* A picture taken at the scene of the callout and supplied by NEWSAR.
Denbighshire Free Press is reporting that a search and rescue team came to the aid of a woman who had become trapped down a 'steep embankment' in Llangollen.
* For the full story, go to: Llangollen: Woman rescued from 'steep embankment' | Denbighshire Free Press
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Two Llangollen businesses have appeared in a list of seven of the UK’s “best vintage clothes shops” published recently by The Sunday Times.
In at number four came Rowan Vintage in Castle Street, with Riverbanc, just
around the corner in Bridge Street, also getting a worthy mention.
The piece says: “Britain’s best vintage shops are history in textile form, whether you
want to pick up a Fifties swing dress or a Nineties bucket hat (very much back
on trend for summer).
“Typically run by passionate
shopkeepers, these treasure troves are best visited at weekends or whenever you
have more time to browse. With summer sales in full swing, these are the ones
to visit.”
Of Rowan Vintage, the story says: “This dinky shop on Castle Street is a
perfect fit for the pretty riverside town of Llangollen and its steam railway,
which opened in 1861.
“The stock is
more band T-shirt than pre-war, but it rotates regularly and is much loved by
locals (instagram.com/rowanvintagellangollen).”
And of
Riverbank it says: “The seven-room Riverbanc hotel has a glorious café that
overlooks the River Dee, and the owners also run Whitewater Active if you want
to mix your retail therapy with kayaking or rafting. Details Room-only doubles from £100 (riverbanc.co.uk).
* The full story, which also features vintage shops in London, East Sussex, Edinburgh, North Yorkshire, Dorset and Newcastle, can be seen at: Seven of the UK’s best vintage clothes shops (thetimes.com)
The man who has been the driving force behind organising next week's public meeting to discuss the county council’s controversial plan to rid itself of Llangollen’s public toilets has stressed how vital it is for people to attend.
In a bid to balance its budget, Denbighshire aims to shed all the public conveniences it runs across the county and offer local town and community councils the chance to take them over.
This includes the toilets in Llangollen’s Market Street. But the Town Council has already ruled out a take-over on the grounds that it would be beyond its financial means and lead to a big increase on the amount it draws from the council tax.
The idea that a major tourist town like Llangollen stands to lose its busy public loos has sparked major protests on social media ranging over the past couple of months since the plan was revealed.
One of its leading opponents has been local resident Rod Holt who has been urging the Town Council to host a public meeting where all the sides of the argument can be aired.
Having secured the correct number of local electors required to spark it town clerk Gareth Thomas posted the necessary public notice.
This says the public meeting will be held at the Town Hall in Parade Street on Tuesday August 6, starting at 6pm.
It adds: “The purpose of the meeting is to address residents' and the business community’s concerns related to the transfer of ownership of the Llangollen public conveniences within potential for closure.”
Rod Hold said: “It’s essential all shop/business owners and concerned residents, particularly those that posted support, attend this meeting so DCC are left in no doubt as to the feelings in Llangollen regarding the proposed closure of this vital facility.”
Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards also urged people to attend the meeting.
She said: “Many people will now be aware that the county council has resolved to largely de-fund budgetary provision for operating public conveniences. This was part of a wider cost saving exercise with the aim of producing a balanced budget.
"I have consistently and vehemently opposed the closure of the Market Street toilets and the response from officers of the council thus far has been to say that no decision has been taken.
"The proposal was due to come before Communities Scrutiny Committee on September 5, prior to Cabinet for a decision later that month. However, that has now been deferred to October, due to the forthcoming election affecting the time-frame for adequate public consultation on the proposals.
"I shall obviously attend the public community meeting hosted by the Llangollen Town Council, to listen to the views of those attending. The Market Street toilets are a vital part of our public infrastructure and I hope that many residents and businesses are able to attend.”
Genesis GV80 drive by Steve Rogers
Who says only the Brits and Germans can build luxury cars?
Take a look at this Genesis. Never heard of it? Hardly surprising, there aren’t that many around and those that are will be found mainly in the affluent south.
A more familiar name is Hyundai and Genesis is the luxury arm of the big selling Korean company.
It has been a rocky road for Genesis so here is the story so far. The brand launched independently in the UK in 2021 selling directly to customers online with a few studios in shopping centres to promote the cars.
Progress was not fast enough so this year the brand was brought back into the Hyundai fold allowing it to tap into the parent company’s sales expertise but with the aim of opening dealerships. For now customers can still buy online.
The GV80 is the biggest SUV in the line up and certainly attracted a lot of attention for two reasons. First, no one had heard of Genesis and thought it looked like a Bentley SUV (the huge grille and winged badge does give it a Bentayga look), while the matt paint finish did not go down too well. It looks like it is waiting for its final coat of gloss. Ironically the matt finish costs an extra £1,130. Did I like it? Not at first but it grew on me after a few days.
Rivals include the likes of Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery, all cars with beautifully trimmed interiors, and the GV80 can match them when it comes to plush.
If the body styling says premium then the interior shouts it from the rooftops. The Sport model sits below the top of the range and is incredibly well equipped in its basic form, but my test car had £11,000 of extras so just looking at the Nappa leather with its quilted diamond patterned seats set the tone. The quality of the surfaces along the dashboard, centre console and door cappings is spot on as are the aluminium inserts which are exclusive to the Sport.
The 14.5in infotainment touchscreen is impressive and can also be operated via a central rotary dial which is much safer when driving. And I am pleased to note the heating controls are operated separately from physical switches rather than dabbing the touchscreen.
Genesis is trying to tempt buyers away from the traditional premium set with a high level of equipment and Sport is a good example. With a power operated steering wheel adjustment and powered seats that move every which-way it is easy to get a perfect driving position and the seats are heated or ventilated
Back seat passengers are equally as well pampered, but two grand extra for the comfort pack includes heated or ventilated seats, and power for fore and aft and recline positions. The centre armrest folds down so it is good for carrying skis or just reaching into the boot on the move.
Three adults across the back seat is no problem with ample leg and headroom even with the double length sunroof that can reduce height.
GV80 is a big car and could feel an intimidating beast in tight supermarket car parks but Genesis has thought of those little problems and provided all round cameras, and if the parking space is too tight for comfort then the car can be slipped in or out of a space using the key fob.
Basically they have covered everything to be found in the opposition and added a few extras for good measure. And how is this for simplicity? The release button for the powered tailgate is in your eyeline at the base of the rear wiper so there is no need to run fingers along the boot lip trying to find the catch.
As would be expected in an SUV this size there is plenty of room and flexibility in the boot, though not class leading, with a 40-20-40 split, and to make life easy the seat backs can be dropped and raised using the power buttons in the boot wall. There seem to be motors for everything.
Driving the GV80 is more than pleasant, but let’s be honest it is not one for swinging around country lanes, the Audi Q7 is better suited to that. It handles well enough but within its limits. Main roads and motorways are where it is at its best and although the four cylinder 2.5 litre petrol is a tad strained with foot to the floor it is no slouch and with 422Nm of torque has ample overtaking power. No hybrid option which is a disappointment.
Around 28mpg was the best I could do over a week’s driving which isn’t anything special so big mileage users might be best looking at the diesel.
Next time we look at the G70 saloon.
Fast facts
GV80 Sport AWD 8sp auto
£68,275 - tested £79,475
2.5 litre turbo petrol; 300bhp
0-62mph 7.7secs; 147mph
30.5mpg combined
Boot: 735-2152 litres
Insurance group 46
Towing: 2722kg
llanblogger recently reported the death of well-known Llangollen resident Bill Saunders at the age of 99. Here, Llangollen Museum, for which Bill did some valuable work, pays tribute to him.
They say: "At the Museum we were all very sad to hear about the passing of Bill Saunders. Bill did a lot of valuable work for the Museum, including the recording and photographing of all the memorial inscriptions in the Fron Cemetery.
"We thought that blog readers would be interested to read Bill’s account, written over 20 years ago, of when he came to Llangollen in 1943, when he was stationed at the Bryn Howel and Llangollen during and just after the Second World War."
I first came to Llangollen in March 1943 as an apprentice tradesman with the Survey branch of the Royal Engineers. I had joined the army in November 1941 when I was aged 16 and was first stationed at Barton on Sea in Hampshire. In March 1943 we moved to Bryn Howel to be nearer to our parent unit, the Survey Training Centre at Wynnstay, Ruabon.
Bryn Howel had been requisitioned by the War Office and I was one of the advance party sent to make the accommodation ready for the rest of the unit. We came up by train, alighted at the Sun Bank halt and walked back along the track to Bryn Howel.
At this time of course Bryn Howel was still in its original condition as a private house erected by J. C. Edwards and was barely large enough to house around 50 boys and 10 staff plus lecture rooms and the usual offices. Some of the sleeping accommodation was above the stable block.
Our training as potential cartographers and surveyors consisted of drawing and lettering plus field surveys for which the Vale of Llangollen was eminently suitable. We learnt how to use theodolites to establish trig points on the surrounding hills and then plane tables to plot the map detail. In addition to our survey training we were subject to the usual military disciplines which included physical training.
As part of this we formed a gymnastics team which gave displays
around the area including one I remember on the old Rec in Llangollen, probably
as part of a War Weapons week. We also had a small dance band and in addition
to holding dances at Bryn Howel we performed for them in the Town
Hall. I played the trumpet in the band and I looked forward to my break so that
I could get down off the stand to dance briefly with my girlfriend (now my
wife). Inevitably many friendships formed, particularly with local girls
resulting in the fullness of time in several marriages.
The only other army units in the area were a small Royal Artillery unit stationed at Bryntisilio (which operated searchlights I believe) - inevitably known as ‘the Brynti boys’ - and an Army Medical detachment at The Grange near Plas Newydd where we went for medical attention.
Like most other towns and villages in Britain, Llangollen showed many signs of being involved in the war effort. Most young people had been called up for military service and many of those remaining were ‘doing their bit’ working in factories or in some form of food production. There was the blackout which meant that after dark there was no street lighting nor any lights showing from buildings.
Food was strictly rationed so the many grocers, butchers and greengrocers in the town had meagre displays and the few cafes which were open could sell little more than cups of tea and baked beans on toast! Opposite the station in Abbey Road there was a small office of the Ministry of Food which issued ration books.
The main places of entertainment were the Dorothy Cinema which gave two performances of the latest films every evening with queues forming on the stairs and the Town Hall where dances were held and concerts given by local artists - such as ‘the oldest vocalist in Llangollen’.
As mentioned before, Llangollen like most other places in the country participated in the various fund raising weeks such as War Weapons, Dig for Victory, National Savings, Spitfire and Warships - the resulting plaque for the latter still hangs in the Town Hall.
The tourist trade was greatly diminished but much of the spare accommodation was taken up evacuees, mainly from Merseyside and also by the staff of Monsanto Chemicals from their headquarters in London. At weekends there was an influx of servicemen who being stationed at Ruabon, Wrexham and Overton were making their first visit to the Principality.
However, apart from the name of the town itself and some old sepia postcards in shop windows there was very little sign of Welsh being spoken. One feature which affected visitors was the Sunday closing of public houses. These tended to be men-only affairs into which few women and even fewer children penetrated.
Pubs were pubs and cafes were cafes and you could drink in
one and eat in the other - except on Sundays when visitors had to find the
nearest pub over the English border and the locals retired to their various
clubs where drink was allowed. The Parish Church and all the chapels were all
open of course and well attended. I don’t think that there was a Roman Catholic
church in the town as the one in Oak Street took the place of Zans, the
hardware store much later.
Petrol was rationed so there were virtually no private vehicles on the road except for those belonging to “essential users” such as doctors etc. As relatively few people owned cars before the war, public transport between the main towns was efficient and taken for granted. Crosville buses ran a half-hourly service to Wrexham and Chester, though the service terminated at the bottom of Wharf Hill as the double decker buses were not allowed over the bridge into the town until many years later.
The railway station was also very busy with the trains from Barmouth linking up at Ruabon with the Great Western service from Birkenhead to Paddington. via Birmingham. For shorter journeys walking was the usual mode. From Bryn Howel we would often walk into town along the towpath to save the twopence bus fare or to the summit of the Horseshoe Pass for a Sunday picnic.
Although the canal did not
carry any traffic at all it was still well maintained. I understand that the
railway company who had taken it over many years before had the duty to keep it
in working order. The horse-drawn boats which made the trip to the Chain Bridge
Hotel were out of action but returned soon after the war. The rowing boats were
still available for hire, however.
One feature which would strike many people today was the general shabbiness which prevailed at that time and into the early post-war years. Building maintenance was neglected for lack of workers and materials and the same applies to decoration as hardly any repainting was undertaken and many windows were painted black to assist the blackout. There was a rash of official posters on the lines of “Careless talk costs lives” and “Be like Dad, keep Mum” and painted signs pointing to sources of water for fire fighting in the event of an air raid. This official graffiti was rarely removed but left to fade into shabbiness - some of this attitude continued until the efforts of the Civic Society in the early 1960's.
There were still many small cottages which lacked most modern amenities. The rather grand looking house where I subsequently lived in Abbey Road lacked electricity, the main rooms were lit by gas and oil lamps were used elsewhere. In 1952 MANWEB installed electric lighting for the princely sum of £25 and power points for £1 each.
The main source of heating in houses was by means of open fires; the coal being supplied from a coal wharf alongside the railway in Abbey Road and during cold weather a pall of smoke hung over the town - this was most noticeable when we were out on the hills during our surveying practice. There was also a small gas production plant in Queen Street adjacent to the Cyflmen stream which supplied coal gas to the town until the advent of North Sea Gas which was piped in around 1963. It was only then that gas-fired central heating became popular and the smoke pollution gradually diminished.
During my subsequent army service most of my colleagues who had been stationed in Bryn Howel had good memories of the friendliness of the Welsh people and how they had taken them to their hearts. It is for that reason I am sure that we still have a bi-annual reunion at Bryn Howel where 20 to 30 of ‘the lads’ plus their partners gather to reminisce about ‘the good old days’. For how much longer - who knows.
* Bill's funeral will be at St Collen's Church at 1pm on August 15.
Latest roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are:
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More than 50,000 people headed to Llangollen for a month of live music from some of the world’s biggest rock and pop stars.
Marking
a new partnership between the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
and live event promoters Cuffe and Taylor, organisers have hailed the events a
major success.
Over the course of the four weeks more than 38,000 people headed to the 11 headline concerts, almost 13,000 bought tickets for the traditional events of the Core Eisteddfod week, while thousands more attended events in Llangollen including the Parade of Nations.
Artistic
Director of the Llangollen
International Musical Eisteddfod, Dave Danford said: “Together
with our co-promoters Cuffe and Taylor, we’ve brought North Wales its most
amazing four weeks of live music ever.
“For a festival that’s been in
existence for almost 80 years to undergo a rebirth such as this is truly
remarkable, and I couldn’t be more proud of what our team has achieved.
“Our festival scaled new heights this year
and that’s down to the hard work of hundreds of volunteers who worked hand in
hand with the brilliant team at Cuffe and Taylor. We are already planning for
2025 as we build on our most successful summer for generations.”
Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor added: 'We are delighted by the success of our
first year working with the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod team.
“Together we have brought global stars to
this beautiful town in North Wales and a record number of people to the
Llangollen Pavilion.
“We have always prided ourselves on bringing music to areas that would not ordinarily attract global names and we well and truly did that in Llangollen this summer.”
