Author: Rhys Gregory

Cardiff-based catering company PIKKLE has been appointed as the sole catering provider for the British Ports Association Annual Conference this October, as organisers prepare for the biggest edition of the event to date. The company, which specialises in delivering locally rooted catering for large, multi-day events, will return to the conference following its award-winning delivery of the 2024 event in Portsmouth. This year’s conference will take place at Cruise Terminal One at the Port of Dover on 21 and 22 October 2026, with a wider programme of networking and social events taking place across three days. Organisers are increasing capacity…

A panel of business leaders and industry experts has been appointed to help shape Wales’ new national development agency. The Welsh Government has confirmed a further 10 members of the Expert Advisory Panel, which will be chaired by Jonathan Lewis and tasked with advising on the design, remit and functions of the new agency. The agency is intended to become a key part of the Welsh Government’s ambition to halve Wales’s productivity gap with the UK within 10 years. Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy Adam Price said the panel brings together expertise spanning investment, technology, energy, manufacturing, tourism,…

Laura Drane appointed to lead A&B Cymru into its next chapter as the charity highlights the growing value of partnerships between business and the arts. A&B Cymru, the charity connecting business and the arts across Wales, has appointed Laura Drane as its new Chief Executive, as it reveals that its work generates an estimated £1 million of private sector support for the arts in Wales each year. Around half of that annual contribution is direct financial investment, with the remainder provided through business expertise, skills and in-kind support. Laura takes over at a significant time for the sector, with arts…

Cardiff’s popular Christmas at Bute Park light trail is returning with a brand-new theme for 2026, taking visitors through four festive realms of Joy, Wonder, Hope and Magic. The Spirit of Christmas at Bute Park will transform the city centre park into an illuminated festive world, complete with mischievous elves, rainbow tunnels, giant Brussels sprouts and Father Christmas soaring through a starlit sky. Actress and presenter Justine Jones has also lent her voice to a new video showcasing what visitors can expect from this year’s experience. Known for presenting BBC Morning Live and BBC Radio Wales, Justine has recorded a…

Simply Red have been announced as the first headline act for a new series of major outdoor concerts coming to Swansea next summer. The internationally acclaimed band, fronted by Mick Hucknall, will perform at Singleton Park on Friday 20 August 2027 as part of their Summer Funk ‘27 UK and European headline tour. The Swansea date will be Simply Red’s only Welsh show of 2027 and will launch Singleton Live, a new series of concerts bringing major artists and Wales-exclusive performances to the city. Fans can expect a high-energy summer set featuring some of the band’s biggest hits, including Fairground,…

Cardiff-based digital transformation agency Spindogs is celebrating the success of a near decade long partnership with global motorcycle manufacturer Triumph with an invitation to its Global Dealer Conference in Thailand. Since first partnering with the automotive brand in 2017, Spindogs has helped transform and streamline processes across Triumph’s global dealer network, developing digital platforms and dashboards to bring data and operations together. This includes the development of a sector-first online service booking tool, now deployed across over 630 Triumph dealers in more than 20 countries worldwide. The latest development in the partnership is Ticket to Thailand, a bespoke digital platform…

St David’s Cardiff has announced a partnership with the Retail Trust to help protect retail workers from rising levels of abuse and violence, with free training and support to help colleagues manage difficult interactions. The announcement comes as Landsec, owner and operator of St David’s, has expanded its partnership with the Retail Trust following a successful pilot in 2025. Through the Retail Trust’s Let’s Respect Retail campaign, Landsec provided free resilience and de-escalation training at four of its major shopping destinations, giving retail workers the skills and confidence to manage challenging interactions and recover quickly after difficult moments on the…

Rretailer Poundstretcher is set to bring the bargains back to Beacons Place in Merthyr Tydfil. Poundstretcher is set to reopen the former Blue Inc in Beacons Place on Friday, September 25th, creating up to 15 jobs for the local community. The store will be opened by Leader of the Council Brent Carter, who’ll be there to celebrate the arrival of Poundstretcher in Merthyr Tydfil. What’s more, the first 100 customers through the doors will get FREE goody bag. The new store will be packed with branded and non-branded bargains across clothing, DIY, gardening, health and beauty, home décor, snacks, storage, pet, sweets and drinks. Andy Atkinson, Chief Executive Officer of Poundstretcher, said: “Household…

Pop icon Ronan Keating is bringing his world tour to Wales next summer with two special shows celebrating his 30-year career. The chart-topper will perform at Live at Llangollen Pavilion 2027 on Thursday 1 July before heading to the Welsh capital for Depot Live at Cardiff Castle on Friday 9 July. The two dates form part of Keating’s Just Getting Started World Tour, which will see him perform a catalogue spanning Boyzone classics and hits from his successful solo career. He will be joined at both Welsh shows by British pop group Blue and Australian trio Germein Sisters. Tickets go…

Cabinet Minister for Health and Care Mabon ap Gwynfor has responded to the latest NHS Wales activity and performance data for July and August 2026, saying the inherited waiting-list backlog remains too high. He said the Welsh Government is putting measures in place to improve waiting times, including a clinically led approach to clear the longest waits and bring the overall waiting list down to pre-pandemic levels before the end of the current Senedd term. Mabon ap Gwynfor said: “These figures are disappointing and performance is not where we want it to be. The inherited waiting list backlog remains too…