Public meeting to be held ahead of Eisteddfod

* Sir Tom Jones will perform at the Eisteddfod. 

Residents and businesses in Llangollen are being invited to a public meeting ahead of this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

Representatives from both the volunteer team behind the festival and co-promoters Cuffe and Taylor will lead the meeting to answer and address all questions covering subjects such as traffic management, noise alleviation measures, and access to the site.

The meeting will take place at 7pm next Tuesday (June 4) at Llangollen Town Hall.

Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Professor Chris Adams said: “This summer we have an exciting programme lasting a month. It includes additional concerts with live music promoters Cuffe and Taylor, who have a track record of putting on successful major events across the UK.

“The public meeting - the fourth we've held since last year's Eisteddfod - will be an opportunity for Llangollen residents to get the latest information, as we gear up for the Eisteddfod. It’s important to us to keep local residents in the loop, to ensure the impact on our town is positive.”

Numerous steps are being taken to maintain a safe environment for the general public during event days, including a one-way system in certain areas. A dedicated phoneline is also being launched to allow residents to contact the Eisteddfod team with any issues during the festival.

Some of the world’s biggest artists will head to Llangollen this summer.  Bryan Adams arrives in the town on June 18, followed by global rock stars Simple Minds, indie heroes Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers and Suede, BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith and disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC all among the artists headlining dates on either side of the iconic peace festival.  The summer events will finish with a spectacular concert by British pop giants Madness on Saturday July 13.

The headline concerts are built around the core Eisteddfod week which returns for its 77th year, from July 2 – 7 and features concerts with Tom Jones on July 2, followed during the week with Welsh folk superstars Calan, Royal Harpist Alis Huws, Britain's Got Talent semi-finalists John's Boys Chorus, West End stars Kerry Ellis and John-Owen Jones, the return of GRAMMY award winning Gregory Porter and a Gala Concert with mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins..

Phone line is only available on concert days from: 16:00 – 23:00 18th June – 29th June and 11th – 13th July and 8am – 11pm from 2 – 7 July.  The number will be 0331 630 7526.

*Tickets are available from https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/event_picker/2024-shows/

The pavilion grounds will be closed to general public from Sunday 16th June – Wednesday 17th July 2024.  Access will be for ticket holders only to ensure the safety and security of all customers.

More stars to join Jess Glynne at Eisteddfod show

* Issey Cross. 

* The Mercians. 

Drum and Bass breakout star Issey Cross will support pop superstar Jess Glynne when she headlines the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod this summer.

Jess Glynne will perform a headline show on Friday July 12 and it is announced today she will be joined by Issey Cross and indie rock band The Mercians.

Tickets are on sale now from llangollen.net  

Rising vocalist and songwriter Issey Cross, who has just released latest single Energy In My Town, first burst onto the scene in 2021 with debut single Who. In 2022, her breakthrough hit Used To This, in collaboration with legendary producer Wilkinson, spent 14 weeks in the UK Top 40 and 12 weeks on the BBC Radio 1 Playlist.

Cross has worked with some of the industry’s biggest names including Nathan Dawe, Bru-C, Clean Bandit, Hybrid Minds and Ella Henderson. Her hits include Oh My, Sleepwalking and the Top 20 smash Bittersweet Goodbye, an acclaimed reworking of The Verve classic Bittersweet Symphony.

Opening the night will be The Mercians, an up-and-coming indie band with more than one million streams on Spotify. The band's sound is reminiscent of the British indie rock revival of the early 2000s but with a fresh and modern twist.

Jess Glynne has made history as the only female British solo artist to achieve seven number 1 hits on the UK Singles Chart. She first rose to fame with her remarkable vocals in Clean Bandit’s GRAMMY-winning Rather Be and Route 94’s My Love in 2014. Since then, she has dominated the UK charts with hits like I’ll Be There, Hold My Hand, and Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself.

Glynne’s two platinum-selling albums have both reached Number 1, earning her nine BRIT Award nominations, three Ivor Novello nominations, and a GRAMMY Award. Her music has been streamed more than 1.2 billion times!

After taking a short career break Glynne, who has delivered some of the most memorable dance-pop hits of the past decade, is back with new music for 2023. Her latest album Jess features the already released singles Silly Me, What Do You Do, Friend Of Mine and Enough. 

Glynne's headlining show is part of a series of concerts taking place as part of a new partnership between the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor.

The legendary core week of the festival runs from July 2 – 7 and features concerts with Welsh icon Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins, and international best-selling artist Gregory Porter.

Jess Glynne, Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkins and Gregory Porter join global rock stars Simple Minds, British pop giants Madness, indie heroes Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers and Suede, BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith, disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC and global rock star Bryan Adams among the artists headlining dates on either side of the iconic peace festival in 2024.

Artistic Director at the Llangollen Eisteddfod Dave Danford said: “This year we wanted to make sure there was something for everybody, so we’re really excited to have Issey Cross bringing her eclectic electronic music sounds to North East Wales! She’s had some huge hits over the last couple of years, followed up with live performances at some of the biggest music festivals in the world. We can’t wait for her to raise the pavilion roof with her set in Llangollen!”

For more information and to purchase tickets go to llangollen.net

 

 

llanblogger takes a short break

llanblogger is taking a short break and will be back in a few days time ...

Town crier Chem to give D-Day 80th anniversary proclamation

 

* Town crier Austin "Chem" Cheminais is full cry.

Llangollen’s town crier is joining his big-voiced counterparts from across the world to deliver a very special proclamation to mark the 80^th anniversary of D-Day.

Austin “Chem” Cheminais, who is also a former mayor of the town, recently found to his delight that he was on a list of over 300 town criers from many countries who have been asked to send out to their local communities, on Thursday June 6, the commemorative message detailing the famous cross-channel invasion of Europe in the summer of 1944.

On the day, and accompanied by a contingent from the Llangollen branch of the Royal British Legion, he will stand in Centenary Square and at 11am cry out the proclamation which has been specially penned for the occasion by Christian Ashdown of the Ancient and Honourable Guilds of Town Criers who formerly served with the Household Cavalry.

The criers taking part come from every nation of the UK and also from countries right across the globe.

Chem, who is one of only 10 from Wales and will officially represent Denbighshire, said: “I was absolutely delighted and very proud to hear I had been chosen for this momentous occasion which commemorates such an important part of world history.

“To speak these historic words is a great honour.”

The proclamation he will deliver is:

“Oyez, Oyez, Oyez

“Today we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France - an incredible achievement in military planning and logistics uniting brave service personnel from air, sea and land forces at the beginning of Operation Overlord.

“By the day’s end, over one hundred and fifty thousand Allied troops had successfully stormed the now famous Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah and Omaha beaches to achieve a toehold in France.

“In the weeks that followed, the Allies fought bitterly against a determined foe from the unforgiving countryside of Normandy to the liberation of Paris two months later.

“We should all remember and never forget the selfless sacrifice and courage of all those involved and use this Commemoration to pay our tribute to those who gave so much to secure the freedom we all enjoy today. God Save the King!”

Latest local roadworks alerts

Latest local roadworks alerts from Causeway one.network are:

Berwyn Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 29 May - 30 May   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Traffic control (multi-way signals)   Description: Installation of a CCTV camera onto street lighting column (ref DC204). The camera has been urgently requested by Welsh Government to monitor the ongoing traffic signals that are occurring at this location. Night works from 19:00hrs and 01:00hrs. The electrical supply within the lighting column will need to be upgraded. The camera will be installed using a cherry picker (or similar). Amberon TM - Emergency Number 0330 0433030   Works location: A5 Berwyn Street / Regent Street, Llangollen   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 NMWTRA/SWTRA.   Responsibility for works: NMWTRA/SWTRA   Current status: Planned work about to start   Works reference: PD5012412414247648       Castle Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 29 May - 30 May   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Traffic control (multi-way signals)   Description: Installation of a CCTV camera onto street lighting column (ref DC204). The camera has been urgently   Works location: Castle Street, Llangollen   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 NMWTRA/SWTRA.   Responsibility for works: NMWTRA/SWTRA   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: PD50124130155735748

County councillor speaks out on possible loss of town's public toilets

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards has issued this new statement on Denbighshire County Council's highly controversial plan to divest itself of public toilets across the county - including those in Market Street - as part of a money-saving exercise. 

"Much concern has been expressed on social media regarding the potential closure of the Market Street Public Conveniences. Denbighshire County Council, like most councils, is currently attempting to balance its budgets in the face of increased funding pressures. 

In my opinion the closure of the toilets would be an act of self-harm, both to the local economy and to the social well-being of the town. 

As I’ve stated previously I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm the fact that I do not support Denbighshire County Council's proposal.

The Town Council had been asked to consider taking over the operation of the toilets without any identified funding for the proposition. 

At the Town Council meeting held last Tuesday they agreed it would not be possible to take over the transfer of ownership of the facility as currently offered, given the information provided by DCC thus far and all the financial liabilities that would entail, but they remain committed to working collaboratively with DCC to explore alternative solutions that ensure the continued availability and upkeep of public toilets in the town without imposing unsustainable costs on the local population.  

I am not a Town Councillor, but I am obviously aware that for a small TC they already have quite a hefty financial responsibility with the assets they already own, namely The Centenary Square, The Town Hall, The Pen Y Bryn Cemetery and The Chain Bridge.

For DCC to close this vital facility whilst retaining all the income from parking charges would be an act of asset stripping and it is naïve to think that the carpark usage and thus the footfall and visitor economic benefits to the town as a whole will not be affected. 

There is no recognition from DCC that Llangollen’s combination of a carpark and public conveniences in the same location attracts visitors as a stopping point. The income received from the town’s public car parks is more than sufficient to support the continued operation of a public toilet facility. DCC is quite happy to take the car park revenue but falls short of reinvesting it back into the town that generates it.

If all our efforts fail and closure is the only option as ultimately this will be a DCC cabinet decision scheduled for September’s meeting, then we will be left with no alternative other than to ask for help to manage transition of these much-needed facilities to a sustainable low operating cost facility that is capable of being transferred to local operations and I hasten to add that could well be extremely challenging."

u3a members learn some Tai Chi moves

Members of the Berwyn and District University of the Third Age (u3a) were treated to half an hour of gentle exercise at their May meeting. 

Nesta Wivell took them through some slow Tai Chi moves, ideal as a taster for anyone looking for controlled exercise. 

The u3a meets on the third Monday of each month at Canolfan NI, Corwen. See the website for more details. 

The next meeting is a talk about the restoration of the steamship Daniel Adamson, on June 17.