Customer letter tells of Barclays bank branch closure

* The customer letter posted on Facebook.

Barclays is to close Llangollen’s last traditional bank branch on July 7, according to a letter to a customer which has been shared on social media.

The letter says: “We’ll be closing out Llangollen branch on Friday 7 July 2023 at 12.00pm.

“The decision to close a branch is never easy and we appreciate this might not be welcome news but we’ll make sure you and your local community continue to have access to our banking services when you need them.

“We’ll still be part of your community in Llangollen, we’re just finalising details of when and where we’ll be based to support you with your banking.”

The letter starts by describing how many customers are choosing to bank in different ways which it says means that fewer of them were visiting branches.

And it goes on to say ask customers for their comments about the closure.

“We want to hear what you think. We’ll be speaking with customers, the local MP, council members, charities, community groups and local businesses to gain feedback,” it goes on.

“Two weeks before the closure we’ll share a summary of this feedback.”

If this closure happens it will mean all three of the town’s three traditional bank branches will have been lost with just the Post Office left to provide basic banking facilities.

The Facebook post about the latest closure had attracted over 50 comments by earlier this morning.

One points out that the closure will come during Eisteddfod week while another says that some elderly people do not use computers to do their banking and are unable to travel other areas to use branches still open.

Llanblogger has sought comments from Barclays and local politicians.      

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards said this morning: “While I’m afraid this unwelcome move has been suspected for some time, it is still a shock to learn that it is now actually happening.

“The closure is bound to have an adverse effect upon residents – especially the elderly – and our smaller local businesses which rely heavily on the branch’s services.

“This is, of course, a major tourist town and visitors are also likely to be affected by this decision.

“The letter mentions that Barclays will still have some sort of presence in the town and I sincerely hope this will be the case.”

According to the letter, details of the closure are available online at home.barclays/ukbranchclosures - although this doesn't mention Llangollen - and in the branch.

Llangollen man encourages others to have breast cancer check

* Jim Allen's story appears in the Mirror.

According to a story in the Mirror, a Llangollen man who was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer is now encouraging others to check their bodies.

* Fort the full story, see: Man given breast cancer diagnosis wants others to know the signs and check their bodies - Mirror Online

Weeks of roadworks planned for A525 Nant y Garth Pass

Roadworks are due to commence on the A525 at Nant y Garth later this month.

These comprise carriageway patching,  road cleansing, gully emptying and the reconstruction of a damaged section of wall supporting the carriageway.

The works will take place from B5429 Llysfasi to B5431 to Llanarmon Yn Ial.

Work is due to start on Monday April 17 and is expected to take up to six weeks to complete.

Initially, the road will be closed for vehicular traffic and pedestrians from Monday April 17 to Wednesday  April 19 and thereafter, two-way temporary traffic signals will be in place for a further five weeks to undertake the retaining wall works. Public Transport will operate as normal.

Access to residential and business premises which are located on Nant y Garth will be available although some delay and disruption maybe experienced and residents are encouraged to keep journeys to a minimum to reduce traffic congestion.

The alternative diversion route will be signed accordingly. Normal working hours shall apply to the works.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Denbighshire County Council apologise for any inconvenience that these essential works may cause, and we are grateful for local cooperation and patience during this time to ensure that the works are completed as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

Mazda bucks EV trend with super-clean diesel

Mazda CX-60 diesel launch by Steve Rogers

Here we are in the middle of the electric revolution and one car company decides the time is right for a new diesel. And a big one at that, an in-line 3.3 litre.

But this is Mazda we are talking about, a company that is anything but conventional when it comes to everything motoring, particularly engines.

It is taking a pragmatic approach, happy to follow the Government edict to be all electric by 2035, but still have a range of super clean, economical petrol and diesel engines in the bank for those who prefer to stick with the good old internal combustion engine. And there will be plenty who will, after all lots of enthusiasts still enjoy driving classic cars.

Mazda’s UK boss Jeremy Thomson is all for the company’s ‘multi-solution approach’ with more efficient internal combustion engines and a range of electrified powertrains.

He told me the new diesel is designed to meet the needs of customers who want an efficient, long distance driving car with great towing capacity, and rural Wales is one of its target areas.

So has Mazda pulled a rabbit out of the hat or built an engine that no one will want? The company is realistic, predicting no more than 15 per cent of the CX-60 cake, with the majority favouring the hybrid and plug-in hybrid models.

That said this is the world’s cleanest diesel, capable of mid fifties to the gallon, powering a sizeable SUV with a towing capacity of 2,500kg - music to the ears to people like me who tow a big caravan.

Mazda has gone for an inline 6-cylinder rather than a V6 because it vibrates less and to be fair it does not feel like a heavyweight under the bonnet, in fact the engine weighs around the same as the 2.2 litre four cylinder diesel which is a measure of how much weight has been saved.

It comes with a choice of 196bhp or 254bhp, the latter powering the all wheel drive version. The engines are very refined, both helped by a 48 volt hybrid power unit to boost economy and acceleration as well as lowering engine emissions. The lower powered version feels punchy enough until you get behind the wheel of the ‘bully boy’ which benefits from an extra 100Nm of torque and is a good bit quicker with foot flat to the floor in the mid range.

It loses out on economy, 56 to 53mpg, and costs more because of all wheel drive and a higher level of equipment, but there is no need to be put off by going for the rear wheel drive entry level. Mazda has always been more generous with its basic specification compared to premium German rivals - yes Mazda has climbed into the upper class - so the Exclusive Line is not that poor a relation of the CX-60 trio.

For £42,990 you get the digital binnacle with excellent head up display, the central 12.3in touchscreen which can be operated by a rotary controller, glad Mazda is sticking with that, it is much safer than fingering the screen while on the move, and the heating controls are physical switches. Other niceties include navigation,  heated front seats, and smart phone connectivity.

An extra £1,900 adds a pack that includes a 360 degree view camera, wireless charging and a full suite of safety features which is well worth considering.

Moving up to Homura brings in the more powerful engine, all wheel drive and pretty much the comfort pack (£1,400 extra on Exclusive-Line) that includes powered and ventilated front seats and heated outer rear seats. Top of the range Takumi is more plush with leather and fabric finishes but the £1,900 package with the safety features is still a £1,900 extra.

All Mazda’s favour enthusiastic driving and even this big SUV is a pleasure to drive, flowing through twisty roads thanks to its taut suspension set up which can be switched on the fly between comfort, off road and sport. I will even go so far as to say it is good fun although not quite as well planted as my current Audi Q5 Sportback test car.

Whether you think it is bold or barmy the addition of a powerful, economic diesel to the CX-60 range is a worthwhile option especially when many rivals have ditched diesel for good.

Fast facts

CX-60 Takumi 8sp auto

£50,730

3.3 litre turbo diesel; 248bhp

0-62mph 7.4secs; 136mph

53.3mpg combined

139g/km. 1st tax £285

Boot: 570-1726 litres

Insurance group 39

Canal walkers raise over £20,000 for children’s hospices

* A group of happy canal walkers.

* Striding out in a good cause.

Hundreds of walkers put their best foot forward and took on the 10-mile Llangollen Canal Walk on Sunday raising more than £20,000 for Hope House Children’s Hospices.  

The event saw walkers cross the start point at Trevor Basin before heading over the world-famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and following the canal all the way to The Poachers pub at Chirk for refreshments before heading back to receive their special medals.  

The event was sponsored by the Principality Building Society and was supported by volunteers and marshals from the Wrexham and Erddig Rotary Club. 

The event was rescheduled due to the snow in March with some walkers choosing to take on the walk at a different time. 

One of those was Jane Williams, from Wrexham, who has been doing the walk for 10 years in memory of her son Evan, who died suddenly in his sleep just weeks before his 13^th birthday. 

She said: “I can honestly say if we hadn’t had Hope House I don’t know what we would have done. 

“By walking the Llangollen Canal Walk and raising this money for the hospices you’ve made sure families like mine continue to get the support when they need it the most.” 

Fundraiser Cat Dowdeswell said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our amazing supporters who have joined us on our Llangollen Canal Walk, raising £16,000 so far with more money still coming in.  

“This money will be supporting seriously ill local children and their families, and without this fantastic support we simply wouldn’t be able to be here for those that need us the most.  

“A huge thank you also to our super team of volunteers and our event sponsors Principality Building Society who have helped make this such a great day and sent a team to help us on the day.” 

If you have been inspired to take part in an event or fundraise for Hope House Children’s Hospices then please visit hopehouse.org.uk/events to see how you can get involved.  

MS welcomes talks for direct trains from Wrexham to Liverpool

A North Wales MS has welcomed talks to establish regular direct trains between Wrexham and Liverpool. 

Ken Skates (pictured) raised the matter in the Senedd recently and was told that Transport for Wales (TfW) is working with the Liverpool City Region and MerseyRail to put on more services and remove the need for passengers to change at Bidston.

Former Transport Minister Mr Skates, who represents Clwyd South, said the move would be ‘brilliant’ for his constituents and commuters across the region. 

The UK Government has responsibility for rail infrastructure, and Mr Skates wants Tory Ministers to commit to ‘long-overdue’ investment in the North Wales network. 

“I’m really pleased to hear Transport for Wales are working with partners in Merseyside to try and deliver this,” said Mr Skates. “It would be brilliant and I’m pleased the Welsh Government has identified the Wrexham-Bidston Line as a key route for our region.”

In a letter to Mr Skates, Minister Lee Waters said: “Thank you for raising the important topic of the work Transport for Wales (TfW) are undertaking with MerseyRail.  

“I thought it would be useful to write to you, as TfW are engaging regularly with the Liverpool City Region (LCR) and on how they, and MerseyRail, can work together to deliver improvements for passengers on the Wrexham to Bidston Line. TfW have a Memorandum of Understanding in place with LCR to work collaboratively on projects that impact upon the cross-border economy. The Wrexham to Bidston Line is a key focus of this collaboration. 

“TfW are working with LCR to develop the business case for increasing the frequency of services on the line. Linked closely to this is a joint bid from TfW and LCR to the Union Connectivity Fund which aims to enable the use of MerseyRail’s brand new Stadler 777 fleet on the Wrexham to Bidston Line. The extension of these new trains would then ultimately enable direct services into Liverpool from this line rather than the current need to change trains at Bidston.  

“TfW are hopeful that they will hear the outcome of this bid in the very near future and I would be happy to provide you with an update on this once the outcome is known.” 

Mr Skates said: “It’s fantastic to see TfW and the Liverpool City Region working so closely for people both sides of the border. Cross-border relationships are so crucial for our corner of Wales in promoting economic growth and shared solutions such as this.” 

He added: “This project would be a real boost for Wrexham. Investment in rail infrastructure in North Wales is long overdue, and I urge UK Government Ministers to approve the bid.” 

Tower Road to be temporarily closed for gas main works

* The area affected by the temporary closure to traffic of Tower Road.

Denbighshire County Council has notified of a temporary traffic order closing Tower Road, Llangollen, for is entire length, from April 24-May19 to allow gas main replacement by Wales & West Utilities.

There will be a traffic diversion route along Dinbren Road, Wharf Hill, Mill Street and Abbey Road. 

The order says that pedestrian access along the road will be maintained throughout the closure period.