The famous Llangollen Town Hall clock, which stopped working some days ago, will be be back in action again soon.
That's the word from a Town Council spokesperson who said: "The clock and its regular chimes are well-known features of the town.
" Unfortunately, it has stopped working due to a problem with the mechanism but our specialist has been called and, hopefully, it will be ticking back into life very soon."
Latest local roadworks alert from Denbighshire County Council is:
NEXT TO NUMBER 28 MILL STREET, LL20 8SA MILL STREET 09/06/2025 09/06/2025 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC)
10 Regent Street JNC QUEEN STREET AND CHURCH STREET Llangollen LL2 BROOK STREET 19/05/2025 06/06/2025 Gwaith BT/ BT Works SUNBELT RENTALS (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure
Verge ABBEY ROAD 31/01/2025 13/06/2025 Gwaith Ar Wal Gynnal/ Retaining Wall Works DCC HIGHWAYS
A542 Llandyn Hall Farm Culvert TRACK TO LLANDYN HALL FROM A539 28/04/2025 23/05/2025 Gwaith ar Gylfat/ Culvert Works (DCC) Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure
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The famous Llangollen Round Challenge is often said to be fuelled by home-made cake.
So organisers of the fifth challenge, due to take place over the weekend of May 31/June 1, have put out the call to local home bakers to come up with contributions to keep those taking part in the often-gruelling event well topped up with tasty treats.
One of those in charge, Judy Smith, said: "The challenge has become a major fundraising event for Cancer Research UK and we have a record number of entries this time.
"The event has gained the epithet 'fuelled by home-made cake', so if you can help us maintain that, we'd be more than grateful.
"If you can bake a cake, please email (thellangollenround@gmail.com) or phone me on 07905 330788 to let us know.
"Traybakes like flapjack are easiest for us, but variety is needed too, so whatever you like to bake will be gratefully received. And thank you so much for your help."
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Llangollen Twenty Club are having an open read-through for their November play, Blackadder Goes Forth, tonight (Wednesday, April 23) at the Town Hall Council Chambers in Parade Street, starting at 7pm. What 3 Words - https://w3w.co/salt.thumbnail.trouble
One of the main aims of the read-through is to decide which four of the six episodes they will perform, although they say it’s certain that the final episode ‘Goodbyee’ will be amongst the four.
Anyone interested is asked to email: contact@twentyclub.co.uk
An audition for the play sometime in July will be announced in due course.
Refreshments will be provided at the read-through. Here's what happens in each episode:
Episode 1: Captain Cook
To escape the horrors of trench life, Captain Blackadder volunteers to become the army’s official war artist—hoping it will get him far from the front lines. Unfortunately, General Melchett insists the artist should be right at the heart of the action. Baldrick’s bizarre painting is mistakenly hailed as a masterpiece, and Blackadder’s plan falls apart. The episode sets the tone for the series: darkly comic, sharply satirical, and scathing about the futility and bureaucracy of war.
Episode 2: Corporal Punishment
Blackadder lands himself in serious trouble after shooting a messenger pigeon—unaware it belongs to General Melchett. Tried for murder, he faces court-martial, with Baldrick and George as his hopeless defence. The absurd trial mocks the blind justice of wartime protocol and the incompetence of those in charge. Blackadder is only saved when Melchett inadvertently incriminates himself, highlighting the arbitrary nature of military authority.
Episode 3: Major Star
With morale at rock bottom, Melchett orders a concert party to lift spirits. Blackadder spots an opportunity to escape the trenches by sending Baldrick and George to perform in Paris. But things go awry when George falls for Baldrick in drag, and Melchett does too. The episode satirises wartime distractions, gender stereotypes, and leadership delusion. Blackadder’s plan, once again, is undone by the buffoonery around him.
Episode 4: Private Plane
Believing life as a pilot will be safer and more glamorous, Blackadder joins the Royal Flying Corps—only to discover the skies are just as deadly. After being captured by the Red Baron, he and Baldrick are rescued in a farcical escape mission. The episode pokes fun at the romantic myths of wartime aviation, exposing it as yet another deadly theatre of war, ruled by incompetence and misplaced heroism.
Episode 5: General Hospital
When a spy is suspected of leaking battle plans, Blackadder is sent undercover to a military hospital. His investigation, driven more by self-interest than patriotism, leads to a surprising discovery: the affable George has been unwittingly leaking secrets. The episode skewers military intelligence, hospital life, and the idea of loyalty in war. Despite solving the mystery, Blackadder’s efforts—as always—yield no reward.
Episode 6: Goodbyeee
As orders come to go “over the top,” Blackadder, George, and Baldrick face the inevitability of death. The tone shifts as gallows humour gives way to poignant reflection. Blackadder’s last attempt to escape fails, and the episode ends with a haunting charge into No Man’s Land. Fading to a field of poppies, it remains one of the most moving scenes in British television—a final reminder of the human cost of war.
* Monies raised from the raffle at last month’s The Importance of Being Earnest performances by Twenty Club are being donated to three causes close to the hearts of Keith Hall and Dave Roberts, and their families. Keith and Dave, both dear friends of The Twenty Club passed away at the end of 2024.
The three good causes are:
North East Wales Search & Rescue
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The county council has confirmed that its bid for funding to help facelift and save Llangollen’s public toilets from closure has failed.
But
Denbighshire says it is now looking at alternative funding possibilities and
remains committed to keeping the Market Street conveniences open.
Suggestions last summer that the toilets
could close along with all the others across the county in a bid to dig
Denbighshire out of a massive financial black hole caused deep concern in the
town since after the plan was revealed by llanblogger.
A public meeting was called to hammer
out the issue back in the summer with many people voicing their fears about the
damage any loss of the toilets would mean to Llangollen businesses relying
heavily on the tourism trade and also to residents themselves.
Although the meeting was inconclusive
local MP Becky Gittins and Senedd Member Ken Skates began working behind the scenes to secure an amicable solution to the problem.
Meanwhile, Llangollen Town Council was
looking closely at the financial situation to see if anything could be done by them.
And a possible answer was put forward which
would see the county and town councils working jointly on a salvage plan.
Basically, while the county would put in a
bid for around £40,000 to the Brilliant Basics Fund, which assists in the
provision of small-scale tourism infrastructure improvements across Wales, the
town council would contribute about £4,000 towards the renovation of the
toilets.
The Town Clerk said he confident there
was sufficient money in the reserves to cover the amount.
But there has now been a major setback to
the plan after Brilliant Basics rejected the funding application.
This has been confirmed by a
spokesperson for the county who said: “Denbighshire
County Council had recently applied to the Brilliant Basics Fund to upgrade
public conveniences and assist in keeping as many of them open as possible, but
this funding bid was unsuccessful.
“Officers are now looking at alternative funding opportunities to secure funds. This will take some time to work through, but the council remains committed and confident that the required funds can be sourced to deliver an effective and sustainable long-term solution to keeping these facilities open where there is a defined need to do so.”
Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards said: "Since my initial statement on the DCC proposed budget savings measures, which included the prospect of the closure of the public conveniences in Llangollen and other towns in Denbighshire and the subsequent discussions that have taken place which included the consultation process and the draft toilet strategy report, I have refrained from making any further statements due to the simple fact that I was waiting to see if the application was successful.
"Last week, prior to me attending the Town Council meeting, I emailed the Corporate Director asking for an update and was informed that the authority had just received the disappointing news that the application had been unsuccessful.
"The officers will now be exploring alternative funding sources, and I expect to be provided with an update in due course.
"Throughout this process I have always vehemently opposed the proposed closure of the public conveniences in Llangollen and will continue to do so for all the reasons that are blatantly obvious, we all know how vital it is to retain these facilities.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to everyone for their continued proactive support."
Rod Holt,
who has campaigned hard to save the toilets and organised last year’s public
meeting at the Town Hall, said of the latest development: “An Eisteddfod spokesperson
once said, ‘for one week of the year , the eyes of the world are on Llangollen,’
and they had a point.
“In this
case though ‘It’s the eyes of the world are always on Llangollen’.
“We all got
together to prove that these toilets are vital to Llangollen - residents, day
trippers , locals from neighbouring villages, tourists, business owners, disabled
people, pensioners, children ,parents, people with medical issues – all need
these toilets. So please do not let us down Denbighshire County Council because
the eyes of the world are watching.
“I would also like to see statements about this from our local MP Becky Gittins and local Senedd Member and Welsh Minister Ken Skates.”
Ken Skates, Member of the Senedd for Clwyd South said: "While this is clearly disappointing news, Becky and I will continue to work with the council and help them however we can."
Local MP, Becky Gittins, said “I have been in communication with both town council representatives and the DCC leader and I am confident that we will find a way forward. Keeping Llan toilets open to the public is a commitment shared by all parties involved, myself and Ken, DCC and the Town Council, and we will continue to work together to ensure the best outcome for the town.”
Denbighshire Council is participating in a new, innovative project to identify residents who are missing out on over £42 million of unclaimed benefits.
Over 13,000 Denbighshire households are missing out on financial support resulting in over 28,500 missed claims.
Led by the Welsh Government, 12 local authorities across Wales are participating in the project from January-December 2025 to identify and reach out to residents who may not realise they’re eligible for support.
Last year, pensioners across Denbighshire gained £872,442 in unclaimed benefits following a proactive Pension Credit campaign. In total, 115 residents benefitted, with £215,142 Pension Credit claims however, other benefits including Attendance Allowance, Council Tax Reduction, State Pension, Housing Benefit, Personal Independence Payment and the Winter Fuel Payment were also identified as a result of full benefit checks.
Participating in the pilot project will provide an opportunity to build on the Council’s successes and provide much needed support to even more households.
Working with the data analytics company, Policy in Practice, the Council will be using the Low-Income Family Tracker (LIFT) platform to identify residents who are missing out on financial support. The platform will enable the Council to develop and implement campaigns based on more robust data analysis to reach our most vulnerable households. Policy in Practice estimates over £2 billion of benefits are unclaimed in Wales each year.
Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of Denbighshire County Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth and Tackling Deprivation said: "I’m really pleased that Denbighshire is part of this pilot. Maximising income through the take up of benefits and reducing expenses is essential to help residents on low incomes with rising living costs.
"The LIFT platform will be a vital component in helping us proactively identify our vulnerable residents before they reach crisis levels.
Making it simpler for people to access the support they need will make a real difference to the financial wellbeing of individuals as well as strengthening our local communities.”
Deven Ghelani, Director and founder of Policy in Practice, said: "We're thrilled to work with Denbighshire Council to help put over £42 million of unclaimed benefits and support directly into the pockets of local people. As one of the first councils in Wales to proactively use their data and our LIFT platform to identify and engage with individual households, Denbighshire is leading the way in supporting residents. This money has the power to lift thousands of families out of hardship, making a real difference in their lives."
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A coffee morning and sale in aid of the Myanmar Earthquake Relief Fund will be held in the Memorial Hall, Market Street, tomorrow (Tuesday) from 10am to 12noon.
