MG3: No wonder car but not bad for the price

MG 3 drive by Steve Rogers

A friend asked for advice on buying a new car for not too much money.

His son is heading towards giant size so something like a little Kia Picanto or Hyundai i10 would not fit the bill. 

I pointed him towards the MG 3 mainly because I have just been driving it and think it is outstanding value for money. It’s in a battle with the Dacia Sandero for the cheapest car of its size, losing out by £25, but the MG has a seven-year warranty.

This is not the famed MG marque of old. That renowned British car maker was allowed to smoulder and die until it rose phoenix like from the ashes thanks to a Chinese conglomerate which bought the name and did what the Chinese do best, churn out inexpensive goods.

Let’s not kid ourselves that the price tag makes this a wonder car. There is some good and some not so good bits, the not so good taking up more space than not so good on a Ford Fiesta or Volkswagen Polo which are among the more expensive rivals.

Here we have a five door, five seat hatchback that falls into the supermini bracket like Fiesta and Polo etc. There are just two models, Excite and Exclusive, and one engine option, a 1.5 litre petrol. It does not look that quick on paper and is not that quick when driven although it gets to sixty quicker than a Dacia Sandero and does not sound stressed at motorway speed.

The downside is economy. Trying very hard on a 30 mile round trip I managed 44mpg but think yourself lucky if your weekly average reaches 40mpg which is some way adrift of most rivals. Would a six speed option rather than the standard five speed gearbox improve matters?

Another area that could be improved is the ride. I could tell it was twitchy before I reached the end of my cul-de-sac. My advice to the suspension experts is to take a ride in a Citroen C3 and copy it. That said no one can match the C3 for comfort so let’s not be too hard on this little fella. I have driven other MGs where the ride is more than acceptable.

With a budget price tag it is easy to expect an interior like a low rent bedsit. Well prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Yes there is a lot of scratchy black plastic but everything is well screwed together, and there are a few screwheads on show if you want to check!

There is nothing complicated about the layout with a central eight inch touchscreen and clear, separate switches for radio and heating, and even though this is a car for a low budget it does not feel drab. They have made an effort to jazz things up with a stylish bubble design on the door cards while the silver tartan dashboard inlay adds a nice touch of class.

Five adults will fit into the car as long as those in the back are not too tall but they will not be troubled by a lack of headroom.

Boot space does not come close to best in class and the 23cm drop to the boot floor will make lifting heavier items a strain. A two level floor, found on most cars, would be an inexpensive fix.

Equipment level on the Excite covers the basics with all round electric windows, air conditioning, DAB radio with Apple CarPlay, and parking sensors as the standouts. Going for Exclusive adds on board navigation, rear parking camera, cruise control and sports seats.

What is missing on both models is a telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel which has to make do with tilt only. It will stop drivers with shorter legs finding the ideal driving position because you have to sit too close to the steering wheel.

Something else that might put off potential customers is the three star Euro NCAP rating when the majority have five, although it is one more than Sandero. It is not something that bothers me as modern day cars are all pretty robust, but lower rated cars do not have the necessary safety aids to qualify.

So there we have it. A car that is hard to beat on price, particularly if you go for Excite which would be my choice. Who needs basic cruise control, or navigation when someone in the family will have a smart phone? But I would miss a reversing camera.

Fast facts

MG 3 Exclusive Nav

£16,040 (starts £13,820)

1.5 litre petrol; 104bhp

0-60mph 10.4secs; 108mph

43.3mpg combined

147g/km. 1st VED £255

Boot: 285-1262 litres

Town council looking for three new members

Llangollen Town Council has issued the following official notice of its intention to fill the vacancies it has for three councillors by co-option:

Gary makes good progress on his 500-mile charity trek

* Pilgrim's progress: Gary Fletcher sets out on the famous Camino De Santiago Pilgrim Trail.  

Despite the heat and his blistered feet a Llangollen man says he is making good progress on his solo 500-mile charity walk to raise at least £10,000 for a local hospital’s specialist children’s unit. 

Gary Fletcher, 44, is trekking through France and Spain along the famous Camino De Santiago Pilgrim Trail.  

He reckons it will take him between six and eight weeks, dependent on the weather or any injuries he might sustain along the way. 

Gary, who recently sold his development site next to White Waters Hotel and is looking for another property in or around the town, spent weeks training for his foot-slogging marathon by climbing local hills and mountains and sweating it out in daily gym sessions. 

* He's had to tape up his badly blistered feet.

He also mounted an intensive publicity and social media campaign to gain the sponsorship from local businesses that he needs before he can set off on the challenge in aid of the pioneering Movement Centre at the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen.  

Before leaving he said: “I have wanted to do something to help children in our country for some time. With the centre I have found the perfect charity to support as it relies solely on donations and private fundraising to continue its work supporting children of all ages with mobility issues.” 

His regular posts on Facebook detail how he set off aboard the Eurostar from London bound for Paris on May 6.

A couple of days later he was in at the start of the walk in a town named St Jean de Port in the French Pyrenees trying to get used to the heat and acquiring the first stamp in his official Camino passport.

Soon afterwards he recorded how he was en route to Pamplona city in Spain – with his goal of Santiago De Compostela still 790 kms distant.

Not long afterwards Gary was reporting on some painful blisters on the toes of both feet for which he had bought some special padded socks.

He also revealed how much he was sweating due to the heat and the coat he was having to wear because of rain along the trail.

 * You can sponsor Gary at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/500-mile-walk-along-the-camino-santiago-trail 

Roadworks planned for parts of town this week

Local councillors have been notified of roadworks which will affect parts of the town centre from tomorrow, for two days.

They have been told these will be taking place from May 15-17 mainly under 'stop go' boards just narrowing the road slightly in some cases.

Most of the work is correcting the kerb tabs and termination markings that were installed in the Llangollen 2020 project.

There is also some additional lining to go along with the new signs that were installed when A.Parry construction were last in town.

On Tuesday 16^th the contractor will be installing some anti-skid patches that were due to be put in on Bridge St and Oak St as part of Llan2020. 

This will require the closure of these roads for up to two hours. They will be done one at a time and will be done when traffic is at its least busy to cause as little disruption as possible.

The work is detailed in the latest bulletin from one.network:

Castle Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 15 May - 17 May   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)   Works location: Castle St, Llangollen...   Responsibility for works: Denbighshire County Council    Chapel Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 15 May - 17 May   Roadworks, Delays possible   Traffic management: Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)   Works location: Chapel St, Llangollen...   Responsibility for works: Denbighshire County Council    Market Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 15 May - 17 May   Roadworks, Delays possible   Traffic management: Traffic control (Stop/Go boards)   Works location: Market St, Llangollen...   Responsibility for works: Denbighshire County Council   Oak Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 15 May - 17 May   Roadworks, Delays unlikely   Traffic management: Some carriageway incursion   Description: 15/05/23/Philip Billington/Road lining/stopgo...   Works location: Oak St Llangollen   Responsibility for works: Denbighshire County Council

A483 closed after crash this afternoon

The Leader is reporting that the A483 has been closed in both directions following a crash this afternoon (Saturday). 

Traffic Wales have confirmed there has been a road traffic collision near Halton roundabout in the northbound carriageway.

The collision involved a motorcyclist, the Welsh Ambulance confirmed. 

Emergency services are at the scene, with the A483 and A5 closed in both directions. 

* For the full story, see: A483 in Wrexham closed in both directions after crash | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)

Ambulance service brings in new type of pain relief

The Welsh Ambulance Service has introduced a new type of emergency pain relief for patients.

Methoxyflurane, or Penthrox, is a fast-acting drug used to reduce pain in patients with a traumatic injury like a fracture, dislocation, severe laceration or burns.

The inhaled analgesic can be administered by all grades of clinicians, including Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians and Urgent Care Assistants.

Volunteer Community First Responders are also being trained to administer the drug in a UK ambulance service first.

Paula Jeffery, Consultant Paramedic for the Trust, said: “We are committed to delivering the very best care to patients, and Penthrox is another tool in our drug box to do this. 

“The nature of trauma means that patients can present in extreme pain, so rapid and effective pain relief is an important part of making them more comfortable.

“Penthrox is also self-administered by patients (under supervision), which enables the crew to focus on delivering treatment and taking patients promptly to hospital.”

Ambulance crews have undergone training to enable them to administer the drug, which began rollout earlier this month. 

Community First Responders are expected to start administering Penthrox from next week.

Andy Swinburn, Director of Paramedicine, said: “We’re delighted to have introduced Penthrox into our suite of pain-relieving drugs, which are undeniably important in the pre-hospital setting.

“Community First Responders in particular – who are often at scene with patients for some time before an ambulance arrives, such are the pressures on the service – have been asking for a long time for the ability to administer pain relief, and now they can.” 

Community First Responders are volunteers who attend 999 calls in their community and administer first aid in the precious first minutes before an ambulance arrives.

They are trained by the Welsh Ambulance Service to deliver CPR and defibrillation at cardiac arrests, as well as first aid and other skills at a broader range of medical emergencies.

Lee Brooks, Executive Director of Operations, said: “Volunteering at the Welsh Ambulance Service has come a long way, particularly in the last few years, and we place high value on the contribution of our volunteers.

“Having observed volunteers first-hand, it was an ambition to increase effective treatments that could be safely administered via a Community First Responder.

“I am optimistic that patients will be better supported now this is an option for our people.

“It’s why we’re delighted that our trained volunteers can now administer pain relief, improving not only the experience of patients but of volunteers too.”

Stage groups join forces for spectacular charity concert

 

* A scene from Ab Fab. Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

Using the most tuneful, colourful and downright hilarious bits from their own smash-hit shows – along with some fresh new material - all three of the town’s top stage groups are currently teaming up for the first time ever to present the brilliant Llangollen on Show at the Town Hall.

Last night’s opening performance of the history-making variety and music hall compendium was a real belter with an amazing range of talent on parade courtesy of the Operatic Society, the Twenty Club and the Collen Players.

Both the ensemble numbers and the soloists had the audience singing heartily along.   

And there’s still time to catch the second of the two shows, this evening at 7.30pm.

All proceeds will go to support the Disaster Emergency Committee in which 15 of the UK’s top charities have come together to supply a lifeline to thousands of survivors of the earthquake which devastated southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria on February 6.

* Twenty Club's First World War comedy sketch.

Kicking off the show in fine style is a strong Twenty Club cast with their take on a rather famous TV comedy show set, in this instance, during the First World War but which has meandered through various periods of history over the decades. And some cracking lines have the audience in tucks.

Next up comes for the Collen Players comes a powerful solo slot from Shea Ferron, fresh from his triumph as part of the John’s Boys male chorus on Britain’s Got Talent. His version of It’s Hard to Speak My Heart from the musical Parade has all the warmth and feeling for which this talented young performer has rapidly become noted.

* Shea Ferron.

A team from the Operatic brings us a fast-paced medley showcasing their singing and dancing expertise from the West End hit Six, which is based on the many wives of Henry VIII.

* We're Six! Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

Collen Players take the spotlight again with Phil Robinson doing the rousing Victorian music hall honours with a daring ditties entitled The Spaniard That Blighted My Life and Champagne Charlie.

With a voice that glitters as much as her costume Esme Sallnow from the Collen Players next does the high-stepping standard Putting on the Ritz.

* Top hat trio - Gethin Davies, Esme Sallnow and Phil Robinson. Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

The Operatic stay with their big show theme by filling the stage with the joyous tones of Flash Bang Wallop from Half a Sixpence before Twenty Club take take another turn with some clever jokes inspired by TV comedy show The Vicar of Dibley.  

* Flash, Bank Wallop What a Picture. 

The Operatic come back in force to round off the first act with the memorably rumbustious Master of the House from the Les Miserables musical. 

* Master of the House.

The Operatic also open act two with another sing-along number, the high-tempo Oom Pah Pah from Oliver.

Esme Sallnow returns for her second slot for the Collen Players, presenting Lili Marlene, the plaintive soldier’s song famously popular on both sides of the lines during World War Two.

* Oom Pah Pah.

Twenty Club’s next contribution is the Three Queens, a clever interplay of words between the monarchs Elizabeth 1, Victoria and Elizabeth II – with cheeky asides from the late Prince Philip – specially written for this show by Ian Wright.

We head back to good old music hall days for the second appearance by Shea Ferron for the Collen Players with the clever little piece She Was One of the Early Birds.

* Three Queens. Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

Then for something completely different – because that’s the very nature of variety – Twenty Club return with their own absolutely hilarious take on Ab Fabs.

And in another contrast of style it’s time for the dapper-suited Gethin Davies to perform two wonderfully intricate comic songs by the ingenious duo Flanders and Swann, namely Have Some Madeira M’Dear and the Hippopatamus Song.

This is followed by a second dotty sketch routine inspired by The Vicar of Dibley from the versatile Twenty Club.

* Vicar of Dibley sketch. Picture: Mike Jones.

There’s nothing like finishing on a big and breezy song-and-dance number and they don’t come much bigger and breezier than the Lambeth Walk from the musical Me and My Girl, presented with gusto by the Operatic joined by a strong contingent from their Young ‘Uns junior section.

* The Lambeth Walk.

Binding the whole show together with his witty introductions and asides in the manner of the music hall chairmen of old is the Collen Players’ founder Lee Taylor.

* Chairman Lee Taylor. Picture: Mike Jones. 

He wraps up by inviting the entire cast back on stage to lead the audience in a couple of choruses of music hall finale favourite Down at the Old Bull and Bush.

Excellent live musical accompaniment is provided by the soloists by Jayne Belton and Eulanwy Davies on piano and Steve Lloyd on percussion.

Much credit must also go to the large production team who have spent many hours ensuring the smooth running of the show. This includes Pamela Williams, Tracey Jones, Chrissie Ashworth, Caroline Anthonisz, Jayne Belton, Sian Glynne-Jones, Malcolm Potter, Mike Jones, Lee Taylor and Leigh Mason, James Barber. 

It all adds up to a fine night of entertainment offering three highly polished performances, in very differing styles, for the price of one - and in a great cause. You’ll be sorry if you miss it!

* Tickets for tonight's show, priced at £12 (no concessions) are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety, or from Courtyard Books, Llangollen, and the Llangollen Oggie Shop in Caste Street or on the door.