Riverside Park public toilets discussed on BBC Radio Wales today

* The public toilets in Riverside Park discussed on BBC Radio Wales today.

llanblogger's Phil Robinson was this lunchtime interviewed on BBC Radio Wales about problems with the public toilets in Riverside Park.

The loos, next to the refreshment area, have not been working properly for some time and Denbighshire County Council, which is responsible for them, has decided on a full refurbishment programme which is due to be completed later this summer.

In the meantime Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards insisted that a temporary portable toilet should be set up in the park, and this happened recently.

This toilet was vandalised over the weekend but the county council has said it is due to be back in operation this afternoon.

* The temporary toilet in the park vandalised at the weekend but soon back in action. 

The whole public toilet issue was tackled today in the lunchtime phone-in run by Jason Mohammad on Radio Wales.

Among those interviewed was Phil Robinson of llanblogger.

He gave a full run-down on the problems at Riverside Park and when asked by the presenter if there would be a charge for the refurbished facilities, he replied that whatever charge was eventually made he hoped it wouldn't be as much as the controversial new £1 fee for using the Denbighshire-run public loos in Market Street.

When he suggested this was possibly one of the highest charges in Wales if not the whole of the UK, Jason Mohammad seemed shocked and said he would probably have to agree.

Questioned about reports, mainly on social media, that parents were letting their children "wee" in the park at Riverside because the toilets were unavailable, Phil said he didn't doubt this had happened but suggested it may not have been a regular occurrence as far as he knew.   

Mazda EV is gorgeous but arrives in a crowded market

Mazda 6e launch drive by Steve Rogers

My first drive in a Mazda was the launch of the 626 hatchback in May 1983, a particularly exciting event because it was in Houston, Texas, and my first visit to the USA.

Back then the 626 was one of Japan’s top selling cars and quite advanced introducing switchable driving modes, a normal feature these days. The top of the range 2-litre petrol sold for £6,999.

Mazda was not a big player here bound by a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ not to exceed one per cent of UK sales, perhaps we should have imposed a similar restriction on the Chinese a few years ago?

Two decades later the 626 morphed into the Mazda6 and the start of a new chapter of stylish models with sharp handling and the slickest gearboxes on the planet all aimed at putting the fun back into driving.

Here we meet the 6e, Mazda’s first serious electric car, its first, the MX-30, was great to drive but had a poor range and has been dropped. The surprise is that 6e is more Chinese than Japanese. It is not even built at Mazda’s Hiroshima base.

At the moment Mazda has not got the wherewithal to build a competitive electric car so it has turned to the state owned Chinese automotive giant Changan, its partner for 30 years, which has the wherewithal. The 6e is based on that company’s SL03 but it looks every bit a Mazda and is drop dead gorgeous. That’s not just me saying it, the 6e has been voted World Design Car of the Year.

The front, in particular, is an evolution of its elegant predecessor with a spectacular illuminated grille fronting a sloping bonnet, wrap around wafer thin headlights, rising to a coupe roofline. The tailgate and rear wing design loses a little bit of Mazda but we can live with that. Throw in frameless doors, panoramic glass roof and an electric rear spoiler and this becomes an interesting car.

Mazda launched the European model at the end of 2025, a complicated affair with a choice of two motors that defied logic because of the odd power differential but no such problems now. The 6e has a single 78kW electric motor that gives a range of 348 miles. It can take a 200kW DC charge giving it a 10-80 percent ‘fill’ in 24 minutes.

Hardly big figures given that some rivals can manage 400 miles with a faster charge time but not so bad given its competitive price. Okay, we are not talking budget Chinese but a starting price of £38,995 provides some precious sugar coating given that this sits firmly in the premium sector and a big attraction for fleet and company car drivers.

Take a seat and you are transported from Japan to China. There is nothing remotely traditional Mazda here, rather it mimics what we have come to expect from Chinese models: Big screen and a dashboard bereft of switches. You cannot deny it looks luxuriously impressive, colourful with a mixture of quality trims and textures.

Did I like it? Yes, to a certain extent, but from the passenger seat. Once driving I was not comfortable having to think about fiddling with the screen.

Apart from the steering wheel stalk for indicating every function is performed through the 14.6in touchscreen. There is a strip of icons at the base to help make life easier and a couple of customisable steering wheel buttons, one had been tuned to the wipers, I forget what the other was for. Voice control would undoubtedly help but was not activated on our car.

In time (a long time) you would get used to this modern smart phone style way of running a car. I always think a teenager would have it sussed in minutes, this is certainly a car for a well tuned young brain.

That said, I quickly worked out how to adjust the door mirrors before setting off using a screen icon and left and right arrows on the steering wheel. Something that puzzled myself and co driver Fred was where to find the hazard warning switch. We searched, and searched, and in the end had to be directed to a black switch secreted in the black roof lining, alongside the SOS button, so a couple of switches after all.

On a mixture of roads and surfaces on a long drive through Snowdonia the rear wheel drive 6e proved competent and comfortable albeit a tad floaty when bends came thick and fast. Consumption was efficient enough recording 3.6 miles/kWh - anything under four is good.

At all but five metres in length this is a roomy car with acres of space in the back, a decent sized boot and a flat loading area with the seats dropped. There is also a 72 litre storage box under the bonnet.

Setting aside my aversion to cars without switches there is nothing much not to like about Mazda’s 6e. The stunning design has a real feel good factor, it performs well with a decent enough range, and is packed with kit and driver safety aids. The next, and most difficult, task is to prove itself to the public in a very crowded market.

Fast facts

Mazda 6e Takumi Plus

£39,995

78kWh LFP battery

Range: 348 miles

253bhp. 290Nm torque

0-62mph 7.3secs; 109mph

Zero emissions. 1st VED £10

Insurance group 44

Boot: 337-1074 litres

Warranty: 6 years

Railway gears up for biggest ever classic transport weekend

Llangollen and Corwen Railway is preparing for its biggest ever Classic Transport Weekend this Saturday and Sunday July 4 and 5, with close to 400 classic vehicles set to descend on Glyndyfrdwy Station.

Visitors can expect an extraordinary display of cars, motorcycles, buses, tractors, lorries, military vehicles and commercial vehicles spanning more than a century of transport history. With exhibits representing over ten decades of motoring and transport heritage, there will be something to captivate visitors of all ages. 

The weekend's celebrations will continue into Saturday evening with a special ‘Party in the Park’ concert in a beautiful field next to Glyndyfrdwy Station. Starting at 6pm, the event will feature a performance by the world-famous Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir, one of Wales' most celebrated musical ambassadors. 

The concert is free for all Classic Transport Weekend ticket holders, with standalone tickets available for just £5. There will be a vintage shuttle bus every half hour from Corwen to Glyndyfrdwy, including a Party in the Park Special bus, leaving Corwen at 6.15pm. Concert goers can then pick up a classic railcar from Glyndyfrdwy to Corwen at 10.10pm.

 

The best way to reach both the rally and concert is by heritage rail. The railway will operate an intensive timetable of steam, diesel and heritage railcar services throughout the weekend, with Glyndyfrdwy Station at the heart of the action.

 

Visitors can enjoy refreshments at Glyndyfrdwy Station Tearoom, relax with a drink in Porter's Bar overlooking the platform, or make use of the nearby Nant y Pandy picnic field and playground. A free vintage bus service will also operate approximately every 30 minutes between Corwen and Glyndyfrdwy from 10am until 5pm on both days.

 

The event has been organised by Llangollen Railway volunteers Tim Hines and George Walker, both of whom share a passion for preserving historic vehicles.

 

Tim Hines said: "George and I both own and restore vintage buses, so Classic Transport Weekend is something we're incredibly passionate about. Every year the event gets bigger and better, but this year is on a completely different scale. We are expecting close to 400 vehicles across the weekend and will once again be using neighbouring fields to accommodate the exhibits and visitor parking. We are enormously grateful to our local farming neighbours for their continued support, particularly with the tractor displays which have become a real highlight of the event.

 

"It's a huge amount of work behind the scenes, but seeing families enjoying themselves, enthusiasts swapping stories and visitors arriving from across the country makes it all worthwhile. Adding the Froncysyllte Male Voice Choir to our Party in the Park programme on Saturday evening makes this year's event even more special. Whether your passion is steam or diesel locomotives, classic buses, military vehicles, vintage tractors, motorcycles or historic cars, there really is something for everyone. We genuinely believe this will be the biggest and best Classic Transport Weekend ever staged in Wales."

 

Glyndyfrdwy Stationmasters Paul and Wendy Bailey, whose volunteer team has lovingly restored and maintained the station for more than 30 years, are looking forward to welcoming visitors.

 

Paul Bailey said: "Our volunteer team takes enormous pride in Glyndyfrdwy Station and Classic Transport Weekend is one of our favourite events of the year. For one weekend, our usually peaceful country station becomes a bustling hub of activity filled with wonderful vehicles, happy visitors and lots of excitement.

 

"Our tearoom, Porter's Bar, museum and platform terrace will all be open throughout the weekend. It's a fantastic opportunity to experience Glyndyfrdwy at its busiest and enjoy the unique sight of classic cars, buses and motorcycles using the level crossing while all sorts of heritage trains arrive and depart.

 

"The Nant y Pandy picnic field and playground next to the station is a wonderful place for families, while those interested in local history can discover the story of the Deeside Tramway and the slate industry that once helped shape this part of the Dee Valley. There are also some fantastic walking routes into the Berwyn Mountains for anyone wanting to explore further."

 

Visitors looking for even more railway experiences can head to Llangollen, where guided tours of the railway's Motive Power Depot will be available. Guests can also take the controls of Yorkshire Engine Company shunting locomotive Pilkington under the supervision of a qualified driver for just £15.

 

Classic Transport Weekend tickets include unlimited travel on the railway's services throughout the event, while entry to the vehicle rally is priced at £5 for adults, with free admission for children. Parking at Glyndyfrdwy is free, although spaces are limited and visitors are encouraged to travel by train where possible.

 

* For more information and tickets, visit: 

https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/classic-transport-weekend/

Details of Eisteddfod's 2026 Parade of Nations

* Competitors and performers from around the world will take part in the Eisteddfod's Parade of Nations on Friday July 10.

One of the most colourful and much-loved traditions of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns on Friday July 10 as the spectacular Parade of Nations brings thousands of visitors and performers together in a celebration of international friendship, music and culture. 

The parade will take place between 4.30pm and 5.30pm, with competitors and performers from across the globe joining local groups in a vibrant procession through the heart of Llangollen. 

This year's Eisteddfod will welcome participants from Burundi, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Estonia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, the Isle of Man, the Netherlands, Norway, Rwanda, Sweden, Uganda, Ukraine and the United States, alongside performers from across Wales and the rest of the UK, highlighting the festival's unique role in bringing the world together through music and dance.

 

Led by the Llangollen Silver Band and selected groups from Llangollen schools, the parade will begin at the Eisteddfod field at 4.30pm, exiting onto Abbey Road opposite St John's before making its way through the town centre.

 

The route follows Abbey Road before crossing the bridge into Bridge Street, turning into Chapel Street, Oak Street, Castle Street, Market Street, East Street and Parade Street before returning over the bridge and back to the Eisteddfod field.

 

The Parade of Nations has become one of the defining images of the Eisteddfod, giving residents and visitors the opportunity to welcome performers proudly wearing their national costumes, carrying their flags and showcasing the rich diversity of cultures represented at the festival.

 

Eisteddfod chair John Gambles said: "The Parade of Nations is one of the most uplifting moments of the Eisteddfod week. It is a wonderful celebration of the friendships, cultures and traditions that make our festival so special, and it gives the people of Llangollen the opportunity to offer a warm Welsh welcome to performers who have travelled from every corner of the world.

 

"This year we are delighted to welcome performers representing countries including Burundi, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Estonia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, the Isle of Man, the Netherlands, Norway, Rwanda, Sweden, Uganda, Ukraine and the United States. Seeing so many nations walking side by side through the streets of Llangollen is a powerful reminder that music has the ability to unite people across borders and cultures.

 

"Whether you've been coming for years or you're experiencing the Eisteddfod for the first time, I would encourage everyone to line the streets, enjoy the incredible atmosphere and then join us on the field afterwards for an evening of fantastic live music at our Sound-Bridge Sessions. It promises to be a memorable start to another extraordinary festival."

 

Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to secure a good viewing spot. Parking will not be permitted anywhere along the parade route throughout the day and temporary traffic management will begin from 3pm. Roads will be fully closed to vehicle movements from 4pm, before reopening on a rolling basis as the parade progresses to minimise disruption.

 

Following the parade, spectators can continue the celebrations by heading to the Eisteddfod field, where a special £5 admission ticket gives access to the popular Sound-Bridge Sessions on the Unity Stage. Children can attend free when accompanied by an adult, making it the perfect family evening featuring some of the festival's outstanding young bands and artists.

 

The Parade of Nations is free to watch and offers a unique opportunity to experience the spirit of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod before the evening's performances begin.

 

Whether you're a lifelong supporter or visiting for the first time, come along and join the welcome as Llangollen celebrates its place as the home of international peace, friendship and music.

 

Parade at a Glance:

 

Date: Friday July 10

 

Time: 4.30pm to 5.30pm

 

Route: Starts at the Eisteddfod field before travelling along Abbey Road, Bridge Street, Chapel Street, Oak Street, Castle Street, Market Street, East Street and Parade Street before returning to the Eisteddfod field.

 

Road Closures: Traffic management from 3pm. No vehicle movement on the route from 4pm. Roads will reopen on a rolling basis after the parade passes.

 

After the Parade: Special £5 admission to the Eisteddfod field for the Sound-Bridge Sessions on the Unity Stage. Children go free with a paying adult.

 

Mayor welcomes constructive meeting with police over anti-social behaviour

 

* Mayor Damon Richards-Gwilliam with Inspector Joseph Dunn, Area Inspector - Conwy & Denbighshire Rural.

Senior officers are keen to work with partners to improve the way Llangollen is policed. 

That was the key message which came from a recent top-level meeting chaired by the Town Mayor, Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam, which brought together Llangollen town councillors, representatives from Llantysilio Community Council, local county councillor Karen Edwards and Inspector Joseph Dunn and Sergeant Lisa Jones from North Wales Police. 

This followed on-going concerns about anti-social behaviour, particularly over the recent bank holiday weekend. 

Cllr Richards-Gwilliam said: “While policing and parking enforcement do not fall within the Town Council’s formal remit, we have played a leading role in bringing key partners together in response to sustained public concern. 

“The meeting followed the recent open letter I sent out to residents acknowledging these issues and outlining the council’s intention to act as a facilitator for collective action to address them. 

“From the outset it was clear that the police are keen to work collaboratively with the various partners involved to support improvements within the town. I am grateful to Inspector Dunn and Sgt Jones for their time and attention on this matter, and I look forward to working closely with them to build a strong working relationship between the police and the town. 

“The meeting was constructive and forward-looking, with a shared focus on working together more closely and maintaining open dialogue, particularly around how partners can best support the town during peak periods, including times when anti-social behaviour is more prevalent.”

The Mayor added: “A number of key issues were discussed, including anti-social behaviour, police visibility, community engagement, coordination between agencies and ongoing concerns such as off-road biking, illegal parking and speeding. 

“There was also discussion around operational considerations, including how resources are deployed at peak times and the use of existing powers and processes, including dispersal orders. 

“The meeting also highlighted how important it is to report all incidents, whether by phone or online, as this helps ensure the police have an accurate picture of what is happening locally and supports the case for appropriate resources in the town. 

“This represents a positive start and I believe that all parties recognise the importance of continued partnership working and regular communication. Llangollen Town Council is determined to continue working with partners to see these issues addressed and to ensure our town remains a safe and welcoming place for all.” 

Inspector Dunn said: "I was pleased to meet with representatives from the Town Council, Community Council and wider community in what was a positive and constructive meeting focussed on solutions.

"We have listened to the concerns being raised, identified a number of practical actions, and strengthened our commitment to working together as partners. 

"Officers and PCSOs are conducting visible patrols on foot, on bike, and in vehicles throughout the town and wider community at key times, and we are working in partnership with Denbighshire County Council on solutions for concerns raised around parking at the Horseshoe Falls. 

"Community safety is a shared responsibility, and North Wales Police will continue to play its part in ensuring Llangollen remains a safe place to live, work and visit."

July events at Pengwern Community Hub

July events at Pengwern Community Hub in Llangollen are below.

South Denbighshire Community Partnership have launched a new Facebook group to consolidate all the information about child / youth friendly activities in the Dee Valley area. 

To join, follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1500186615076039/

Major women's festival returning to Llangollen next month

* The Camp VC site at One Giant Leap pictured in a previous year on the event website.

What could be the UK's largest women's festival is returning to Llangollen.

Camp VC, which is due to be based for a for a fifth year at One Giant Leap in the countryside just outside town on the weekend of July 24-26, is a women-led action, adventure and moto festival that aims to bring together people from all walks of life to "try new things, challenge themselves, and celebrate freedom," according to its website.

The site adds: "Camp VC is fiercely LGBTQIA+ friendly, it's for women, trans women, and non-binary people of 18 years of age or over, who want to explore, learn, and connect.

"It’s a place where you can learn to ride a motorbike, get a tattoo, write poetry, or simply relax and enjoy the atmosphere.

"The festival is all about inclusivity, empowerment, and community - welcoming everyone regardless of experience, background or age.

"Expect a warm, welcoming atmosphere with a strong sense of camaraderie. Camp VC is a safe space to be yourself, try new things, and connect with others. It’s empowering, inspiring, and full of energy - but never intimidating. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a total beginner, you’ll feel right at home."

Organisers explain: "You don’t need any experience in motorbikes or adventure sports — just an open mind and a willingness to try something new."

And there's a list of activities that people can try, including: 

* Beginners Dirt Riding School – Learn to ride a motorbike in a supportive environment.

* Skate Workshops – Try your hand at skateboarding.

* Poetry Writing Sessions – Get creative and express yourself - have a go writing Punk Poetry!

* DIY Power Tool Workshops – Learn practical skills and build confidence.

*Tattoo Artists – Get inked by talented artists (a popular tradition for many attendees!).

* You can also just chill out, meet amazing people, and soak up the festival vibes.

* The diversion route, with the one-way system represented by a solid blue line and the diversion route shown as a dashed blue line.

Denbighshire County has sent out notification that a temporary one-way traffic system will be in operation on various roads in the area from July 24-26 to allow access to the event site at One Giant Leap. This will include a one-way traffic system and a diversion route.

According to the county council, the one-way system will be in place between Pengwern and Tyn Celyn from 8am until 6pm on the two days of the event. Affected roads are Tyn Dwr Road and Tyn Dwr Youth Hostel road.

The notification adds that the diversion will be via Maesmawr Road towards Hill Street and along Hill Street to Bache Mill Road.