Prostate cancer support group meets this Wednesday

* The Hand Hotel where the prostate cancer support group meets monthly.

Llangollen's Prostate Support Group will be holding their regular monthly meeting this Wednesday, October 15, at the Hand Hotel in Llangollen, at 2pm.

Group spokesperson David Davies, who himself is currently undergoing treatment, said: "Any guy who has had prostate cancer, currently has or has recently been diagnosed, is on current treatment, or who is on the 'watch and wait' is welcomed.  

"We meet on the third Wednesday of the month. We share experiences, support each other, update on latest developments and talk life tips."

Charity afternoon tea is a delicious £1,115 success

 

* Pamela Williams (left) and Jayne Dickson from the team of volunteers which organised and ran the event with the fabulous spread of home-made cakes available. The array of contributed raffle prizes are in the background.

A charity afternoon tea held at St Collen's Community Hall yesterday (Saturday) raised a total of £1,115, which will be shared equally between the two good causes of North West Cancer Research and North East Wales Mountain Rescue. 

The team of organisers have thanked all those who came along and helped make the event a success. 

* People at the event enjoy their afternoon tea.

Former Star Inn is on the market for £149,950

                                    

                              * The former Star Inn is up for sale.

A former Llangollen pub has gone on the market with an asking price of £149,950.

The Star in Queen Street has been empty and run-down for some time but he sales description from Wingetts' says: "Ground floor has front and side bar areas, two public areas and kitchen to rear, two cellar rooms. 

"The first floor offers 6 bedrooms, bathroom and separate w.c. courtyard area to side. The building offers potential for a variety of uses (subject to statutory consent).

* The sale is being handled by Wingetts' Llangollen office in Castle Street, tel: 01978 861366, or email: llangollen@wingetts.co.uk

* The former bar area.

Food festival shows the recipe for success

* Brisk business being done in the packed Town Hall.

Despite the morning's tragic incident on the river, which meant a large police presence in the town for a large part of today, the first day of Llangollen Food Festival went ahead and managed to attract large numbers of people.

Spread across the town were a huge variety of stalls, together with tastings, live music, and entertainment at in Market Street, the Town Hall, Llangollen Railway, Riverside Park, Gales Wine Bar, the Silver Band HQ in Parade Street and - new for this year - Blas Cookery & Wine School also on Parade Street. 

All the venues were doing well, with the Town Hall being especially busy from early on.

Organisers say visitors to the festival can expect a weekend full of delicious food and drink, live music, cookery demos, whisky and port tastings, children’s activities and the ever-popular Real Ale Train on the railway.

There is free parking available all weekend in car parks operated by Denbighshire County Council at Brook Street, East Street, Hall Street, Market Street and Mill Street.

The festival continues tomorrow (Sunday) from 10am to 5pm. 

* Tasty treats on display.

* Welcome to the festival!

* Sixteen-year-old Isla Jane sings in Centenary Square.

* Peter McGivern leads a wine tasting in the courtyard at Blas Cookery & Wine School.

* Food and drink stalls off Parade Street.

* People enjoying the street food and other stalls in Riverside Park.

 * Live entertainment on the bandstand in the park.

* Stalls behind Gales were a big attraction (above and below). 

* Making the most of the new Market Street ca park venue.

* People enjoying the sun and a quiet drink in the park.

* The station approach was packed with stalls.

* The station platform stalls also kept busy throughout the day.

Latest update says it was woman's body found in river this morning

 

* Police activity on the bridge this morning.

3.15pm UPDATE

A WOMAN'S body was pulled from the River Dee in Llangollen today (Saturday, October 11), police have confirmed.

A story on Leaderlive says: "Emergency services were called to the incident this morning - with road closures in place in the town centre as a result.

Police have confirmed that, sadly, a woman's body was discovered in the river.

Enquiries are underway to establish the woman's identity and the death is thought not to be suspicious, police said. The coroner has been informed.

A North Wales Police spokesperson said: "We can confirm that sadly a body of a female was recovered from the River Dee in Llangollen earlier today (Saturday, October 11).

"At 8.18am North Wales Police received a 999-call reporting a body had been discovered in the water.

"Officers attended the scene along with other emergency services including North Wales Fire and Rescue Service’ Water Rescue Team."

Inspector Andy Kirkham of North Wales Police added: 'Our thoughts remain with the woman’s family at this distressing time.'"

Police dealing with major incident in town centre

* The scene this morning on the bridge. 

3.15pm UPDATE

A WOMAN'S body was pulled from the River Dee in Llangollen today (Saturday, October 11), police have confirmed.

A story on Leaderlive says: "Emergency services were called to the incident this morning - with road closures in place in the town centre as a result.

Police have confirmed that, sadly, a woman's body was discovered in the river.

Enquiries are underway to establish the woman's identity and the death is thought not to be suspicious, police said. The coroner has been informed.

A North Wales Police spokesperson said: "We can confirm that sadly a body of a female was recovered from the River Dee in Llangollen earlier today (Saturday, October 11).

"At 8.18am North Wales Police received a 999-call reporting a body had been discovered in the water.

"Officers attended the scene along with other emergency services including North Wales Fire and Rescue Service’ Water Rescue Team."

Inspector Andy Kirkham of North Wales Police added: 'Our thoughts remain with the woman’s family at this distressing time.'"

12.24pm UPDATE

The body which was discovered in the river close to the Cornmill this morning has now been recovered by a special waterborne unit from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

The railway itself, which remained closed for a few hours, has now been allowed to re-open, along with the Food Festival stalls on the station approach road.

The food festival is going ahead normally, with people flocking to all venues, including the Town Hall, the stalls behind the former Ectarc off East Street, the band hut in Parade Street and Centenary Square where there is a programme of live music.

As the section of the Riverside Park walkway from the town to the Princess Street steps was closed people wishing to visit the food stalls and live music around the bandstand had to make their way by other routes. The walkway is now open.

* A fire and rescue service vehicle parked near the Cornmill earlier.

Original story ...

Police are dealing with a major incident in the centre of Llangollen this morning (Saturday).

On the first day of the annual Food Festival there are currently at least eight police vehicles and an ambulance positioned around the Castle Street and bridge area. 

At one stage earlier the bridge was completely closed but is now open with police officers directing traffic.

A section of the walkway in Riverside park close to the Cornmill has also been cordoned off with police officers duty at both ends.  Officers could be seen talking to a number of people. 

One officer simply said they were dealing with an incident but gave no further details.

There are unconfirmed suggestions that a body may have been found in the river.

Pip Gale, chair of the Food Festival, said he did not know how the situation would affect the event.

"The traders are all set up at the various venues across the town but, as yet, we don't know exactly how this will affect us."  

* llanblogger will give further updates as the incident develops.

Police have now posted on their Facebook page: "*** LLANGOLLEN ***

A number of main roads in the centre of Llangolen are closed at present due to an ongoing incident. Please avoid the area."

* Police have cordoned off a section of the walkway from the town to the park. 

* An ambulance waiting in Parade Street.

Councillors to consider rescue plan for town's public toilets

* Could the Market Street public toilets be saved by a new rescue plan?

llanblogger exclusive

County councillors are to consider a rescue plan to keep all of Llangollen’s public toilets open based on people being charged £1 to use them and changes in their management structure.

There was a wave of outrage last year after Denbighshire revealed it might be necessary to shut all the county’s toilets due to a large hole in its budget.

Petitions were started, public meetings were held and locals against the closure of those in Llangollen appeared on TV news bulletins to oppose the suggestion.  

Later there appeared to be a rescue plan based on Denbighshire teaming up with Llangollen Town Council to seek outside grants to help keep the toilets, which wasn't proceeded with because the county council weren't successful with their bid for Brilliant Basics funding.

County officers were then tasked with finding other ways of saving all the county’s loos by talking to city, town and community councils.  

And what appears to be the preferred plan which emerged from the discussions will be considered by the powerful Communities Scrutiny Committee at its meeting this Thursday (October 16).

A report from Corporate Project Manager Kimberley Mason outlines the details, which would mean for Llangollen:

* Market Street toilets remaining open and in the ownership of Denbighshire County Council (DCC)

* DCC to replace the Riverside Park toilets with a new unit which would also remain in the ownership of the county 

* Cashless entry systems to be installed at both sites, with a usage charge of £1  

* The staffing structure to be amended, with no toilets being staffed during the day from April 1, 2026.  

The report says: “Llangollen Town Council notes the decision to levy a £1 usage charge. As a result of this charge the County Council confirms that it will no longer seek or require any contribution from the Town Council towards the operating costs of the toilets in Llangollen.”

Proposals for public toilets in other areas of the county vary in detail.

Some, like those in Rhyl and Prestatyn, would remain open with an entry charge and a contribution towards running costs from the town council.

Others, such as Ruthin, Rhuddlan, St Asaph and Dyserth, would be taken over by their local councils through special agreements with the county and have cashless entry systems installed.

The report points out that public toilets in the other areas of Denbighshire all have estimated gaps in their budgets - worked out according to the actual costs of running each PC, minus the estimated income – while Llangollen does not.

Explaining this, it says: “Based on the proposal to charge for usage and some changes to the management regime, there is no anticipated budget gap for Llangollen.”

It adds that the cost of upgrading all the toilets to accept contactless payment has been costed at approximately £311,000.

The views of scrutiny committee members will be sought before the final recommendations are taken to the council’s Cabinet.   

The report points out: “Public toilets are valued by, and important to, our communities, and we have therefore undertaken further work with City, Town and Community Councils to hopefully keep as many PCs open as possible beyond 31st March 2026.

“Public toilets are a non-statutory service, and local authorities therefore have no legal obligation to provide them.

“Most of the budget for PCs was removed as part of the 2024/25 budget setting process. Since then, Denbighshire County Council has been operating public toilets without the budget to do so, and that position cannot continue in 2026/27.”