New MG HS has too many annoying bongs - but is still a bargain

Steve Rogers drives the new MG HS

How does a car that looks this good have you tearing your hair out within a few minutes of taking to the road?

An intriguing opening to a road test if ever there was one, so what is the problem?

Basically you are bombarded with bongs, some useful, like the overspeed warning, but I don’t need a bong and message to ‘focus on my driving’ when I am, or take a break when I have only just started.

Have we come too far with technology? Maybe. The HS has a camera in the front A pillar to keep an eye on the driver. It is a safety feature but is way too sensitive and damned annoying. Check the mirrors or look to the centre console to change the heating or radio station at your peril. The warning bongs can be turned off by scrolling to the MG Pilot menu but this has to be done for every journey. If I owned the HS I would cover the camera with tape.

Back to the nitty gritty and the new HS. It deserves a wow because the transformation over the old model is massive. It is new from the ground up, a slightly bigger body with a longer wheelbase giving more cabin space, new engine, with a plug-in hybrid option, and a stylish, plush interior.

Yet this family sized SUV is still one of the bargains of the century with a starting price of £24,995, undercutting rivals like Kia Sportage, Nissan Qashqai, Ford Kugga and a lot more.

The original HS did well for MG but if that blended anonymously into a very big pack then the new model stands out with striking design following the trend for waver thin LED headlights and full width rear light bar.

Inside has been completely revamped and looks nothing like a bargain car. Fittings are decent quality and the whole thing has a feeling of opulence. MG has played copycat with the dashboard creating the now popular widescreen TV layout by merging two 12.3in screens. It looks spectacular.

Lengthening the wheelbase has created more space and that is no more evident than in the back where there is legroom galore along a flat floor, and the boot has gained some extra litres of storage. It is nowhere near class leading and could be improved if the rear seat was on runners like some rivals.

Once seated passengers can expect a comfortable ride, the HS is fairly softly sprung and does a good job of smothering the jolts from potholes and the like.

The cutting edge dashboard layout I was lauding earlier does have the odd foible. The infotainment is not as quick as some so you do find yourself dabbing for a response from the menus of which there are quite a number. The central screen layout is good with four functions displayed including navigation, radio and heating. There are quick keys for fast demisting, heating the rear window and returning to the main screen but what about these for a couple of oddments?

It took days to find the volume control for the radio which is in a swipe down menu, and the same applies for opening and closing the powered tailgate from inside the car. A common or garden switch would be more sensible as the ignition has to be on for it to work.

For a big car the 1.5 litre turbocharged engine is quite punchy but with only average economy. Over the week the HS managed 40.4mpg, higher than the official figure, although it did tip 50mpg on a couple of longer journeys.

The star of the range is undoubtedly the Trophy plug-in hybrid with its class leading range of 75 miles which for people who don’t do big miles is the equivalent of an electric car. But if you want to save nine grand then the petrol manual SE is tremendous value, very well equipped both for spec and safety but my choice would be the seven speed automatic Trophy which packs all you need and more.

* Last week I promised a decision on my car of the year. It was a close call between the MG3 and Renault Clio and the crown goes to the MG. The improvement over the previous model is massive and for style, economy and cost the package is unbeatable. A good year for MG then…

Fast facts

HS Trophy 7sp automatic

£28,995 (starts £24,995)

1.5 T-GDI; 166bhp

0-62mph 9.6secs; 121 mph

38.7mpg combined

173g/km. 1st VED £1,095

Boot: 507-1484 litres

Insurance group 27

'Allo 'Allo by Twenty Club is simply magnifique

* Oh yes, we can can-can, say the cast.

The plot and dialogue may be tres tres cheesy but the acting and staging of ‘Allo ‘Allo: the Camembert Caper by the Twenty Club at Llangollen Town Hall this week are simply ooh la la!

The popular drama group took their first crack at the stage version of the French resistance farce with 'Allo 'Allo: The Fallen Madonna to win widespread praise back in 2021.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) until Saturday - when there's also a matinee show - they're back for a second go. And it works every bit as well this time round.

Things are just as deliciously daft in the plotting and dialogue departments but the interpretation of the piece by a highly skilled cast is simply magnifique.

Based on the hugely popular TV comedy series, this version of 'Allo 'Allo continues the adventures of reluctant resistance hero and harassed café owner René Artois in German-occupied wartime France. 

And poor old Rene gets himself into the same kind of deep trouble as he always did on screen or stage.

Add a basketful of camembert cheeses, an amorous but corrupt undertaker, two waitresses vying for Rene's charms, ill thought out escape plans for the two British airmen, German presence everywhere and, well ..

The cast assembled under the masterful touch of director Chissie Ashworth - also back for a second stint with Rene - is little short of brilliant.

Rene himself is played with world-weary aplomb by Chris Williams, while his overbearing wife with a neat line in tuneless singing is Lizzie Clifford, who incidentally sings rather better in real life.

The duo of naughty waitresses at Cafe Rene, Yvette and Mimi, are brought cheekily to life by Jessica Fiddler and Niki Davies-Bottomley respectively and - listen carefully, as I will say zis only once - Helen Belton makes a superb resistance worker Michelle.

Aled Morris is splendidly befuddled as the bumbling resistance man Le Clerc while Sue Cheshire is Madam Fanny La Fan, the bed-ridden elderly lady whose presence sparks many a double entendre. Sue's real-life husband Bill Cheshire brings a classy French accent and nifty little beard to bear as the undertaker Monsieur Alphonse.

Dan Pedley, Neil Barrett and Edward Roscoe turn in a suitably braying set of upper-class, shot-down RAF types, Dan doing particularly well as Crabtree who is pretending to be the local gendarme manged Franglais and all.

Herr Flick, the ramrod-like but muddle-headed Gestapo officer, is always an 'Allo 'Allo favourite and is no exception in this piece where is portrayed in fine style by Kevin Williams. His flirty assistant Helga is equally well done by Bev Maier.

Steve Hughes, John Clifford, John Eve and Ian Wright produce some handy turns as the local German officers, General Klinkerhoffen, Colonel Von Strohm, Captain Geering and Lieutenant Gruber.

Jayne Belton keeps the ivories tinkling admirably in the cafe background as resident pianist Madame Croissant and Mike Connolly is a believable radio announcer.

The show is as splendidly produced as ever by Pamela Williams.

Performance dates are from Wednesday November 13 to Saturday November 16 at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2pm. Ticket prices are £14 and £12.

* Yvette and Rene in the cafe.

* Monsieur Alphonse with Rene.

* Double entendres fly around Madame Fanny La Fan.

* Michelle confers with Yvette, Edith and Milli.

* Helga dines with Herr Flick.

* Rene under pressure from Edith.

* Not-so-nasty Nazi officers.

Railway staff become tourism ambassadors

* Llangollen Railway staff and volunteers with their Gold Certificates for the Denbighshire Ambassador Scheme. 

Ahead of this year’s Wales Ambassador Week, which takes place between November 18-22, Llangollen and Corwen Railway staff and volunteers have become Denbighshire Tourism Ambassadors. 

The Denbighshire Ambassador Course provides online training opportunities to learn and improve your knowledge of the county’s unique characteristics and is a part of the wider Wales Ambassador Scheme, which provides people with free online training and knowledge on the special qualities of other areas across Wales.

 

Similar courses are also offered in Eryri National Park, Conwy, Gwynedd, Anglesey, Flintshire, Wrexham, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.

 

Welsh Ambassador Week has a range of activities organised throughout the week, aiming to highlight the diverse range of people who have benefitted from becoming an ambassador through the Wales Ambassador Scheme.

 

The scheme itself is open to everyone and offers a unique way to learn more about Wales through a series of online modules on a variety of themes. 

Set to launch in November, members will be able to access the new coastal paths and national trails module, where they can learn more about the Welsh Coastline with a specific focus on Offa’s Dyke Path which runs through Denbighshire, the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and Glyndwr’s Way.

 

There are currently over 4,850 people registered on the Wales Ambassador Scheme with over 3,660 people already at the bronze level. More than 8,750 bronze, silver and gold badges have been awarded so far, with over half of the bronze achievers progressing through the modules to reach the gold standard.

 

Nicola Reincke the Llangollen Railway Training and Quality Manager said: “We decided to introduce the Denbighshire Tourism Ambassador Scheme as a voluntary course for our customer-facing staff and volunteers to undertake as we felt it would enrich the customer experience we can give to our visitors at the railway. In the space of two weeks, we had 10 people achieve gold standard and many more are on their journey.

“The uptake and feedback have been tremendous. Even though I have lived and worked nearby all my life, I now need to revisit all the towns in Denbighshire to explore what I have learned in the scheme. It is a fascinating course to undertake and gives people a thorough and rich understanding of our communities and our history in Denbighshire."

 

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “It’s really encouraging to see individuals within the tourism industry in the County benefitting from this ambassador scheme. 

"The council are committed to managing the scheme and continuing to work with our partners to explore new opportunities, to improve the experience that tourists have when visiting Denbighshire. The introduction of the new coastal path and walking trails module is a great example of this.”

 

* For more information on becoming a Denbighshire Tourism Ambassador visit the Denbighshire specific page on the Wales Ambassador website or to hear more to what the ambassadors themselves have to say visit their page. 

 

During Wales Ambassador Week a number of activities will be organised, for more information visit the Wales Ambassador website.

Ken Skates joins Bryn Collen children on their walk to school

* Ken Skates MS, left, with children from Ysgol Bryn Collen.

Children from Ysgol Bryn Collen were joined on their journey to school by the area's Senedd Member Ken Skates last Friday.

He was able to see first hand the benefit of the taking part in WOW - the Walk the School Challenge from Living Streets, which sees pupils record how they get to school using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker, with those who walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or Park and Stride to school being awarded a monthly badge. 

Currently only around 50 per cent of primary school children in Wales walk to school and Living Streets is working to help more families choose cleaner and healthier ways to travel. 

WOW schools typically see an increase of 43 per cent in active journeys, where pupils, walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or Park and Stride - in which parents or carers drive children part of the way to school and continue the rest of the journey on foot and a 59 per cent reduction in cars driving to the school gates.  

In Wales, thousands of children are enjoying the benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling to school thanks to support from the Welsh Government. 

As part of a two-year project, Living Streets Cymru is working with 170 primary schools and 42 secondary schools to deliver its walk to school programme in Wales. The project highlights the positive impact active travel investment has on local communities. 

Since beginning WOW in September, active journeys at Ysgol Bryn Collen have increased by over 30 per cent.

Ken Skates, Senedd Member for Clwyd South, said:  “Walking and wheeling to school is one of the simplest ways for families to get the 60 minutes of exercise recommend by health experts. Programmes like WOW make such a positive difference to pupils’ wellbeing and the benefits travel far – from increased confidence to finding it easier to concentrate in the classroom. 

“Well done to pupils and teachers at Ysgol Bryn Collen for making such an impressive effort to travel to school in healthier, more sustainable ways.” 

Hannah Atkins, School Coordinator for Living Streets Cymru, said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome Ken Skates MS to Ysgol Bryn Collen and for pupils to tell him how much they enjoy taking part in WOW.” 

“Walking or wheeling all or some of the way to school is a great way for children to feel happier and healthier and gives them the chance to spend quality time with family and friends. It also reduces congestion around the school gates and air pollution.” 

Lisa Howden, Headteacher at Ysgol Bryn Collen, said: "We are thrilled to see our pupils embracing the WOW challenge and making the effort to travel to school in more sustainable ways. The positive impact on their wellbeing and the environment is truly remarkable. 

“The school is committed to providing a nurturing and inclusive environment that fosters the academic, social, and personal development of its pupils. 

“By continuing to promote active travel and engage with initiatives like WOW, Ysgol Bryn Collen is setting an excellent example for other schools in the region and contributing to a healthier, more sustainable future for its community." 

* For more details of the scheme, go to: WOW – the walk to school challenge 

Crowds turn out for town's annual Service of Remembrance

* Poppies shower down on the service in Centenary Square.

A large crowd watched and took part in Llangollen's annual Service of Remembrance in Centenary Square earlier this morning (Sunday).

Led by Father Lee Taylor of St Collen's, the service included the traditional sounding of the Last Post by a bugler from Llangollen Silver Band, the two-minute silence and the laying of wreaths on the square's two war memorials which commemorate local people who died in both world wars and other conflicts.  

The ceremony ended with the traditional parade of service and youth organisations, led by their standards, along Castle Street and around the town centre.

* Service organisations arrive in the square.

 

* Crowds throng around the edge of the square to join in with the service.

* Father Lee leads the service.

* A bugler from Llangollen Silver Band sounds Last Post.

* The Mayor, Cllr Aled Morris, lays a wreath on behalf of the Town Council. 

* Cllr Karen Edwards lays a wreath for Denbighshire County Council.

* Ex-servicemen lay their wreath.

* A wreath is laid by children from local schools.

 * Youth organisations lay their wreath.

 * New chairman John Gambles lays a wreath for Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

* The parade sets off down Castle Street.

* Youth organisations in the parade.

Latest Citizens Advice column

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:

Q: My children love Christmas and they’re already picking extra treats off the shelf when we go shopping, and telling me what presents they want. I really want to make it a special time for them, but times are tough and I can’t help worrying about overspending and getting into debt. What can I do to manage my finances during the holiday season, and where can I turn if I find myself struggling?

A: The festive season can be a financially challenging time, and often borrowing money or using a credit card to fund Christmas can seem like your only option. But there are steps you can take to keep your spending under control and avoid falling into debt.

The first thing to do is make a budget and stick to it.

Consider who you're buying gifts for, what other seasonal expenses you have, and how much you can realistically afford to spend. Always keep receipts, or ask for gift receipts, in case you overspend and need to return something. And remember that household bills may be higher during this period due to colder weather and spending more time indoors.

If you've built up debt, please don't ignore bills or letters. Speak to the organisation you owe money to, as they may let you pay smaller amounts.

Pay 'priority debts' first, like rent, mortgage arrears, council tax, and energy bills. For other types of debt like credit cards or loans, gather all the information on what you owe, create a budget, and contact your creditors to set up an affordable repayment plan. This might seem scary, but it’s an important first step.

If your budget just doesn’t add up and you need help to afford essentials like bills and food, see what cost of living support is available on the Citizens Advice website.

It’s especially important to check if you’re eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, which will now only be paid to those who receive Pension Credit or other means-tested benefits. If you make a claim for Pension Credit by 21 December, you might still receive the Winter Fuel Payment.

If you do find yourself struggling financially during or after the holidays, don't panic. Support is out there, and Citizens Advice can help you understand what’s available. We’re here to help you find a way forward.

Resident complains to council about "threatening" recycling leaflets

* The leaflet about which the resident has complained.

A Llangollen man has complained to a county council chief about “veiled threats” being made to residents over the way they are putting out their recycling - when he claims the crews themselves are leaving the bins in a mess. 

Denbighshire, which introduced a problem-hit waste collection system back in the summer, has just put out leaflets in the area which tell residents that if their containers are too full or too heavy or include items that shouldn’t be in it. Crews will place a sticker on it asking them to correctly sort its contents in time for their next collection.     

This has annoyed Mike Edwards who has written a letter of complaint to council chief executive Graham Boase, in which says: “Residents are requested to give up their time and asked to sort our household rubbish for recycling, but then the refuse crews come along and leave the trolley block containers in an absolute mess facing the wrong way and smaller bins e.g food bin inside one of the containers. The various bins are thrown everywhere. 

* The state the resident claims his own bin has been left in.

“I politely asked the crew to leave the trolley blocks how they found them and not leave them for me and other residents to tidy up, but this was totally ignored.

“I object strongly to threats of notices being posted on our bins if we have not filled our part of the bargain when they clearly cannot co-operate and fill their responsibilities.

“It’s extremely disrespectful for Council Tax Payers to be treated in this way especially when we have endured four months of utter chaos when this scheme was foisted on all Denbighshire residents without it being trialled in a manageable area(s) to root out problems and fine tune the scheme.

“So now the responsible department start imposing conditions upon residents with veiled threats if we don’t do as they want. It is clearly not a two way street.”

A Denbighshire County Council spokesperson said: "The picture demonstrates how our crews have been trained to stack the Trolibocs after collection. This method of stacking is best practice as it stabilises the containers in case of high winds. Placing the food caddy inside one of the other containers adds further weight to the whole Trolibocs unit to make it more stable. 

"The social media post and leaflets handed to residents are intended to help residents recycle correctly and explain why certain containers may not have been collected. They also signpost residents to their information booklet or the Council’s online A-Z guide.

"The information booklet,  which was distributed to households prior to the start of the new service, has a frequently asked questions section which clearly states on page 20 that if containers are too full or too heavy, or have items that shouldn’t be there, the crews will place a sticker or tag asking for it to be correctly sorted in time for the next collection. This information has also been available on Denbighshire’s website since May.

 

"Our waste and recycling crews must deal with issues arising from incorrect materials in containers. Unfortunately, if crews collect containers which are heavily contaminated, it compromises the whole load in the lorry which means there’s a risk that these materials will be rejected for recycling. One of the reasons for introducing this new system is to achieve Welsh Government’s 70% recycling target, but it is also the right decision environmentally. While the old system of collecting co-mingled recycling was easy to use, it did not lead to high quality recycling. Much of what was collected was contaminated meaning it could not be sold on.

 

"We are fully aware that many residents have been frustrated by missed collections over the past few months and we acknowledge that the roll out has not gone as we had hoped. We have apologised for this and we continue to apologise to any resident who continues to have issues. 

"The new system has already led to improved quality of recycling materials, but we must tackle the issue of contaminated recycling and we appreciate the efforts that Denbighshire residents are making in this respect. The new system, which is in line with many other local authorities throughout Wales, is the right way forward, not only to hit our recycling target, but more importantly it is better for the environment. By recycling in this way, more of the materials we collect will remain in the UK to be recycled which significantly reduces our carbon footprint."