Friday's Merseybeats fundraiser for Eisteddfod cancelled due to illness

* The Merseybeats playing at their spiritual home of The Cavern in Liverpool.

A gig by chart-topping Merseyside band The Merseybeats due to be staged at Llangollen Town Hall this Friday evening has been cancelled because of illness.

The band, who performed regularly at The Cavern in Liverpool and appeared there with the Beatles, were due to play in the latest fundraiser for the Llangollen Eisteddfod's own charity which helps to bring in overseas competitors.

But this afternoon (Tuesday) organisers said: "Unfortunately, due to illness, the Merseybeats event has now been cancelled.

"Full refunds will be issued to ticket holders. The Eisteddfod will automatically refund the ticket purchasers."      

County council looks at plan to shed all its public toilets

* Llangollen's public toilets in Mark Street.

Denbighshire County Council is considering a plan to dispose of all its public toilets in a bid to save around £200,000 a year in running costs. 

A report on the issue is due to be discussed by the council’s communities scrutiny committee this Thursday. 

A officers’ report says the council needs to make savings as it faces an “unprecedented” financial challenge and the closure proposal is part of a corporate process to pinpoint savings in the 2024/25 budget. It has already been discussed by councillors in budget workshops. 

The report says: “The provision of public conveniences (PCs) is a non-statutory duty. Many local authorities ceased providing this service many years ago. Some neighbouring authorities still provide this service in certain areas but have reduced it in recent years and/or are currently looking to reduce this provision.” 

Denbighshire currently has 20 PC sites across the county, including Llangollen. Some are free to use, and some have a facility to charge users. The report reveals that none of these sites break even financially. 

Because the council believes that the provision of PCs in local communities is important, it says it will be looking to transfer as many of them as possible to other groups or organisations, such as city, town and community councils, so that they continue to operate but at no cost to DCC. 

The council is currently in the process of transferring PCs in Corwen to the local town council, which it believes could become a model for other areas. Any PCs that it is unable to transfer to another owner could be closed. 

Another way of reducing the impact of the plan, says the report, is to expand the Community Toilet Grant scheme, under which the council pays local businesses £500 a year for allowing the public to use their toilet facilities free of charge. 

It is believed that some businesses would be receptive to this offer because it would increase their footfall and some people would probably feel obliged to buy something at the same time as using the loos, explains the report. 

The annual budget for providing PCs is £270,000 but costs such as decommissioning could reduce the saving to about £200,000. 

The report adds that a redundancy process for people working in the toilets would also need to be pursued.

MS urges people to have their say on Brook Street transport plan

Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is urging people to have their say on plans for walking, wheeling, and cycling in and around Brook Street in Llangollen.

Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government, said: “I am delighted to see that residents are being given the opportunity to share their views on what they think about the suggested ways of making every day journeys in and around Brook Street safer and easier. 

“Llangollen is an extremely popular tourist destination and as chair of the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Tourism, I think it is really important that any work carried out enhances the town. 

“The active travel consultation is now open and I would urge people who live work or travel in this area to make sure they have their say.”

Denbighshire County Council is working with Sustrans to make walking, wheeling, and cycling for everyday journeys easier and safer in and around Brook Steet.

In March 2023, Denbighshire County Council alongside Sustrans asked the people who live, work, and travel on Brook Street to tell them which parts of Brook Street work well and which don’t.

The community response was that people were worried about vehicles travelling too fast, there were too many cars at school drop-off and pick-up times, roads were difficult to cross, and the footpaths were too narrow. As a result, Sustrans, working together with the local community, have found some ways to fix to these problems.

Sustrans, on behalf of the council, is now seeking feedback from the people that live, work, and travel on the selected streets who could benefit from the proposals, what they think about the plan for Brook Street that has been developed collaboratively.

Residents can find out more about the project and share their thoughts and feedback by going to Brook Street Active Travel Design.

An online survey is available until March 28 or you can attend an in-person workshop at: Workshop 1 at Ysgol Bryn Collen / Ysgol Gymraeg y Gwernant, on March 14 from 2.30-4pm or Workshop 2 at Llangollen Town Hall on March 14 from 6-8pm.

A paper version of the consultation can also be requested by contacting Sustrans Cymru via email: llangollen@sustrans.org.uk or by writing to Sustrans at Sustrans Cymru, One Canal Parade, Dumballs Road, CF10 5BF Cardiff.

Original Merseybeats to play at the town hall this Friday

* Tony Crane MBE and the original Merseybeats playing at their spiritual home of The Cavern in Liverpool where they performed with The Beatles.

Chart-topping Merseyside band The Merseybeats, who had a string of hits in the 1960s including I Love You, Yes I Do, Wishin’ and Hopin’ and Sorrow, will be performing at Llangollen Town Hall this Friday (March 15).   

The Merseybeats emerged from the Liverpool Mersey Beat scene in the early 1960s, performing at The Cavern Club along with the Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers and a host of other great Mersey Beat bands. 

In their heyday, The Merseybeats performed regularly at the Cavern and appeared there with the Beatles on more occasions than any other band.  

They will be supported at the Town Hall by popular local artist Luke Gallagher,  who has backed up 60s legends The Animals, amongst others. 

This is the latest Live at Llangollen Town Hall gig organised by the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for their charity.  

The charity helps pay for their international competitors, over 2,000 of whom are expected to head for Llangollen this summer to join the core Eisteddfod programme.

Barrie Roberts, from the festival. said: "With less than 100 days until we start welcoming the likes of Bryan Adams, Simple Minds and Nile Rodgers & Chic to Llangollen - it's great to be bringing another legendary band to town this Friday.  

"This is the latest event as we bring Llangollen together for another unforgettable night.  

"The Merseybeats had fans from The Beatles, Burt Bacharach to David Bowie, who charted with one of their songs.  

"People have been in touch to ask if we've really booked the original Merseybeats. The answer is yes.  

"Llangollen regularly welcomes tourists from across Merseyside and that's why we are so pleased to welcome the likes of Tony Crane MBE and the lads, for an evening of 60s nostalgia at its original and best."

* Tickets priced £10 are available from Llangollen Tourist Information Centre on Regent Street, Llangollen or from https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/events/live-march/ Please use promo code LIVE24 to remove the booking fee. Limited tickets will be available on the door.

Nightingale House Hospice receives tractor run funds

Members of Llangollen Rotary Club and Llangollen Young Farmers Club got together to present Nightingale House Hospice with a cheque for £2,100. 

This is the first of three donations to be made following last December’s successful tractor run. 

Hospice fundraising manager Sue Williams received the cheque from Llangollen Rotary President Lee Todd, Vice President John Clifford, Llangollen Young Farmers Chairman John Jones and members of Young Farmers and Rotary. 

Both clubs say they would like to thank all the tractor drivers, volunteers and local public for the amazing support the event received despite awful weather and for the generous donations enabling these charity presentations.

The event will be back this year on Sunday, December 1 so put the date on your calendar now.

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

Hill Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 11 March - 13 March   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Hill Street, Llangollen   Location: Hill Street   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 11 March - 13 March   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Vicarage Road   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 11 March - 13 March   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Vicarage Road, Llangollen   Location: Vicarage Road   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned

Hall Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 11 March - 13 March   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: Large Sluice Valve Re-pack 10" Job in Carriageway (Other )   Works location: HALL STREET   Public facing description: one.network has automatically assigned a category of Unclassified works to this Works based on the information available. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Hafren Dyfrdwy.   Responsibility for works: Hafren Dyfrdwy   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: ZU0028102/000060557348B       Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 11 March - 13 March   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: MAINS CONNECTION   Works location: JUNCTION OF HILL STREET   Public facing description: Wales & West Utilities Ltd has not assigned a specific description to this Works. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Wales & West Utilities Ltd.   Responsibility for works: Wales & West Utilities   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: XY254003001625594/01

Sun Trevor honoured for its fundraising at awards ceremony

* Quizzers from the Sun Trevor handed over a cheque to Nightingale House Hospice last July. From left: Alana Williams, Joel Whitaker, Maggie Smith, Simon Baynes MP, Katy Jones, Paul Jones and Jess Coaley-Postle.

A pub in Llangollen has been recognised for its fundraising efforts at an awards ceremony, according to a story in the Denbighshire Free Press.

The Sun Trevor won the community fundraising hero prize for Wales at the PubAid Community Pub Hero awards 2024.

* For the full story, see: Llangollen pub named community fundraising hero of the year | Denbighshire Free Press