#carmarthen — Public Fediverse posts

https://www.europesays.com/ch/132519/ Top Welsh businessman killed in plane crash #Alps #BurryPort #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #Economy #InTheNews #people

Wards closed at Carmarthen’s Glangwili Hospital after scabies and flu outbreaks

Two wards have been closed to new admissions and visitors as a result of the outbreaks An outbreak…
#NewsBeep #News #Health #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #GB #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/760224/

https://www.europesays.com/uk/1186714/ Wards closed at Carmarthen’s Glangwili Hospital after scabies and flu outbreaks #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #Health #Healthcare #UK #UnitedKingdom

Huge snaking mass of scum travelling down Welsh river and the smell is making people’s eyes burn

Footage has shown a murky looking substance floating through the river 15:56, 29 Jul 2026Updated 15:57, 29 Jul…
#NewsBeep #News #Rugby #Carmarthen #environment #rugby #Sports #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/718299/

https://www.europesays.com/videos/66648/ Helicopter joins the fight to bring down north Wales wildfire | ITV Cymru Wales #Blaenavon #Carmarthen #itv #ItvNews #ITVNewsInFull #KemiBadenoch #NorthWales #RiverTowy #WildWine #wildfire

CARMARTHEN: NRW investigating suspected pollution of the River Towy after dead fish report

Natural Resources Wales is investigating suspected pollution of the River Towy at Carmarthen, after reports from members of the public — including a report of one dead fish.

Concerns had been circulating on social media in recent days, and Natural Resources Wales says the reports it received have been assessed and form part of ongoing investigations.

Officers attended the river on Saturday to carry out monitoring and assessment, and returned on Monday to monitor the area again.

“Investigations remain ongoing, and we will continue to assess all available evidence,” a spokesperson for the regulator said.

NRW acknowledged there had been “considerable speculation regarding a potential discharge from a particular site” — and said that speculation forms part of its investigation.

The regulator described the Tywi — the river’s Welsh name — as “one of Carmarthenshire’s most important natural assets”, supporting internationally significant wildlife, local communities and recreation.

The Towy is the longest river to flow entirely within Wales, and is renowned among anglers for its sewin — sea trout — fishery.

“We take all reports of pollution seriously,” the spokesperson said. “We work hard to investigate environmental offences and, where evidence supports it, we will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action.”

The regulator added that it currently has “a number of environmental enforcement investigations ongoing”, which it said reflects its commitment to holding polluters to account in Carmarthenshire.

Among them is the enforcement notice served on a waste site at Llanelli, confirmed as a source of the town’s fly infestation. NRW defended its handling of that investigation this week, after councillors called for its chair to resign.

NRW thanked those who had raised concerns, saying information provided by local communities was “invaluable” in identifying potential incidents quickly.

“Your reports help us respond quickly, and the sooner we know about something, the better,” the spokesperson added.

Anyone who spots suspected pollution is asked to report it through NRW’s online reporting form or its 24/7 incident line on 0300 065 3000 — with the regulator saying direct reports are quicker and more efficient than posts on social media.

Rivers across the region are under growing scrutiny. Last month the First Minister ordered an investigation into the River Tawe after sewage and sickness concerns were raised in the Senedd.

Welsh Water is also under investigation over sewage pollution of the River Kenfig, in a case the regulator there has described as unacceptable.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

LLANELLI: NRW defends fly crisis handling — but doesn’t address call for chair to quit
The regulator under pressure over its response to the Seaside fly infestation.

RIVER TAWE: First Minister orders investigation after sewage and sickness concerns raised in Senedd
Concerns over another of the region’s rivers reach the top of government.

KENFIG: ‘Unacceptable’ — Welsh Water under investigation over sewage pollution of River Kenfig
The sewage case on the River Kenfig.

GOWER: Protesters to rally at Caswell Bay — as new data reveals Welsh Water’s worst decade for pollution
The wider picture on water pollution across the region.

SWANSEA CROWN COURT: Former Carmarthen MP, 83, cleared of groping woman on train

A former Labour MP has been cleared of sexually assaulting a woman on a train to Swansea.

Gwynoro Jones, 83, from Gorseinon, was found not guilty by a unanimous jury at Swansea Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday July 21). He had denied sexually assaulting the woman on a Great Western Railway service from London to Swansea on 16 July 2024.

Jones, who was the Labour MP for Carmarthen between 1970 and 1974 and was sent for trial last November, was accused of rubbing the woman’s arm and tapping her on the bottom during the journey.

After leaving Labour, Jones chaired the SDP and the SDP–Liberal Alliance in Wales during the 1980s, and later worked as a schools inspector and company director before becoming known as a broadcaster and current affairs commentator.

The trial heard Jones was a passenger in the first class carriage of the train and had bought two small bottles of red wine on board.

The complainant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court she had felt “very awkward and uncomfortable” after being touched. “The way he was touching me — that’s not normal,” she said.

She told the jury Jones had asked her personal questions, including whether she was single and where she lived. “I just answered politely. I stayed quiet for the rest of it,” she said, adding that she claimed he had told her she was “pretty”.

Describing the alleged tap on her bottom, she said: “It was hard, but not that hard. It definitely wasn’t a soft touch. I went into shock. I just kind of froze.” She also claimed it had left a bruise.

Giving his evidence in Welsh, Jones told the court he had rubbed the woman’s arm because he had “accidentally spat sushi” on her while talking, and had “brushed it away”.

Georgia Donohue, prosecuting, challenged that account. “I’m going to say you didn’t get the food on her arm before you touched her — I’m going to say the food came from your fingers,” she said. Jones denied this, saying he had been speaking with food in his mouth: “My son always tells me not to speak with food in my mouth.”

On the claim he had called the woman pretty, Jones said he had “never used the word pretty in my life”. “Pretty flowers, pretty view maybe, but never pretty woman,” he said, telling the court that asking people questions was “a Welsh thing, a west Walian thing”.

He said hearing and sight problems meant he had been holding his phone out into the aisle to focus on the screen, and believed the corner of the phone had made contact with the woman. “It was a complete mistake,” he said. “I said sorry straight away, of course. It was an accident.”

Defence barrister Kate Williams suggested to the complainant that she had “blown this entirely out of proportion” — which the woman denied, insisting: “This was not an accident.”

The jury returned its unanimous verdict on Tuesday afternoon, with Judge Geraint Walter telling the former politician: “Mr Jones, you can leave the dock now.”

The judge thanked jurors for their work on the case, and said he would consider an application from Jones — who did not receive legal aid funding — to recover his privately paid costs.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Former Carmarthen MP Gwynoro Jones to stand trial on sexual assault charge
Jones was sent for trial at Swansea Crown Court in November after denying the charge.

Welsh dark-web administrator jailed over hoax that shut down a Cardiff city-centre street
The ‘swatting’ hoaxer was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court earlier this month.

Swansea man among eight charged with child sexual exploitation offences spanning decades
The Operation Oak charges cover alleged offences across several decades.

World champion kickboxer, 18, to stand trial accused of murdering Ceiran Evans
The trial date was set at Swansea Crown Court earlier this month.

More court coverage from Swansea Crown Court →

Hospital ward closed after highly contagious scabies outbreak

Health board bosses say scabies is currently circulating in higher numbers in three parts of Wales 11:08, 10…
#NewsBeep #News #Health #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #Ceredigion #GB #NHS #Pembrokeshire #UK #UnitedKingdom
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/684383/

https://www.europesays.com/uk/1080744/ Hospital ward closed after highly contagious scabies outbreak #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #Ceredigion #Health #NHS #Pembrokeshire #UK #UnitedKingdom

GLANGWILI: Hospital ward closed by outbreak of crusted scabies — as contacts are offered treatment

A ward at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen has been closed after an outbreak of crusted scabies, a severe form of the highly contagious skin condition.

Steffan Ward is currently shut while specialist teams manage the outbreak, Hywel Dda University Health Board said.

All patients and staff identified as contacts have been informed and offered treatment, whether or not they have any symptoms.

A spokesperson for the health board said the ward was being managed in line with established infection prevention and control procedures, with enhanced monitoring and support from specialist teams in place.

The situation would be kept under review, the spokesperson added, and the ward would reopen “when it is safe to do so”.

Crusted scabies, historically known as Norwegian scabies, is a far more serious form of the ordinary infestation caused by microscopic mites burrowing into the skin.

In a typical case, a person may be carrying a dozen or so mites. In crusted scabies, thick scaly crusts form on the skin and can contain thousands of mites and their eggs.

That is what makes it so transmissible. It spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact, and also through contaminated clothing, bedding and furniture.

It usually develops in people whose immune systems are weakened, although health officials note that is not always the case.

It can also be harder to spot early, because patients do not always show the intense itching or the classic rash of ordinary scabies.

Scabies is treatable with prescription creams or oral medication, available through a GP or pharmacist.

Because symptoms can take up to eight weeks to appear, everyone in a household should be treated at the same time, including those with no itching at all.

Clothes, bedding and towels used in the previous four days should be washed at 60C on the first day of treatment.

Cases have been rising across the UK and Europe in recent years, and hospitals and care settings are particularly exposed because close contact between patients and staff is routine.

UK guidance on managing scabies cases and outbreaks was updated in April, setting out how institutions should handle treatment, cleaning and contact tracing.

A ward closure means patients being moved and admissions delayed, adding pressure elsewhere in a hospital already running close to capacity.

Glangwili is one of four main hospitals run by Hywel Dda, which provides NHS services across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

The Carmarthen hospital is also set to become west Wales’s only 24-hour acute stroke unit under proposals the health board consulted on earlier this year.

Anyone concerned they may have been exposed is advised to contact their GP or a pharmacist. The health board has said everyone identified as a contact has already been told directly.

More on Hywel Dda from Swansea Bay News

HYWEL DDA: Stroke patients in west Wales face major shake-up — with Glangwili set to become the region’s only 24-hour acute unit
What the consultation means for Carmarthen.

PRINCE PHILIP HOSPITAL: Town council calls for Llanelli stroke unit to become ‘centre of excellence’ amid shake-up fears
Llanelli pushes back on the transfer-only model.

LLANELLI: Prince Philip Hospital becomes first in Wales to offer pioneering cancer diagnosis technique
CryoEBUS arrives in west Wales.

CARMARTHEN: Police want to speak to this man after a woman was sexually assaulted at the train station

Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to after a woman was sexually assaulted at Carmarthen railway station.

The attack happened at around 8.30pm on Friday 15 May, when a man approached the woman at the station and directed a series of sexualised comments at her.

He then sexually assaulted her before she left the station, British Transport Police said.

The force released two CCTV images on Thursday (2 July) — almost seven weeks after the assault.

They show a man in a dark padded jacket and blue trainers, carrying a rucksack — one image taken at a platform shelter with a phone in his hand, the other a closer view.

Detectives said they would like to speak to the man pictured, as they believe he may have information that could help their investigation.

Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40, quoting reference 703 of 15 May.

Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

British Transport Police is the force responsible for policing the rail network across England, Scotland and Wales, including stations across west Wales.

The force has run national campaigns targeting sexual offences and harassment on the railway, warning offenders that sexually motivated behaviour on the network will not go unnoticed.

Crimes or concerning behaviour on trains and at stations can be reported as they happen by texting 61016, or by speaking to a police officer or member of rail staff.

Support is available for anyone affected by sexual assault — the Live Fear Free helpline (0808 80 10 800) offers free, 24-hour support across Wales.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Eleven arrests after Tenby station stabbing — as police officially debunk spiking rumours
The investigation into the most serious railway station incident in the region this year.

Four teens stabbed at Tenby railway station as two arrested and line closed
Our original report from the night of the Tenby station disorder.

Police launch summer crackdown as crowds head to Pembrokeshire
Operation Lion brings extra officers to west Wales stations and resorts for the season.

TGJONES: Rescue plan approved — seven south-west Wales stores now wait on landlord rent deals as up to 150 closures loom

The rescue plan that could close up to 150 TGJones stores has been approved by the High Court — leaving seven south-west Wales branches waiting to learn their fate.

Branches at Swansea’s Quadrant Shopping Centre, Carmarthen’s Guildhall Square, Llanelli, Neath, Bridgend, Tenby and Haverfordwest were all named as potentially at risk when the closures were announced in May.

None of the seven has been confirmed for closure — and each store’s future now hinges largely on its landlord. Under the approved plan, rents will be cut by between 15% and 75% on hundreds of stores, while around 120 landlords will receive no rent at all for up to three years.

Landlords who refuse the new terms can end their leases instead — and that is where most of the closures are expected to fall.

In Swansea, that puts the decision in the hands of Centurion Group — the Quadrant’s owner, which is separately preparing to name new tenants for the former Debenhams in the city.

Mr Justice Hildyard approved the plan on Wednesday (1 July), describing it as complex and far-reaching. He said his biggest concern had been the financial hit to landlords, but he was persuaded the rescue was, objectively, the lesser of two evils.

The approval caps a turbulent few weeks in which landlords revolted over the plan and bailiffs reclaimed a Midlands store. Property giant British Land had branded the proposals fundamentally unfair, before dropping its opposition after winning concessions.

The court heard the retailer was on the brink of insolvency, facing a cash shortfall of nearly £8 million within days if the deal was not approved.

Tom Smith KC, for TGJones, told the hearing the business was “highly distressed” and “running on fumes at the moment”.

He said the chain would have run out of cash in April, had it not been for a £10 million loan from owner Modella Capital and the deferral of liabilities — including the £8.4 million owed to HMRC revealed in creditor documents in May.

The approved plan brings a further £15 million loan from Modella, alongside the rent cuts and redundancies across stores and the company’s support centre.

Up to 150 of the chain’s 451 stores are expected to close, with the plan forecasting the business will be left with around 302 — depending on how many landlords walk away rather than accept lower rents.

The chain employs 4,700 people, and hundreds of jobs are expected to go, though no redundancy figure has been confirmed. WH Smith has already refused to fund enhanced redundancy payments for staff who lose their jobs — leaving those affected facing the statutory minimum.

The stakes reach beyond the shops themselves: the Quadrant, Neath and Carmarthen branches all host Post Office counters, a threat that prompted the Deputy First Minister to write to the chain over the Neath branch in May.

The Post Office and Toys R Us, which runs concessions inside some stores, both supported the restructuring in court.

Modella — which rebranded the stores from WHSmith after buying the high street business last year — admitted last month the retailer was almost completely broken, blaming years of under-investment by the previous owner and the loss of the 234-year-old name, which was a condition of the sale.

Chief executive Alex Willson welcomed the ruling, saying: “This decision allows us to move ahead with our turnaround strategy.”

Wales has 26 of the chain’s stores, and the south-west Wales branches anchor some of the most prominent pitches on their high streets — the entrance to the Quadrant in Swansea and Guildhall Square in Carmarthen among them.

The wait comes with the region’s high streets already under pressure — Llanelli, Neath and Swansea are among the towns watching Shoe Zone review its local stores, and Swansea’s flagship M&S closed in May.

WHSmith itself lives on at airports and railway stations, where the travel stores kept the historic name.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Seven south-west Wales stores at risk as chain announces 150 closures
The full list of at-risk branches across the region, from Swansea’s Quadrant to Haverfordwest.

Bailiff threat and tax debts cast fresh doubt over south-west Wales stores
TGJones owes £8.4m to HMRC as WH Smith refuses to fund enhanced redundancy for at-risk staff.

Deputy First Minister raises alarm over Neath Post Office threat
Sioned Williams MS wrote to TGJones over the Post Office counter hosted in the at-risk Neath branch.

Landlords revolt and bailiffs reclaim a Midlands store
How the restructuring battle turned bitter in the weeks before the court ruling.

RAIL GAP: New five-hour coach to link north and south Wales — but still no cash for the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth railway

A new coach service linking north and south Wales will launch this autumn — but there is still no money on the table for the west Wales railway campaigners have been fighting to bring back for over a decade.

The Welsh Government has confirmed £2m to run a daily coach between Bangor and Carmarthen, stopping at nine points along the west coast, including Aberystwyth.

Ministers say the service will cut more than an hour off the current journey, which can take six-and-a-half hours by train via England.

Deputy transport minister Mark Hooper said the coach was “the first step in improving connectivity between the north and the south of Wales”, delivered as part of the new Plaid Cymru government’s 100-day plan.

Eight coaches have already been bought for the route, which will run through Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Dolgellau, Machynlleth, Aberystwyth and Aberaeron before reaching Carmarthen.

The map published by Transport for Wales shows the coach largely following roads already served by TrawsCymru buses — the T1 corridor between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth, and the T2 north to Porthmadog.

The funding was confirmed in the government’s first supplementary budget last week, alongside £8m to extend the £1 bus fare for young people until March next year.

But for campaigners in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, the announcement lands as a familiar story — another bus, and still no train.

Efforts to reopen the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line, closed in the 1960s Beeching cuts, have been running since 2013, led by the campaign group Traws Link Cymru.

A Welsh Government feasibility study in 2018 found that 97% of the original trackbed remains clear, and judged reopening technically feasible — but priced it at £775m and concluded it was not economically viable, only “socially viable”.

That figure has been the sticking point ever since, with the project repeatedly described by officials as a longer-term option subject to value-for-money tests.

In March, a major report by the Centre Think Tank threw fresh weight behind the line, arguing its social benefits would far outweigh the economic costs.

Former first minister Lord Carwyn Jones backed the report, criticising the historical lack of investment and noting that Wales is the only UK nation with no power to direct Network Rail.

The campaign has since become a political flashpoint, with Plaid Cymru repeatedly tying the line’s future to the money Wales is owed after HS2 was classified as an “England and Wales” project, denying Wales hundreds of millions in consequential funding.

Supporters point out that journeys of less than 50 miles across the region can still take hours, with three university campuses, the National Library of Wales and S4C’s headquarters all hampered by poor transport.

Transport for Wales, which will run the new coach, says the service is a step towards its wider “T Network” — a vision for a fully integrated public transport system across Wales.

Executive director Lee Robinson said linking towns along the west coast would create “faster, more reliable connections for work, education and leisure”.

The government says it will assess demand over the coming months before deciding whether to fund the coach beyond its first year.

For those who want the railway back, the wait goes on.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Renewed calls for £775m Aberystwyth rail link in major new transport report
A think-tank report argues the social benefits of reopening the line would outweigh the economic costs.

Fresh cash call to bring back lost West Wales rail line
Campaigners and local representatives renew pressure to restore north–south rail connectivity across Mid and West Wales.

New evening buses added to Aberystwyth–Carmarthen route
Transport for Wales expands TrawsCymru T1/T1X services to improve evening and weekend links.

Popular Italian restaurant chain raided by immigration officers again

Florentino’s in Carmarthen was raided back in February, and now its Tenby venue has been visited by immigration enforcement officers Tenby’s Florentino’s r…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #FineDining #Italianfinedining #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #crime #Foodanddrink #Italia #Italian #italiano #italy #South-WestWales
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2708007/popular-italian-restaurant-chain-raided-by-immigration-officers-again/

Popular Italian restaurant chain raided by immigration officers again

Florentino’s in Carmarthen was raided back in February, and now its Tenby venue has been visited by immigration enforcement officers Tenby’s Florentino’s r…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #FineDining #Italianfinedining #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #crime #Foodanddrink #Italia #Italian #italiano #italy #South-WestWales
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2708007/popular-italian-restaurant-chain-raided-by-immigration-officers-again/

Popular Italian restaurant chain raided by immigration officers again

Florentino’s in Carmarthen was raided back in February, and now its Tenby venue has been visited by immigration enforcement officers Tenby’s Florentino’s r…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #FineDining #Italianfinedining #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #crime #Foodanddrink #Italia #Italian #italiano #italy #South-WestWales
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2708007/popular-italian-restaurant-chain-raided-by-immigration-officers-again/

Popular Italian restaurant chain raided by immigration officers again

Florentino’s in Carmarthen was raided back in February, and now its Tenby venue has been visited by immigration enforcement officers Tenby’s Florentino’s r…
#dining #cooking #diet #food #FineDining #Italianfinedining #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #crime #Foodanddrink #Italia #Italian #italiano #italy #South-WestWales
https://www.diningandcooking.com/2708007/popular-italian-restaurant-chain-raided-by-immigration-officers-again/

Popular Italian restaurant chain raided by immigration officers again https://www.diningandcooking.com/2708007/popular-italian-restaurant-chain-raided-by-immigration-officers-again/ #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #crime #FineDining #FoodAndDrink #Italia #Italian #ItalianFineDining #italiano #italy #SouthWestWales

Popular Italian restaurant chain raided by immigration officers again https://www.diningandcooking.com/2708007/popular-italian-restaurant-chain-raided-by-immigration-officers-again/ #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #crime #FineDining #FoodAndDrink #Italia #Italian #ItalianFineDining #italiano #italy #SouthWestWales

Popular Italian restaurant chain raided by immigration officers again https://www.diningandcooking.com/2708007/popular-italian-restaurant-chain-raided-by-immigration-officers-again/ #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #crime #FineDining #FoodAndDrink #Italia #Italian #ItalianFineDining #italiano #italy #SouthWestWales

IMMIGRATION RAID: Six arrested at Italian restaurant chain’s Carmarthen and Tenby branches

Six people have been arrested on suspicion of illegal working at branches of an Italian restaurant chain in Carmarthen and Tenby.

Immigration Enforcement officers made the arrests at Florentino’s restaurants in the two towns, the Home Office has said.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited the Carmarthen restaurant in February and arrested four people they said had no right to work in the UK.

Following further intelligence last week, officers visited the chain’s Tenby restaurant and arrested two more.

The Home Office said three of the six had already returned to their home countries, with a fourth in the process of returning.

Of the remaining two, one has been placed on immigration bail subject to strict conditions while enquiries continue, and the other was released with a warning.

The department said work would now begin to establish who was liable for employing the individuals.

It said an employer found in breach of the law can be fined up to £60,000 per worker.

No business or individual has been found liable at this stage.

The four arrested in Carmarthen in February were two Romanian nationals, a Bangladeshi national and a Mongolian national, the Home Office said. The two arrested in Tenby this month were both Romanian nationals.

The arrests were announced as part of what the Home Office describes as a national drive to increase immigration enforcement.

Immigration Enforcement Lead for Wales, Richard Johnson, thanked officers for their professionalism during the operations.

He said teams in Wales were working “round the clock to ensure businesses play by the rules and those with no right to be in the UK are tracked down and returned at the earliest opportunity.”

The Home Office said enforcement activity had risen to its highest level on record, reporting more than 9,000 arrests across the UK in 2025.

In Wales, it said 1,320 illegal working visits were carried out last year, leading to 649 arrests.

The department also pointed to planned changes that would require companies hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers to carry out right-to-work checks, with new rules expected to extend those duties to the delivery sector.

The latest arrests follow a similar operation last year, when a Gower construction site was among hundreds raided in what the Home Office called its largest crackdown on illegal working.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Gower construction site raided in UK’s largest crackdown on illegal working
Immigration Enforcement officers visited hundreds of businesses across the UK.

Home Office to share asylum hotel data with delivery firms
New right-to-work rules target the gig economy and delivery sector.

https://www.europesays.com/uk/994784/ Welsh council stops bank from getting a defibrillator #Britain #Carmarthen #Carmarthenshire #CarmarthenshireCouncil #GreatBritain #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales

Good afternoon, my heavenly assortment of fluffy things...

We have booked tickets to go and see the new #Starwars #Mandalorian film later.

We don't pay much attention to reviews so we will see for ourselves later on.

Meanwhile, we are currently languishing in the restaurant at #Chepstow garden centre.

And...for those of you who like to keep up to speed with our adventures 😁 - we will be heading in a #westerly direction tomorrow to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, near #Carmarthen.

Good afternoon, my heavenly assortment of fluffy things...

We have booked tickets to go and see the new #Starwars #Mandalorian film later.

We don't pay much attention to reviews so we will see for ourselves later on.

Meanwhile, we are currently languishing in the restaurant at #Chepstow garden centre.

And...for those of you who like to keep up to speed with our adventures 😁 - we will be heading in a #westerly direction tomorrow to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, near #Carmarthen.

Good afternoon, my heavenly assortment of fluffy things...

We have booked tickets to go and see the new #Starwars #Mandalorian film later.

We don't pay much attention to reviews so we will see for ourselves later on.

Meanwhile, we are currently languishing in the restaurant at #Chepstow garden centre.

And...for those of you who like to keep up to speed with our adventures 😁 - we will be heading in a #westerly direction tomorrow to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, near #Carmarthen.

Good afternoon, my heavenly assortment of fluffy things...

We have booked tickets to go and see the new #Starwars #Mandalorian film later.

We don't pay much attention to reviews so we will see for ourselves later on.

Meanwhile, we are currently languishing in the restaurant at #Chepstow garden centre.

And...for those of you who like to keep up to speed with our adventures 😁 - we will be heading in a #westerly direction tomorrow to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, near #Carmarthen.

Good afternoon, my heavenly assortment of fluffy things...

We have booked tickets to go and see the new #Starwars #Mandalorian film later.

We don't pay much attention to reviews so we will see for ourselves later on.

Meanwhile, we are currently languishing in the restaurant at #Chepstow garden centre.

And...for those of you who like to keep up to speed with our adventures 😁 - we will be heading in a #westerly direction tomorrow to the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, near #Carmarthen.

CARMARTHEN: Reform MS vows to visit shop that ‘excluded’ his wife to seek ‘respectful dialogue’

A Reform UK MS has vowed to personally visit a Carmarthen shop that allegedly excluded his wife during the Senedd election campaign — after claiming she was barred from the business, chased in the street and verbally abused because of her political beliefs.

Gareth Beer MS, who represents the Sir Gaerfyrddin constituency covering Carmarthenshire, published a lengthy statement on Facebook on Tuesday paying tribute to his wife, Cllr Michelle Beer — before detailing what he described as a series of deeply troubling incidents she had experienced in the run-up to the May 7 vote.

“She has been excluded from shops in Carmarthen, verbally abused in the street, chased, and called vile names, simply because she believes in standing up for her country and representing Reform UK,” Beer wrote.

He said she had also faced exclusion from “local organisations (publicly funded)” — though he gave no details of which organisations he was referring to.

Later in the same post, Beer appeared to refer to a single shop rather than multiple businesses. He said he intended to visit it personally — not to escalate matters, but to seek dialogue.

“I will personally visit the shop in Carmarthen where this occurred and introduce myself,” he wrote. “Not to escalate tensions, but to ensure that respectful dialogue replaces hostility. Politics should never descend into personal harassment.”

The shop has not been named.

Beer acknowledged the broader political charge his statement was likely to attract. “We are repeatedly told that Reform is ‘divisive,’” he wrote. “Yet it was she who faced hostility and exclusion. It was she who was treated unfairly because of her political beliefs. That contradiction speaks volumes.”

“In a democratic society, no one should face intimidation or discrimination because of the party they support, whether that is Reform, Labour, Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives, or any other political movement,” he added.

Gareth Beer knows Carmarthenshire politics intimately. At the 2024 general election he came within 1,504 votes of taking the Llanelli parliamentary seat for Reform — the party’s strongest performance anywhere in Wales at that contest.

On 7 May he went one better. Beer topped Reform’s Sir Gaerfyrddin list and was the second MS declared in the constituency — becoming the first Reform UK MS ever elected in west Wales. The party took three of the six seats, with Carmelo Colasanto and Sarah Edwards also elected.

Cllr Michelle Beer made her own political history in May 2025, winning Llanelli’s Lliedi ward to become the first ever Reform UK member on Carmarthenshire County Council. She also stood as the sixth candidate on Reform’s Sir Gaerfyrddin Senedd list on 7 May — just missing out on a seat as the party’s vote was sufficient to elect only three of its six candidates.

Her ward borders the former Stradey Park Hotel — the site that became a flashpoint for protests in 2023 after the Home Office announced plans to house asylum seekers there. Both she and Gareth Beer were active in the campaign against those plans.

The protests attracted far-right groups and figures from across the UK, including Tommy Robinson, before the Home Office dropped its plans in October 2023. Dyfed Powys Police spent more than £1 million policing the demonstrations — three times the initial estimate.

Gareth Beer’s Facebook post was shared and endorsed by Reform UK leader Dan Thomas MS and chief whip Llŷr Powell MS — signalling that the party regards the incident as a broader political issue, not just a personal grievance.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Reform UK and Plaid Cymru take three seats each in Sir Gaerfyrddin as Welsh Labour wiped out
The May 7 result that saw Gareth Beer become the first Reform UK MS elected in west Wales.

Reform UK names full Carmarthenshire Senedd slate
Our coverage of Reform’s Sir Gaerfyrddin candidate list, including Michelle Beer as sixth on the list.

Stradey Park boss hits out at ‘nuisance’ far-right group in explosive video
The latest in our coverage of the ongoing Stradey Park Hotel saga in Llanelli.

CARMARTHENSHIRE: Sixty years after Beeching axed the trains, the railway line between Carmarthen and Llandeilo is open again — for walkers and cyclists

In 1963, Dr Richard Beeching’s axe fell on the railway line running through the Tywi Valley, and the trains stopped running between Carmarthen and Llandeilo for good. More than 60 years later, the trackbed has been given a new life — and on Friday 15 May, more than 70 people gathered at Bremenda Isaf Farm to celebrate the opening of one of the most significant pieces of active travel infrastructure built in Wales in recent memory.

The Tywi Valley Path is 13 miles long, traffic-free and passes through one of the most beautiful river valleys in south Wales. From Friday, it is fully open to walkers, cyclists and families — and if the first year of operation is anything to go by, they will come.

The journey to this point began in earnest in October 2021, when Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced £16.7 million in Levelling Up funding for Carmarthenshire County Council’s vision of a continuous off-road route between the two towns. A public consultation in 2022 asked residents what they thought — and the response was broadly supportive.

The first four-mile section, from Abergwili to Nantgaredig, opened in April 2025 — and immediately proved popular. The final stretch was confirmed for Easter 2026. Now the full route is complete, and the numbers speak for themselves: a Parkrun held on the path recently pulled in more than 200 runners, and a half marathon and walking festival are already planned for the months ahead.

The official opening on Friday was not short on star power. Former professional cyclist and double European junior champion Manon Lloyd rode into the celebration alongside children from Nantgaredig Primary School — a fitting image for a path built to show that cycling in Carmarthenshire is not just for lycra-clad club riders but for everyone.

Lloyd, who competed in major international events including the Women’s Tour of Britain and now presents women’s cycling coverage for TNT Sports, gave the occasion an extra dash of inspiration — and her presence sent a clear message about who the path is for.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales Anna McMorrin and Huw Bryer, Deputy Director for Constitution, Domestic Affairs and Regional Growth, joined Cllr Linda Evans, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, alongside local representatives and the contractors who built the route.

The project was delivered by a largely local supply chain — T Richard Jones Ltd, Tregaron Trading Services, Walters Group, Evan Pritchard Contractors Ltd and the council’s own Highway Services Operational Team — keeping much of that £16.7 million investment within the communities the path now serves.

Cllr Hazel Evans, the council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, described the path as a transformational investment in Carmarthenshire’s future. “It enhances tourism in our beautiful county, creates new opportunities for local businesses, and encourages healthier, more sustainable ways to explore the area,” she said.

Cllr Edward Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services, said the route was about more than active travel. “By linking Carmarthen and Llandeilo through a safe and accessible route, we’re creating a lasting asset that will benefit residents and visitors for generations to come,” he said.

Wales Office Minister Anna McMorrin said the path would be a wonderful resource for residents and visitors alike. “From supporting local businesses through its construction to boosting local tourism, the economic legacy of the route will continue for years to come,” she said.

The Tywi Valley is already one of the most visited landscapes in south-west Wales — home to Dinefwr Castle, the National Botanic Garden of Wales and some of the most photographed countryside in the whole country. The path effectively opens all of that up to people without a car, and to those who simply want to explore it at a slower pace than a car allows.

At 13 miles, the Tywi Valley Path is one of the most significant new walking and cycling routes completed in Wales in recent years. It is also one of the most meaningful outcomes of Levelling Up funding delivered anywhere in south-west Wales — money originally announced under a Conservative government and now celebrated by a Labour one, on a route that has outlasted the political arguments around it.

The path follows a former railway trackbed that has lain largely dormant since the Beeching cuts — decades in which the land sat quietly while the towns it once connected grew further and further apart. That gap is now closed again, not by a train but by a pair of boots or a set of wheels.

For families, commuters, visitors and the communities dotted along the route between Carmarthen and Llandeilo, it is a long time coming — and worth the wait.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

EASTER OPENING: Final stretch of Tywi Valley Path set to welcome walkers and cyclists
Our March 2026 report on the path’s planned Easter opening.

Four mile section of Carmarthen to Llandeilo cycle path opens
The first section of the path opened in April 2025.

Tywi Valley Path project gets £16.7m Levelling Up funding boost
How it all began — the 2021 funding announcement that made the path possible.

ENERGY BILLS: New data shows 40% of people are afraid to get help after energy bills more than double — as Iran conflict threatens to push costs even higher

Energy bills in south Wales have more than doubled since 2008 — and new research suggests four in ten people are still too embarrassed or afraid to seek help when they can’t afford to pay.

Now, with the Iran conflict pushing wholesale gas prices sharply higher and a significant price cap rise expected in July, the situation could be about to get worse before it gets better.

British Gas Energy Trust, working with Age Cymru Dyfed, is bringing free drop-in advice events to four west Wales venues this month to help households get on top of their bills before that happens.

Sessions take place at Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli on 19 May, Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen on 20 May, Asda Llanelli on 27 May and Tesco Ammanford on 28 May — all running from 10am to 1pm and open to customers of any energy supplier.

The average domestic electricity bill in south Wales has climbed from £444 in 2008 to £1,129 — a rise of more than 150% in under two decades. South Wales households are among the hardest hit in the UK, with rural grid maintenance costs, higher heating demand and limited access to competitive tariffs all contributing.

Carmarthenshire families reliant on heating oil have faced some of the sharpest increases of all, with many paying triple what they once did — and rural communities have faced the additional threat of fuel theft as prices have rocketed.

The £150 average reduction applied automatically to bills from April offered some relief. But analysts at Cornwall Insight warn that the Ofgem price cap is on course to rise by around 20% in July — pushing the average annual bill from £1,641 to £1,973 — more than wiping out any April saving.

The driving force is the conflict in Iran. US and Israeli strikes against Iran began on 28 February 2026, prompting Iran to warn ships not to cross the Strait of Hormuz — a waterway that usually provides passage for around 20% of the world’s petroleum and liquefied natural gas supply. UK wholesale natural gas prices rose by roughly 75% between late February and late March as a result.

The government has responded with an energy package aimed at reducing the effect of higher gas prices on electricity bills, including offering voluntary long-term fixed contracts to low-carbon generators and raising the electricity generator levy from 45% to 55%. But the NIESR has warned the government has little fiscal space to provide anything like the £40 billion support package deployed during the 2022 energy crisis.

Swansea West MP Torsten Bell has written about the need to protect households from the economic fallout of the Iran conflict, while Citizens Advice Cymru has warned there is already no sign of easing in the cost of living crisis across Wales.

New research commissioned by British Gas Energy Trust found 40% of people still don’t seek help when struggling with bills. Stigma and embarrassment are the biggest barrier, cited by 38% of respondents — up from 33% the previous year. Others wrongly believe they won’t qualify for support (29%), or find the application process too daunting (17%).

It is in this context that the west Wales drop-in events take on added significance — offering a rare chance to get free, practical, face-to-face help at a time when many households are bracing for another difficult winter.

At the Llanelli, Carmarthen, Ammanford and Asda sessions, trained advisers will help with budget planning, managing energy debt, applying for debt write-off grants and accessing energy-saving measures. British Gas representatives will also be on hand to explain payment plan options and support schemes.

Tracey Talbot, Interim Chief Executive Officer at British Gas Energy Trust, said the partnership with local charities was designed to bring help directly into communities. “No one should feel alone in this — and we want people to know that help is not only available, but designed to work for them, wherever they are in life,” she said.

Daniel Barr, Senior Vulnerable Customer Lead at British Gas, said the first conversation with an adviser could make a real difference. British Gas has committed £140 million to help customers with energy bills since 2021 — the biggest voluntary support package from an energy company, it says.

Research also found 67% of people believe there should be more government and charity programmes to help manage rising energy costs. With the July price cap rise looming, the four events in west Wales this month may come at exactly the right moment for households already struggling to keep up.

TGJONES: Bailiff threat and tax debts cast fresh doubt over south-west Wales stores as WH Smith refuses to fund redundancy payments

The seven TGJones stores at risk across south-west Wales face fresh uncertainty after new details emerged about the dire financial state of the chain — including millions of pounds in unpaid taxes and a looming threat of bailiff action.

Seven branches in the region — including the Swansea Quadrant, Neath, Llanelli, Carmarthen, Bridgend, Tenby and Haverfordwest — were put at risk last week when owner Modella Capital announced plans to close up to 150 stores nationally as part of a major restructuring.

Now documents circulated to creditors have revealed that TGJones owes £8.4 million to HMRC, with a six-month payment agreement struck in April — and a further £3.4 million in business rates arrears. The Telegraph has reported that bailiffs are now a real threat if those payments are not maintained.

The revelations paint a stark picture of a business that has deteriorated rapidly since WH Smith sold its 480 high street stores to Modella Capital in March 2025 and rebranded them as TGJones.

The sale was originally valued at £76 million, but this was renegotiated sharply downward to £42 million to reflect what was described at the time as a “sharp deterioration in trading conditions.” In reality, WH Smith received just £10 million upfront, with the remaining £32 million contingent on the business’s future cash flows — money that now looks unlikely ever to materialise.

Modella has since approached WH Smith to ask whether it would fund enhanced redundancy payments for staff likely to lose their jobs if stores close. WH Smith had previously offered staff a more generous redundancy scheme than the statutory minimum. It declined to provide any further support.

The development is significant for workers at the seven south-west Wales branches, who now face the prospect of statutory redundancy only if their stores are among those confirmed for closure.

The restructuring Modella is planning is known as a “cram-down” — a relatively novel legal mechanism that requires the consent of only one class of creditors to proceed, rather than a majority. It will require approval from a High Court judge, with a hearing expected in late June.

Landlords are likely to face demands for severe reductions in rent as part of the plan. Those who refuse could simply take back the keys to their stores.

If the restructuring is approved, Modella has promised to invest £35 million in a turnaround plan it claims would return TGJones to profitability, with what it describes as a “considerable investment” in the stores that survive.

The creditor documents also reveal the existence of a mystery private individual — described as not being linked to Modella — who is owed £8 million by TGJones. No further details have been disclosed.

The crisis comes as Modella’s track record with other retail brands comes under scrutiny. Both The Original Factory Shop and Claire’s Accessories — two other chains acquired by the firm — have been placed into administration in recent months. Modella blamed the worsening conditions on the British high street and tax rises enacted by the Government.

An insolvency specialist quoted in earlier reporting warned that the pipeline of retail closures was “far from over,” pointing to the collapse in discretionary spending, stubbornly low high street footfall outside major city centres, and the impact of rising National Living Wage costs and higher employer National Insurance contributions.

Post Office has previously said it will update communities if any of its services — hosted within TGJones stores — are forced to relocate as a result of the closures.

The High Court hearing in late June is now the key date for anyone with an interest in the future of the south-west Wales stores — and for the staff who work in them.

Our TGJones coverage

Seven south-west Wales stores at risk as chain announces 150 closures
The full list of at-risk branches across the region.

Post Office promises to update communities if any branches are forced to relocate
What the closures could mean for Post Office services hosted within TGJones stores.

WH Smith sells high street stores — which will be renamed TGJones
How the chain ended up in Modella Capital’s hands in the first place.

TGJONES: Seven south-west Wales stores at risk as chain announces 150 closures

Seven TGJones stores across south-west Wales are facing the chop.

Up to 150 stores nationwide are set to close under a major restructuring plan announced by the chain’s owner – with hundreds of jobs at risk.

The stores affected by the decision include some of the most familiar names on south-west Wales high streets:

• The Quadrant Shopping Centre, Swansea
• Wind Street, Neath
• Parc Trostre Retail Park, Llanelli
• The Rhiw, Bridgend
• Guildhall Square, Carmarthen
• High Street, Tenby
• Riverside Quay, Haverfordwest

It has not yet been confirmed which individual stores will close.

But the announcement leaves staff at all seven branches facing a nervous wait.

The chain – formerly WHSmith – operates 480 high street stores nationally, with 26 of them in Wales.

Private equity owner Modella Capital said the restructuring was an “essential part” of the company’s turnaround plan.

The firm bought the WHSmith high street business in March 2025 – a £40 million deal that did not include the WHSmith brand itself.

Stores were quickly rebranded under the new TGJones name – a name with no prior public recognition.

Modella Capital is now blaming that “forced” rebrand for damaging consumer awareness.

A spokesperson said the decision to close stores had not been taken lightly.

“While we continue to believe in the strength of the core business, TGJones has experienced highly challenging trading conditions over the past year, along with many other brick-and-mortar retailers,” they said.

The company also blamed rising operating costs “as a direct result of government policy” and recent “geopolitical events.”

“The restructuring plan is designed to protect the substantial core of the store estate and create a stronger, more sustainable business that can continue to serve customers for years to come,” the spokesperson added.

Modella Capital said no final decisions had yet been made about the impact on staff, and the company was aiming to preserve “as many jobs as possible.”

“We want to be clear, however, that the plan may result in the closure of some stores and the loss of some roles,” the spokesperson said.

The TGJones restructure comes hot on the heels of another high-profile Modella Capital collapse.

The private equity firm shut all 154 UK and Ireland Claire’s stores last month – putting around 1,300 staff out of work.

Modella Capital placed Claire’s into administration after what it called an “alarmingly” low Christmas trading period.

It has now committed more than £35 million for the TGJones restructuring effort.

For Swansea shoppers, the timing is grim.

The Quadrant store sits within a shopping centre already undergoing significant change. The Quadrant’s former Debenhams anchor unit was bought by Swansea Council after the chain’s collapse, stripped out, and recently sold to the centre’s new owners Centurion Group, with three major new tenants expected to be confirmed.

And Swansea’s flagship Marks & Spencer store on Oxford Street is due to close on 30 May – meaning the city centre will lose yet another major retailer in the same month TGJones announces its restructuring.

The Carmarthen store on Guildhall Square is similarly prominent in the town’s main retail area, while the Neath, Llanelli, Bridgend, Tenby and Haverfordwest branches all anchor parts of their respective high streets.

The full list of which TGJones stores will close is expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

CARMARTHEN: ‘I woke up seven days later and was told what had happened’ — the job centre staff who saved a man’s life with a defibrillator they’d never used before

Stephen Booth walked into Carmarthen Job Centre Plus in March last year.

He never expected to leave in an ambulance.

As he stepped out of the lift, security officer Chris Manfield noticed something was wrong.

Seconds later, Stephen collapsed.

He had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest – one of the most serious medical emergencies a person can face. Without immediate intervention, he would not survive.

Manfield had recently completed basic life support training and didn’t hesitate. He called 999, began CPR and shouted to colleague Endaf Davies to fetch the defibrillator from the entrance.

“I instinctively knew he was in cardiac arrest,” Manfield said. “So I called 999, followed the call handler’s instructions and began CPR.”

For Davies, a Job Centre service manager, this was his first cardiac arrest emergency – and he had never received CPR or defibrillator training in his life.

He grabbed the defibrillator, opened the lid and simply followed the voice instructions.

“I’m still amazed today, just as I was then, at how easy it was to use,” Davies said.

Together, the two men performed CPR for more than five minutes and delivered two defibrillator shocks until Welsh Ambulance Service Senior Paramedic Stephen Bowles arrived and took over.

Stephen was blue-lighted to Morriston Hospital in Swansea, where he spent the next two weeks. He woke up seven days after the cardiac arrest with no memory of what had happened.

More stories like this

She thought her husband was snoring. He was having a cardiac arrest in his sleep.
One of our most-read survival stories.

Ystalyfera cardiac arrest survivor reunited with lifesaving neighbours
Another remarkable bystander rescue – and reunion.

“I don’t remember anything about that day,” Stephen said. “I woke up in Morriston Hospital seven days later and was told what had happened.”

He had one stent fitted and underwent numerous tests before being discharged.

Save a Life Cymru recently reunited Stephen with the people who helped save him – including Manfield, Davies and paramedic Bowles – where he presented them with Bystander Commendation Certificates.

“I was later told I’d received excellent CPR, which was vital to my recovery,” Stephen said. “I would encourage everyone to learn these lifesaving skills.”

Bowles said meeting cardiac arrest survivors was always special for ambulance crews, who rarely get the chance to see the outcome of their work. “I think he was glad too, as I could explain from a medical perspective what had happened to him that day,” he said.

Julie Starling, Clinical Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Programme Manager for Wales, said bystander intervention was the only way to increase survival rates. “We want to build a nation where people feel confident to call 999, start CPR and use a defibrillator when someone collapses,” she said.

A cardiac arrest happens without warning. The person collapses, becomes unresponsive and stops breathing normally. If you see this happen: call 999, start CPR and use a defibrillator if one is available – they are designed to be used by anyone, with no training required.

Anyone who has been affected by a cardiac arrest and needs support can visit resus.org.uk/public-resource/support-after-cardiac-arrest.

More survival stories from Swansea Bay News

Port Talbot cardiac arrest survivor reunited with amazing lifesavers
Another incredible reunion story from closer to home.

Teen who aided two medical emergencies in one day commended by ambulance chief
A remarkable young bystander recognised for extraordinary calm under pressure.

Pembrokeshire dad of three thanks emergency services that helped save his life
Another survivor’s story of gratitude and recovery.

Man who survived being hit by a van thanks ambulance crew who saved his life
A different kind of emergency – the same life-changing gratitude.

All our Welsh Ambulance Service coverage
Our full archive of stories about the crews who respond across south-west Wales.

CARMARTHEN: Lumo to launch direct Carmarthen to London Paddington service in December 2027 — with stops at Llanelli and Gowerton

The long-awaited direct rail service between Carmarthen and London Paddington is set to launch in December 2027, after train operator Lumo confirmed it has five new Hitachi trains on order for the route.

The route was first approved by the rail regulator in 2022 after a drawn-out battle with Great Western Railway, which operates its own south Wales to London Paddington services and had opposed the application. The original proposals were submitted by Grand Union Trains, which secured regulatory approval before selling its rights to the route to FirstGroup in 2024.

Lumo – FirstGroup’s open access train brand – will now operate the service, running five return journeys a day between Carmarthen and London Paddington. The service will call at Llanelli, Gowerton, Cardiff, Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway.

A Lumo spokesperson confirmed the launch plans. The service will use single-class standard seating across all five new trains, with the operator describing its aim as bringing affordable open access travel to even more communities.

The route puts Lumo in direct competition with GWR on the south Wales to London corridor – and there is an added layer of complexity to that rivalry. Both Lumo and GWR are owned by FirstGroup, meaning the parent company will effectively be competing with itself on the route.

GWR is also scheduled to be absorbed into Great British Railways as part of the UK Government’s rail nationalisation programme – though the timeline for that transition remains unclear.

GWR said it welcomed enhancements on the route but cautioned that any new services should not be detrimental to existing services or to future services already agreed.

A spokesperson said the company would continue working with industry partners to ensure railway services were developed in the best way for passengers and taxpayers.

Carmarthenshire County Council threw its support behind the original Grand Union proposals when they were being considered by the regulator, making the case that a direct London service would bring significant economic benefits to west Wales.

The confirmation of a December 2027 launch date comes as Welsh Labour separately pledged a direct Milford Haven to London service as part of its Senedd election manifesto, backed by £50 million of investment in the Milford Haven to Carmarthen line.

The Lumo service would not serve Milford Haven or Pembroke Dock directly, but would give passengers at Carmarthen, Llanelli and Gowerton a genuine alternative to GWR on the London route for the first time.

Lumo declined to provide projected passenger numbers for its first years of operation.

Our coverage of the Carmarthen to London rail route

Regulator approves new Grand Union train service from Carmarthen to London Paddington
The 2022 decision that set the route on its current path.

Grand Union Trains submits fresh proposals to run service from Carmarthen to London
The original proposals that started the process.

Council throws support behind new intercity train service between Carmarthen and London Paddington
Carmarthenshire County Council’s backing for the route.

Union flag rail designs unveiled – south-west Wales impact comes later
What GBR nationalisation means for rail services in our region.

CARMARTHENSHIRE: Two Debenhams buildings, two very different outcomes — as Senedd candidates question council’s town centre spending priorities

Two former Debenhams buildings sit at the heart of two Welsh town centres – but their stories could not be more different, and the contrast is drawing scrutiny from candidates standing in Thursday’s Senedd election for Sir Gaerfyrddin.

In Swansea, the former Debenhams building in the Quadrant was sold this week to Centurion – the company that already owns the shopping centre – with three major new tenants set to be announced within days. The sale was brokered by Swansea Council after the Welsh Government helped fund the purchase of the building.

In Carmarthen, the picture is more complicated. Carmarthenshire County Council purchased the town’s former Debenhams building and announced plans to transform it into Atriwm, a cultural and community venue – part of a strategy to repurpose large vacant units left by departing chains.

But opening has been pushed back to 2027 after a structural defect was discovered in the building following purchase – a complication the council says forms part of its £146 million capital programme.

Calum Higgins, Welsh Labour’s lead candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin, said the situation raised serious questions about spending priorities across the county. “There have been some poorly thought out purchases in Carmarthen by the Plaid Cymru led Carmarthenshire County Council, and a lack of investment in towns like Ammanford and Llanelli because money is being sucked up by white elephants,” he said. He is calling for a Senedd inquiry into how local authorities spend money on town centres.

The spending in Carmarthen comes against a backdrop of contested town centre plans for Llanelli and Ammanford set out by the council in September last year.

The masterplan acknowledged that both towns face significant challenges – in Llanelli, the Murray Street multi-storey car park and indoor market beneath it are nearing the end of their structural life, while Ammanford’s plan focused on reconnecting the town centre with surrounding communities and tackling the leakage of shoppers to larger centres.

Llanelli Market has been at the centre of significant controversy since plans emerged in July 2025 to demolish the existing building and relocate to the former Woolworths site, with traders and Labour councillors raising concerns about the process.

A Bake Off star who opened a bakery in the market quit after just a year, blaming the council’s handling of the situation.

Carl Peters-Bond, Mayor of Kidwelly and independent candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin, said the pattern of spending reflected a wider failure of priorities. “Councils and Welsh Government must start listening to people rather than ploughing blindly on with vanity projects,” he said. “Money seems to be no object when it comes to Carmarthen – yet other market towns across the county are left to survive on whatever grant funding they can find, with all the restrictions and conditions that come with it.”

Peters-Bond said the Llanelli Market move illustrated the problem. “The proposed move to the former Woolworths site is only happening because refurbishment of existing retail is a condition of the grant the council has applied for – not because it is the best outcome for the town or its people,” he said. Carmarthenshire Council has not publicly addressed this specific claim.

Plaid Cymru’s candidate for Sir Gaerfyrddin, Mari Arthur, pointed to a different root cause – arguing that the business rates system was working against town centres across Wales, not just in Carmarthenshire. “A café owner on Stepney Street pays rates that bear no relation to the advantages enjoyed by a big-box retailer on the edge of town,” she said. “That is not a fair system – it is a rigged one.” Plaid’s manifesto commits to restructuring business rates to level the playing field between high-street businesses and out-of-town retail.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s position, as set out in its capital programme, is that the Atriwm project remains a long-term investment in Carmarthen’s cultural offer, with the 2027 opening date reflecting the work required to address the structural issues identified after purchase.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration Cllr Hazel Evans said in September that the placemaking plans for all three towns would “only succeed if they’re driven by the communities they affect.”

Related coverage

Carmarthen’s old Debenhams reborn as Atriwm — but opening pushed back to 2027
Our report on the delays and structural issues affecting the Carmarthen project.

Swansea: Debenhams building sold to Quadrant owners as three major new tenants set to be named
This week’s news on Swansea’s former Debenhams — a very different outcome.

Llanelli faces twin loss as council moves to demolish market and multi-storey car park
Our original report on the Llanelli Market controversy.

Future of Llanelli, Ammanford and Carmarthen town centres set out in new plans
The council’s own vision for town centres across Carmarthenshire, published September 2025.

CARMARTHENSHIRE: Tributes to Granny Dot – the 102-year-old whose £6k gamble built a £70m Welsh food giant

Heartfelt tributes have been paid to a great-grandmother whose generosity and faith in her family helped launch one of Wales’s most successful food businesses after she died at the age of 102.

Dorothy Edwards, known to all as Granny Dot, loaned 6,000 pounds to her daughter and son-in-law in 1972 to buy a frozen food shop and wholesale business in Harlech. That single act of faith laid the foundations for Harlech Foodservice, a family-run company that now employs 300 people, turns over around 70 million pounds a year, and has a depot in Carmarthen serving pubs, restaurants, schools and hospitals across Wales and beyond.

Dorothy passed away on 28 March. A celebration of her life takes place tomorrow, Friday 1 May, at 2.30pm at Telford Crematorium, with donations to the Midlands Air Ambulance.

The loan, worth around 100,000 pounds in today’s money, enabled Gill and Colin Foskett to purchase the Harlech business and begin what would become a remarkable Welsh food and drink success story. The company has since expanded to depots in Carmarthen, Caerphilly and Telford, alongside its long-established centres in Cricieth and Chester, and was named UK Food Wholesaler of the Year in 2025.

Andrew Foskett, Dorothy’s grandson and Harlech Foodservice‘s joint chairman, said the loan had been life-changing for the entire family. He said: “It is fair to say without my grandmother, Harlech Foodservice would simply not exist. The circumstances were there, the opportunity came along and the rest is history.”

Andrew recalled his grandfather Harry’s words at the time of the loan. “Giving that money was a gamble,” he said, “but I remember grandad’s comment to my dad Colin — he said if it doesn’t work out, it’s not for the want of trying. So they backed them knowing they would have the ability to make a go of it.”

Today three generations of the family work in the business, with Dorothy’s grandchildren Jonathan, Andrew and Laura in director roles and a third generation also on board. Andrew said Dorothy had followed the company’s progress right to the end. “She was over the moon about the success of the business,” he said. “Dorothy would still follow Harlech on their Facebook page in her later years — she took an ongoing interest in it.”

Dorothy was born in Shrewsbury in 1923 and met her future husband Harry through his sister Phyllis, with their first date at a fairground. During the Second World War she made Spitfire parts at a factory in Hadley while Harry served as an Army gunner in Greece. The couple married in 1945 after Harry sent a telegram from abroad asking Dorothy to arrange the wedding for his return — she had not seen him for three years.

The pair went on to have six children and run a family funeral directors business, Harry Edwards and Sons. It was money from that business that is believed to have funded the pivotal 1972 loan that changed the family’s fortunes forever.

Andrew described his grandmother as someone whose warmth and laughter filled every room. “She quite often would tell stories but laugh so much it was difficult for her to complete the story,” he said, “especially when her daughters were around because they would be laughing so much.”

Dorothy is survived by grandchildren Jonathan, Andrew, Laura, Joshua and Molly Rose, and great-grandchildren Toby, Hari, Charlie, Ella, Mili, Maisie, Joel, Nancy, Eden and Dorothy.

Her family described her as one of a kind who lived a long and beautiful life and leaves behind a lasting legacy — not just through her family, but through the hundreds of jobs and the thriving Welsh business that her generosity made possible.

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How a family-run business became one of the biggest motor groups in the UK.

Llanelli haulier hit hard: fuel crisis adds 64,000 pounds a week to costs
The pressures facing Welsh food supply chains and the businesses that keep them moving.

CARMARTHEN: Raptor attraction that drew 4,000 visitors in its first winter launches new all-weather facilities for spring

West Wales’s newest wildlife attraction has launched a range of new all-weather facilities as it heads into its first full spring season at its Carmarthenshire home.

The British Bird of Prey Centre, which opened at its new independent site in Idole, near Carmarthen, in October 2025, has attracted more than 4,000 visitors since opening — with school trips, sold-out winter owl evenings and private flying experiences already under its belt.

The centre, previously based at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, is the UK’s only visitor attraction dedicated entirely to native British birds of prey.

Visitors can see some of Britain’s most iconic raptors up close, including golden eagles, red kites, peregrine falcons, kestrels, owls and buzzards. Red kites have a particular resonance in Carmarthenshire — the county is home to some of Wales’s most celebrated birds of the species, including the oldest ringed red kite recorded surviving in the wild, which was found injured in the area.

The attraction’s biggest new addition for spring is an interactive indoor activity space, where visitors can test their reflexes in a game simulating catching prey, look through binoculars that replicate an owl’s vision, and build their own bird.

The centre says it will expand the space over the coming months to include night vision goggles and a virtual reality experience simulating what it feels like to hold birds ranging from little owls to a peregrine falcon.

The centre has also extended its spring flying show programme, with daily shows in its indoor arena giving visitors close encounters with the birds whatever the weather — a significant draw for families during school holiday periods. The site also has an on-site café, outdoor adventure play area, and dedicated spaces for schools, community groups and corporate events.

A new car park, funded through the Welsh Government’s Weatherproofing grant, has also been added to cope with anticipated higher footfall through the spring and summer.

Emma Hill, Director of the British Bird of Prey Centre, said the response to the move had exceeded expectations. “Welcoming over 4,000 visitors in just a few months has given us real confidence that we made the right decision,” she said.

“We’ve built this site around freedom, welfare and immersive experiences — and the public response shows people genuinely value that difference. This spring feels like the start of something much bigger.”

Since opening, the centre has also welcomed more than 500 school children and hosted over 300 private flying experience guests alongside its public programme.

The move to Idole is part of the centre’s wider ambitions for the site. Future plans include a Wild Raptor Rehabilitation Centre, as well as camping and glamping options to support eco-tourism in west Wales.

The centre is currently ranked number one on TripAdvisor for things to do in the Carmarthen area and is open now for its first full season. Further details are available at the centre’s website.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

British Bird of Prey Centre to open new Carmarthenshire home this October half term
Our original coverage of the centre’s move to its new Carmarthen site.

Injured bird of prey identified as oldest ringed red kite to survive in the wild
The remarkable Carmarthenshire red kite story.

‘We need action. We need jobs. We need answers’ — Welsh student nurses face unemployment after 2,300 hours of unpaid training

Student nurses in Wales are facing the prospect of qualifying with no job to go to — just days after a similar crisis emerged for newly trained paramedics — after a key NHS recruitment process was delayed for the second time due to a critical shortage of available posts.

ITV News Wales first reported that the Royal College of Nursing Wales was raising the alarm over the shortage of Band 5 posts for newly qualified nurses, warning that up to 50% of nursing graduates across Wales may have no job at the end of their studies. Now the human face of that crisis has emerged from Carmarthen, where the S23 Adult Nursing cohort — 23 students — have written an open letter describing their situation as one of “deep desperation and disappointment.”

The students say they received an email on 7 April — the day before their planned streamlining date — informing them that the process had been pushed back from 8 April to 11 May 2026 due to a significantly low number of available Band 5 roles compared to graduating students. Even with the delay, they were told the gap was not expected to fully resolve. It is the second time the process has been delayed for this cohort.

“We were told that training as nurses would guarantee us employment, allowing us all to embark on a meaningful career that means so much to us,” the students wrote. “How have we been able to train for jobs that don’t exist?”

The Carmarthen cohort is part of a far wider picture, with the students estimating that around 400 nursing students across all pathways and universities in Wales are entering the process with little guarantee of employment.

The students describe the personal cost in stark terms. Over three years they have worked days, nights, weekends and holidays across NHS trusts in Wales, completing 2,300 hours of unpaid clinical placements — administering medication, performing CPR, dressing wounds, and supporting families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Their NHS bursary requires them to work within Wales for two years after qualifying.

“We have done all this, without salaries, driven by the belief in our NHS, our desire to serve our wider community, and our understanding that we, as nurses, are in high demand,” they wrote. “Now, as we are preparing to qualify, we have been informed that there may be no jobs available.”

One student, Trystan Thomas, spoke to ITV News about the impact on morale. “We were sold a dream about becoming nurses, about becoming healthcare professionals — and now we’ve been told ‘thanks for all your hard work, you may or may not get a job,’” he said. “I used to walk in and see smiles and we’d be happy about where we are. Now I see long faces, me included.”

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW), which co-ordinates the national process of matching final-year nursing, midwifery and Operating Department Practitioner students to Band 5 roles across NHS Wales, confirmed the delay. “This decision has not been taken lightly,” a spokesperson said, adding that the extension was intended to allow health boards more time to review workforce positions and validate vacancies. HEIW acknowledged it could not guarantee the gap would fully resolve, and confirmed students would be released from the two-year Wales work obligation if posts could not be found.

Professor Sandy Harding, Associate Director of Nursing at RCN Wales, said the situation exposed serious failures in workforce planning. “Our NHS is under intense pressure, yet hundreds of newly qualified nurses may have no posts to enter. This is simply unacceptable,” she said. “These students stepped forward for Wales, trained through immense challenges, and now face uncertainty at the very moment the system needs them most.”

The crisis sits in uncomfortable contrast with the recent history of NHS nurse recruitment in the region. Swansea Bay University Health Board — which covers Morriston and Singleton hospitals — spent the last four years running a major international recruitment drive to fill the very Band 5 nursing vacancies that domestic graduates are now being told don’t exist. A recruitment trip to Kochi in India in 2023 attracted 107 nurses to Morriston Hospital, with the health board at that time employing approximately 32 international nurses every five weeks. In total, 456 overseas nurses were recruited over four years, with a 96% retention rate. Head of Nursing Education and Recruitment Lynne Jones said at the time: “Our sources of Band 5 nurses are our student nurses and the regular recruitment of overseas nurses.” The student nurses are now here — but it appears the posts are not.

The Welsh Government said it was working closely with health boards, HEIW and universities to address the situation. A Welsh Labour spokesperson said the number of nurses working in NHS Wales was now at record levels and that vacancy rates were falling — but acknowledged this improvement must translate into “clear and timely employment pathways for graduates.” The Welsh Conservatives called the situation “completely unacceptable” and pointed to the paramedic crisis as evidence of systemic workforce planning failure. The Welsh Liberal Democrats called it “an extraordinary and unforgivable failure.” Plaid Cymru said it highlighted Labour’s failure to invest in and plan for the NHS workforce. The Greens and Reform UK Wales also condemned the situation, with both noting the parallel with the paramedic recruitment collapse.

The nursing crisis follows Swansea Bay News’s revelation last week that nearly £10 million of public money had been spent training paramedics at Swansea University who were then told there were no NHS posts for them in Wales — with some advised to look as far away as Canada and Australia. Together, the two crises suggest a deepening pattern of NHS Wales workforce planning failures across multiple healthcare disciplines.

The Carmarthen students were clear about who they do and do not hold responsible. “We do not blame our university. They have been honest, transparent and supportive throughout our three years,” they wrote. Their three questions for those responsible were direct: why was there minimal transparency allowing them to seek roles elsewhere? Are they free to work outside Wales if posts are unavailable? And why is Wales continuing to accept increasing numbers of nursing students if this situation is likely to continue?

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Nearly £10m of public money spent training paramedics who are now being told to look for work abroad
The crisis that broke just days before — newly qualified paramedics at Swansea University told there are no NHS jobs for them in Wales.

Welsh Government under pressure over paramedic recruitment shortfall
Last year’s warning that this pattern was emerging — when only 20 of 67 paramedic graduates were offered posts.

India recruitment trip attracts 100 nurses to Morriston Hospital
Swansea Bay ran a major international recruitment drive to fill the Band 5 vacancies that domestic graduates are now being told don’t exist.

Health board says Swansea Bay is the place to stay for overseas nurses
The 456 overseas nurses recruited over four years — and the 96% retention rate that made the health board an NHS Wales exemplar.

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CARMARTHEN: £2m hospital unit to reopen in bid to ease A&E pressure

A refurbished Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit at Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen will reopen to patients on Monday, March 30, in what health chiefs say is a major step towards easing pressure on overstretched emergency services.

The unit has undergone significant improvements backed by more than £2 million in Welsh Government funding, with changes designed to speed up care and improve the experience for both patients and staff.

Health board bosses say the upgraded facility will play a crucial role in reducing demand on the hospital’s busy Emergency Department, which has faced ongoing strain in recent years.

The investment has delivered additional consultation rooms, a revamped reception area and a more modern environment aimed at making visits less stressful for patients.

The move comes amid mounting pressure on services, with Glangwili already earmarked as a regional hub for emergency surgery and stroke care as part of wider plans to turn it into a major acute centre for west Wales.

The reopening also marks the return of several services that were temporarily relocated during the refurbishment work.

These include the Discharge Lounge, Medical Day Unit and the Primary Care Out of Hours service, all of which will move back into the upgraded SDEC building.

Specialist cancer support services will also return, including the Cancer Information and Support Service and the Cancer Psychological Support Service.

Patients accessing podiatry, neuro-rehabilitation and occupational therapy services will also see a return to normal access routes after months of disruption.

Health board director Keith Jones said the changes are expected to improve patient flow and reduce bottlenecks in urgent care.

He added that the improvements should help staff deliver a “smoother and swifter experience” for those attending the hospital.

The investment builds on wider upgrades at the site, including a previously reported £2m scheme to improve facilities and ease pressure on A&E, as well as separate plans to modernise diagnostic services such as X-ray facilities.

Welsh Government has said the funding forms part of a broader push to improve hospital environments and ensure patients are treated more quickly.

Patients attending appointments in the coming weeks are being urged to check their letters carefully, as clinic locations may have changed with services moving back into the refurbished unit.

Clear signage will be in place across the hospital, and staff will be on hand to help direct visitors to the correct departments.

While the reopening is being welcomed, it comes as health services across west Wales continue to face high demand, with hospitals under sustained pressure to meet growing patient needs.

The hope for local residents is that the revamped SDEC unit will help ease some of that strain and deliver quicker care when it matters most.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Carmarthen: Glangwili to become regional hub as health bosses centralise emergency surgery and stroke services
Major service changes show how Glangwili is becoming a key hospital for west Wales.

£2m upgrade begins at Glangwili Hospital to ease pressure on A&E
Earlier investment aimed at tackling rising demand in the hospital’s emergency department.

Glangwili’s X-ray facilities set for upgrade
Diagnostic improvements form part of wider plans to modernise services at the hospital.

GWR research shows railway to unlock jobs across regions by 2036 http://dlvr.it/TRfjz8 #CambridgeSouth #Cardiff #Carmarthen #CastleCary

GWR research shows railway to unlock jobs across regions by 2036 http://dlvr.it/TRfjz8 #CambridgeSouth #Cardiff #Carmarthen #CastleCary

GWR research shows railway to unlock jobs across regions by 2036 http://dlvr.it/TRfjz8 #CambridgeSouth #Cardiff #Carmarthen #CastleCary

GWR research shows railway to unlock jobs across regions by 2036 http://dlvr.it/TRfjz8 #CambridgeSouth #Cardiff #Carmarthen #CastleCary

GWR research shows railway to unlock jobs across regions by 2036 http://dlvr.it/TRfjz8 #CambridgeSouth #Cardiff #Carmarthen #CastleCary

Carmarthen: £90m college ‘super campus’ approved despite backlash over closures and countryside impact

Carmarthenshire councillors have backed plans to transform the Pibwrlwyd site into Campws Caerfyrddin — a major new hub for Coleg Sir Gâr and Coleg Ceredigion.

The development will more than double the current site, with four new buildings designed for around 3,300 students and 270 staff.

Courses will include everything from construction and engineering to electric and hybrid vehicle maintenance, alongside hair and beauty, catering and art, with facilities such as a library, café, gym and social spaces.

But the decision has sparked controversy.

The project will see teaching centralised at Carmarthen — with existing campuses in Ammanford and Jobs Well set to be emptied of students and staff.

The plans previously caused an outcry in Ammanford, with concerns over the loss of local provision and its impact on the town.

There are also environmental worries.

Objectors raised fears about the loss of trees, hedgerows and farmland, as well as the impact on wildlife — including bats, otters and the rare hazel dormouse.

Concerns were also raised about increased traffic on already busy roads, particularly around the Pensarn roundabout, and the effect on nearby residents.

Despite this, planners said the benefits outweighed the negatives.

The scheme includes a new car park, coach drop-off, gym, multi-use games area and extensive landscaping — with more trees set to be planted than removed.

A planning report said the modern campus would bring “significant public benefit”, helping deliver the skills employers need and supporting future economic growth.

College leaders have also welcomed the decision, describing it as a major milestone.

Acting principal Vanessa Cashmore said: “This investment is about far more than new facilities. It is about transforming opportunities for learners across Carmarthenshire.

“It is an opportunity to change lives and enable generations of learners to build a prosperous future for themselves.”

She added the new campus would provide “world-class training” and help students develop the skills needed for modern careers, particularly in growing areas such as green technologies.

The college says the development will create a more inclusive, modern and bilingual learning environment, while strengthening its role in the regional economy by working closely with employers and communities.

Councillors were divided on the plans.

Some raised concerns about the loss of the Ammanford campus, while others described the scheme as a “wow” investment that could boost apprenticeships and address skills shortages.

Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the new buildings completed by 2029, followed by demolition of older structures.

The approval marks a major shift in how and where students across west Wales will be taught — and one of the biggest education investments the region has seen in decades.

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Woman suffers ‘stab wounds’ in attack as park cordoned off

A manhunt has been launched after the woman was attacked on Thursday afternoon A cordon is in place…
#NewsBeep #News #UnitedKingdom #Carmarthen #Crime #Dyfed-PowysPolice #GB #GreatBritain #UK
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/397615/