monday.

A letter sent out by the children’s school councils at Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol Y Gwernant outlines the plan to restrict use of the roundabout to 30 minutes in the mornings and 45 minutes in the afternoons for dropping off and picking up children, with only certain vehicles allowed to park and wait.

The letter also explains that the schools are working with the county’s traffic team to create a special area on the roundabout to help keep children, parents and carers safe as they head to and from lessons.

The letter says the school council has been working with head teachers and governors at both schools to find a way to make the roundabout “safer at drop off and pick up times”.

Areas which have been discussed, say the children, are the number of cars parking in the wrong places, especially on triple yellow lines; the number of people parking in taxi bays; how people can travel more safely to the schools and how to “try to fix the problem before there is a serious accident”.

“We have also seen that many parents and carers feel the same way that we do, and agree that something needs to be done. So we need your help,” they add.  

The councils advise therefore that from Monday November 7 “no-one will be allowed to park and get out, or park and wait on the roundabout at all. The only vehicles allowed to park and wait will be taxis, minibuses, coaches and blue badge holders”.

Drop and go times, they say, will be between 8.30 and 9am in the mornings and 2.45 and 3.30pm in the afternoons.

The letter to parents adds: “We are working with the traffic team in Denbighshire to help us to allow children and parents/carers who work, bike or scoot to school to travel safely into school.

“We would like a special area on the roundabout to keep them safe. To do this we need to get help from Highways and the planning team. We will let you know when we get more information on this.

“We hope you agree that these very small changes will make a huge difference and that with your help, you can make drop off and pick up times a safer place for both schools. If you would like to talk about these changes with your school, please contact your school directly.”

County launches Free After Three seasonal parking scheme

* Market Street is one of Llangollen's car parks where it will be Free After Three in the run-up to Christmas. 

Denbighshire County Council will once again be running the ‘Free After Three’ parking scheme in the run-up to Christmas.  

Between November 21 and December 31, council-run town centre car parks - including four in Llangollen - will be free to use across Denbighshire every day from 3pm to encourage more people to use their local high street for shopping.

The Free After Three initiative will be available in the following car parks: 

1. Corwen - Green Lane
2. Denbigh - Barkers Well Lane (multi-storey), Factory Ward, Crown Lane, Post Office Lane and Vale Street
3. Llangollen - Market Street, East Street, Hall Street and Mill Street
4. Prestatyn - Lower High Street, Kings Avenue and Railway Station
5. Rhuddlan - Parliament Street
6. Rhyl – Central (underground), Morley Road, Sky Tower, West Kinmel Street, Town Hall, Railway Station
7. Ruthin - Market Street, Park Road, Crispin Yard, Troed Y Rhiw, Rhos Street, St Peters Square and Dog Lane
8. St Asaph - Bowling Green

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “Free after 3 has proved popular in previous years because it is a great scheme that enables residents to support their local communities. 

“We hope that everyone supports our local high streets and back our businesses, especially in the run-up to Christmas and take full advantage of the benefits of the scheme by using the county’s town centre car parks free of charge.”