A Llangollen pub is expecting to reopen this month following a £1.5 million refurbishment project, according to the Leader.
* For the full story on the Bridge End, go to: Llangollen: Bridge End continues to share renovation updates | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)
Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards has given her latest update on the problems still being faced by local people with the new recycling scheme introduced by Denbighshire County Council a few months ago. She says ...
"I know that many residents are continuing to suffer a
sub-standard statutory service from Denbighshire County Council with respect
the new waste collection scheme which came into effect on June 3rd.
In my previous statement on this subject I explained
some of the issues and some of the actions which the County Council was taking
in order to address the failures occurring in the operation of the new system.
"We are not alone in experiencing these problems of late
with missed collections and in some cases no collections at all which continue
to occur across the County.
"DCC continue to deploy additional vehicles and agency
personnel as well as allocating additional personnel from other departments and
scheduling additional weekend (Saturday) collections to cope with the issues
this scheme has created. This means we are being exposed to both unplanned
costs and a degradation in the provision of other services which is not
sustainable.
"I have been pressing the responsible officers in DCC
for more information.
"It is clear that some of the new vehicles are not able
to negotiate some of the narrow single-track roads in the rural areas of the
County both adopted and unadopted which were all part of the collection rounds
in the previous scheme.
"According to the officers responsible for the planning
and implementation of this rollout, the solution proposed in the new scheme is
for group collection points where residents who live on such unadopted roads
are expected to transport their waste to a group collection point. I have been
advised that residents in this situation have been written to, but it would
appear that this is not correct in every case.
"In order to try to assess the impact of this change in
the service, I have asked for the data as to how many houses fall into this
category and the location. Unfortunately, despite asking on more than one
occasion, DCC Officers have been unable to furnish me with this information
which in itself is most unsatisfactory and disappointing.
"In order to help me to better represent residents' views, I would like to hear from anyone in the Llangollen area I represent who has
received a letter from the Council informing them that collections will no
longer be made from houses located on unadopted roads.
"If you haven’t received a letter and you live on such a
road, I would like to hear from you too. please contact me either
via Ffon/telephone 07795 652188 or Ebost /email karen.edwards@denbighshire.gov.uk
"I cannot make promises for a better service tomorrow
because I have yet to see the evidence that the additional resources deployed
to resolve matters are working and having the desired effect to become a
sustainable and reliable system.
"I can assure you that I am doing all I can to make sure
that the responsible officers address the shortcomings in the service as a
matter of urgency.
"I and my fellow councillors are also seeking answers from DCC on the true cost and financial impact of this scheme to residents in the long term."
* This year's Eisteddfod began with the traditional Parade of Nations through the town.
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has made a list of Britain’s top 10 longest-running TV shows.
Compiled by the
Metro newspaper, this places the annual London Lord Mayor’s Show at number one.
first broadcast in 1937, to the likes of the BBC’s Panorama news programme
(1953) which takes number three spot and ITV’s Coronation Street which is ninth.
In at number
four is Llangollen’s Eisteddfod, which the BBC began broadcasting each year
back in 1954, along with the Eurovision Song Contest.
Of the Eisteddfod, which this year staged a major revival to attract 50,000 to its headline evenings concerts featuring stars such as Tom Jones and the Manic Street Preachers, the Metro says: “Since 1954, on BBC One Wales, the music festival which takes place in the second week of July gets the TV treatment.
“Five thousand singers, dancers and instrumentalists from approximately 50 countries travel to Llangollen to perform for audiences of more than 50,000.
“Both Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and National Eisteddfod of Wales have also been shown on S4C since 1982.”
* To see the full story, go to: The
longest-running British TV show isn’t what you’d expect | Metro News
* Steel structures are in place on the steps area between Abbey Road and the Wharf.
Contractors now have exactly a month left before the scheduled completion date for Llangollen’s Four Great Highways scheme.
And
although work on one aspect of the project now looks to be quite well advanced,
there’s clearly much still to be done on another part of it.
The project is part
of investment by the former UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund that was secured
through a joint application between Denbighshire County Council and Wrexham
County Borough Council for the old Clwyd South Constituency – Llangollen is now
part of the new Clwyd East.
The application was
supported by former MP for the area Simon Baynes and £3.8 million was allocated
to Denbighshire to invest in the communities of Llangollen, Llantysilio, Corwen
and surrounding areas.
Work
on the Lower Dee Mill Park walkway and the steps leading from Abbey Road up to
the Wharf was due to be finished in June.
But
at the end of that month the Four Great Highways team said unexpected ground
conditions in both sites had been encountered, which had resulted in a
re-design of the foundations under the existing steps in the park, and of the
foundations including the introduction of a steel sub-frame and concrete pile
caps - a dense concrete pad that supports heavy structures in areas where the
ground is soft - at the Wharf.
Due
to a delay in the steel being delivered the planned completion date for the
project was put back to the end August.
Steel
for the two sites was delivered a few weeks ago and llanblogger has been taking
a look at the sites.
While Lower Dee Mill Park seems to be progressing well, with an elevated walkway now in place, much work still appears to be necessary at the Wharf steps, although strong steel structures are now in place at the canal end, near the top and slightly lower down the slope.
There’s now exactly a month before the stated completion deadline is reached.
* 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.”
