Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Bowe double seals vital win for Ospreys over Scarlets What a sickener for the Scarlets.

The Llanelli Reds Academy games at Neath have been called off tomorrow due to Waterlogged pitches at Cwrt Herbert. Meanwhile, the Reds Under 19s travel to Newtown tomorrow to meet Blue Square Premier League side Wrexham's Youth Team in the Semi Final of the FAW Youth Cup. Kick Off at Latham Park is at 2pm.

The Scarlets : Speculation on Stephen Jones - Scarlets response Decent response from the Scarlets here re Stephen Jones speculation.

The Llanelli Reds home game with Haverfordwest scheduled for Good Friday night is OFF due to Stebonheath Park being waterlogged. The club did try and attempt to play the game on Saturday afternoon but Haverfordwest couldn't raise a team due to work committments. See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/llanelli-reds-must-put-stop-to-losing.html

The Clubhouse at Richmond Park, Carmarthen, will be open tomorrow 3rd April from 12:00 midday. Watch LIVE on TV:- Premiership clash : Manchester United v Chelsea KO 12:45pm Welsh derby match: Cardiff City v Swansea City KO 5:20pm Carmarthen Town are away against Porthmadog tomorrow.

Buchanan's men looking to bow out at home with another win The Llanelli RFC team hope for another home win.

Racing club's great winner Mudahim dies Salvo Giannini's great horse dies.

Llanelli must put stop to losing run Tonight's game must be in doubt the way it is raining at the mo.

The Duchess of Gloucester, commandant- in-chief, for St John Ambulance in Wales, offically opened the revamped inshore lifeboat station at Ferryside. The day was tinged with sadness that the late Gwyn Thomas, who had inspired the new boathouse more than three years ago was not present to celebrate the realising of his ambition. But his wife and daughter Joan and Jennifer were able to attend. The Rev Canon Aled Griffiths, St John Chaplain for Carmarthenshire, dedicated the new lifeboat station supported by Vicar of Llanelli, the Rev Sian Jones. The Duchess was presented to the widow of the former Commander of Dyfed and Powys, Mrs Beryl Davies and former area commissioner for Dyfed, Gerald Kent. Her Royal Highness presented four certificates of Priory votes of thanks for their support to Brian Beynon, William John Rogers, Barry Saunders and Sidney John Saunders. Lifeboat Coxswain Tony Bean said the station averaged 25 call outs a year involving between 50 and 60 lives. He said: “They are...

Plans for a Lidl store in Newcastle Emlyn have been approved by Carmarthenshire planners today. The planning committee considered an application for the development of a Lidl foodstore at Castle Motors in Station Road. Planning permission was granted subject to a Section 106 Agreement to provide improvements to public transport facilities in the form new/upgraded bus shelters in the area. See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/newcastle-emlyn-supermarket-plan.html

Plans for a multiplex cinema and hotel in the centre of Llanelli have been approved by Carmarthenshire planners today. The county council planning committee discussed the application by HDD (Llanelli) Ltd for a mixed use development including a six-screen multiplex cinema, a 53-bedroom hotel, restaurants and bars, retail units including a convenience store and office accommodation. The scheme also involves relocation of the bus interchange, together with 239 car parking spaces and associated public realm enhancement works at land at Upper Park Street and Island Place. The development provides for a new improved bus station which will replace the current Island Place bus station. The bus station has been designed to avoid any reversing manoeuvres and access and egress is via Stepney Place. The development provides for a new 245 space car park which will replace the 142 space Island Place car park. The development is conveniently located close to Llanelli's other town centre car park...

Plans for a 30,000 square foot office development in Carmarthen will be considered by Carmarthenshire planners. The county council’s planning committee will discuss an application for full planning permission for office space on a site alongside DEFRA in Heol Glasdwr, Parc Pensarn. The site is an area of the Parc Pensarn Business Park, off the A484 Roundabout Junction between the Morrisons Supermarket and Halfords Store, and to the immediate south of the A48 dual carriageway. The current application has been submitted on behalf of Dragon 24 LLP, a public/private partnership between R O Developments, a commercial property company developing speculative office, industrial, retail and residential floor space throughout the UK, and the Welsh Assembly Government. The partnership has been formed to deliver a development programme of 10 developments over six years principally designed to provide flexible office space aimed at small and start up companies. An officers’ report to the planning c...

BBC News - Planning granted for cinema and hotel in Llanelli Please note it has been granted rather than grated as the BBC say in their first draft.

Thanks to you, folks, this blog is continuing to pick up a momentum. It's now hit the 7,000 page views mark. That's a 1000 views since March 10. Keep the hits coming, folks! Many thanks. See earlier blog - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2010/03/6000-visits-chalked-up.html Meanwhile, the blog has chalked up its first visitor from Ukraine. The full country by country list (figures from January 6) is as follows - United Kingdom (GB) 1,134 United States (US) 245 Qatar (QA) 26 Europe (EU) 26 Australia (AU) 13 Germany (DE) 12 India (IN) 9 Canada (CA) 7 Ireland (IE) 7 Belgium (BE) 6 France (FR) 5 United Arab Emirates (AE) 4 Singapore (SG) 4 Philippines (PH) 3 New Zealand (NZ) 3 Netherlands (NL) 3 Malaysia (MY) 3 Italy (IT) 3 Sweden (SE) 3 Russian Federation (RU) 3 Croatia (HR) 2 Romania (RO) 2 Norway (NO) 2 Bulgaria (BG) 2 Cote D'Ivoire (CI) 2 Spain (ES) 2 Bahrain (BH) 2 Hungary (HU) 1 Ukraine (UA) 1 Finland (FI) 1 Poland (PL) 1 Czech Republic (CZ) 1 Denmark (DK) 1 Portugal (PT) 1...

Today saw the start of the game fishing season and there was an early success at Talyllyn and the Tynycornel Hotel. The photo below shows Steve Watts of Llandeilo being presented with a bottle of Penderyn whisky by Phil Wood, Gillie and Fishery Manager, for the first fish of the season at Talyllyn. Phil’s fishing report is as follows - After a mild spell during March there was a massive hatch of black buzzers and in turn this produced a huge rise of over wintered fish. There were dorsals and tail rises to be seen everywhere and this was before the first stocking had gone in! Anglers visiting Talyllyn should try the Rectory Bay, Pentre, down to the Cae Drift and Home Drift to Agony Point from the boats and from the bank the hot spots should be Pentre all the way to Cae. You can also try Agony point down to the Nursery Drift. On the warmer days, a floating line with wets such as Kate McLaren, Black Pennel, Williams Favourite, Bibio etc will work. Alternativley, on windier days try a slo...

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Salaries for senior council staff in Wales ‘out of control’ Pembrokeshire’s Bryn Parry-Jones, on £172,500. Carmarthenshire’s Mark James on £169,005. Enough said!

The clock is ticking to the start of the 29th annual Carmarthen Mayor’s Fun Run. It will take place, as usual, on Easter Monday, April 5, 2010. “The race is one of the highlights of the year in Carmarthen,” Deputy Town Mayor Councillor Alan Speake said this week. “I would urge everyone, young and old, to consider taking part and making the event a great fun occasion for Carmarthen town.” Councillor Speake is chairing the Mayor’s Fun Run Steering Group in the run-up to race day. He added: “The event is recognised as a great occasion in Carmarthen.” There is a the main 5k fun run and a series of junior races. Runners are being encouraged to dress up in fancy dress and field pub and club teams. The junior races cater for Years 2-10. The senior fun run has categories for males and females under 40 and 35 and veterans groups for older age groups. Everyone who completes the course gets a medal. Entry forms are on the Mayor’s Race website, www.rasusymaer.org.uk . Online registration for the r...

A fifth charity will benefit from the 29th annual Carmarthen Mayor’s Fun Run on Easter Monday, April 5. Four charities are already set to receive £500 each – Carmarthen Bi-Polar Self Help Group, Carmarthen Awaydays, Carmarthen Women’s Refuge and the Towy Salmon swimming club. Now race organisers have added in a fifth charity, the Therapeutic Day Service at the West Wales General Hospital, Glangwili, Carmarthen. Race organisers are still looking for volunteer marshalls. If you can help, ring Carmarthen Town Council on 01267 235199

More than 150 pupils with the Pembrokeshire Leisure School of Dance stepped their way to success earlier this month. The dancers - aged from five to senior citizens - took part in over 500 dance examinations with the UKA (United Kingdom Alliance of Professional Teachers of Dance) dance board. All pupils attained highly commended, honours or distinctions across a variety of dance disciplines - from ballroom to classical. The Pembrokeshire Leisure School of Dance operates classes at its leisure centres, in Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, Fishguard, and Pembroke. Classes - all with qualified teachers - are offered in six styles of dance; cheerleading, freestyle disco, classical, modern sequence, ballroom and Latin. They are open to all levels - from complete beginners to more experienced dancers - whether you want to take exams or simply enjoy moving to music! "Dance of all forms is an extremely healthy exercise, which can benefit people of all ages," said Margaret Jones, Principa...

Young football fans can take to the pitch this Easter. Sport Pembrokeshire - Pembrokeshire County Council's sports development arm - is hosting a series of football camps in Haverfordwest over the Easter school holidays. The camps aim to encourage youngsters of whatever ability to take to the pitch and get playing! Open to boys and girls between five and 11, the session will be run by qualified coaches and held on the astro turf pitch at Sir Thomas Picton Sports Centre. Councillor Rob Lewis, Cabinet Member for Sport and Leisure, said the football camps were part of Sport Pembrokeshire's Fun Football Scheme, which aimed to encourage youngster to play and enjoy football - particularly those who don't already play for a team. "Winning youngsters over to sport and club-based activity encourages healthy exercise and good habits from an early age," he said. The Fun Football scheme is sponsored by Chevron with additional funding from the Sports Council for Wales. The sum...

"F--- off! Oops, sorry, it’s Eric, I better take this,” Jeff Beck has second thoughts about taking a call on his mobile phone after being interrupted halfway through an interview with a Daily Telegraph reporter. The caller was Mr Eric Clapton.

A van driver who hit two ducks on a Belgian road was astounded when he found a live mallard in his radiator grille after stopping near Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Paul Murphy, 41, from Leeds, hit the pair of birds on a dark country road in Belgium and noticed the force of the collision had smashed a hole in his radiator grille. But the driver, not realising one of the ducks was wedged under his bonnet, kept driving and did not discover the stowaway until he stopped to inspect the damage at a service station on the M1. Mr Murphy said: "All of a sudden I saw this green head behind the radiator. I couldn't believe it. My first thought was 'Oh dear, it's dead, what am I going to do here?' because it wasn't moving. "When its feathers moved I put it down to the wind, but then I saw it was breathing. I couldn't believe it." Using a screwdriver he was able to extract the duck, after which he put him in a cardboard box and drove it to a rescue centre. Vets ...

There’s a new man at the helm of the Tynycornel Hotel, which sits in a stunning lakeside location at Talyllyn in the Snowdonia National Park. Phil Thomas, 43, has arrived at Tynycornel with an extensive CV working at leading hotels throughout the UK. “It’s a great privilege to arrive at Tynycornel, a hotel which probably has the best views in Wales,” Mr Thomas said as he gazed across picturesque Talyllyn lake towards majestic Cader Idris. “This is a magnificent hotel in its own right, but you also have to consider the added attraction of its own 222-acre lake, one of the great brown trout and sewin fisheries of Wales.” Mr Thomas added: “Tynycornel has a great reputation and as the new general manager I am looking to enhance that reputation even further, particularly in relation to the quality of our kitchen. “The stunning location speaks for itself. But I am confident we can build on our name to provide quality facilities and service which will attract everyone, visitors from afar and ...

"Although big cities such as Barcelona have positive attractions, the mixture in Blackpool is truly unique" - Doug Garrett, chief executive of ReBlackpool, dares to dream. Everybody knows Barcelona made a good go of fixing its rough bits up for the 1992 Olympics, and became one of the most popular weekend break destinations in Europe. It's the stuff regeneration agency bosses dream of at night.

The leaders of the Carmarthen and District Ramblers are Carolyn and Dennis Hills! Meanwhile, here's information on their next walk. Date: Sunday 4 April 2010 Nearest town: Crymych Start time: 9am Distance: 10 miles Longer description: Carn Alw, Preseli Mountains Contact name: Carolyn & Dennis Hills Contact phone: 01267 211819

Simon Buckley, chief executive of Evan-Evans brewery, has a new monthly column in the Carmarthen Journal (see page 7 of the Out and About section this week). What’s brewing? A new (monthly) column by Simon Buckley, chief executive of Llandeilo’s Evan-Evans Brewery, brewers of the award winning Cwrw ale. This column is about beer and what makes the oldest industry in the world such a fascinating place to work. This week it’s cask beer. Easter is here, and traditionally this is the beginning of the tourist season, when we brewers start to produce new lighter beers to mark the transition from winter to Spring and then summer. Tourists come looking for local beers and new seasonal variants. The craft brewing industry produces some of the finest beers in Wales. You won’t like all of them, and sometimes brewers get carried away producing tonsil-cleansing bitterness, and beers that have over-powering flavours. Find the ones you like and don’t be frightened to try new ones. You don’t have to h...

Dyfed-Powys Police have been engaged in a special operation (codenamed Beagle) to combat scrap metal thefts in Carmarthenshire. The operation was planned as a direct result of a number of scrap metal thefts reported around the county, causing concern for police and other public bodies. In Carmarthenshire, records show 30 instances of metal theft since February 1st 2010. These have included thefts of gates from the Llandeilo area, farming equipment from Tycroes and copper and lead from several addresses in Llanelli. In the current economic climate, it’s widely recognised that the value of scrap metal items has increased, and there is concern among Carmarthenshire residents that people dealing in scrap metal may be using this as a guise, calling unannounced at addresses and helping themselves to items without prior knowledge or agreement from the legitimate owner. This metal is then being sold on. A special operation took place under the banner of the Community Safety Partnership, and in...

Plans for a multiplex cinema and hotel in the centre of Llanelli will be considered by Carmarthenshire planners on Thursday. The county council planning committee will discuss the application by HDD (Llanelli) Ltd for a mixed use development including a six-screen multiplex cinema, a 53-bedroom hotel, restaurants and bars, retail units including a convenience store and office accommodation. The scheme also involves relocation of the bus interchange, together with 239 car parking spaces and associated public realm enhancement works at land at Upper Park Street and Island Place. The development provides for a new improved bus station which will replace the current Island Place bus station. The bus station has been designed to avoid any reversing manoeuvres and access and egress is via Stepney Place. The development provides for a new 245 space car park which will replace the 142 space Island Place car park. The development is conveniently located close to Llanelli's other town centre...

The clocks have gone forward, the nights are getting lighter and Carmarthenshire’s Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) are open later. From Thursday, April 1, all five sites will be open from 9am to 7pm to make it as easy as possible for residents to recycle and dispose of their waste. The county’s HWRCs, which are located at: Trostre (Llanelli), Nantycaws (Carmarthen), Wernddu (Ammanford), Whitland and Llangadog, are open seven days a week. Llangadog only is closed on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. For further information on what materials can be recycled at the HWRCs visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Plans to bring some 2,000 empty homes in Carmarthenshire back into use are to be considered by the county council’s executive board. Carmarthenshire Housing Services has drawn up an Empty Property Action Plan for 2010-2012 to tackle the issue. Head of housing Robin Staines said: “There are around 2,000 long term empty homes in Carmarthenshire. These are not only a wasted resource in terms of providing potential housing need, but they can also have a detrimental effect on communities.” The first Empty Property Strategy was launched in 2005 to tackle the problem and has resulted in 150 properties being brought back into use as a result of direct action by the council. Mr Staines said: “We are the only Welsh local authority actively using compulsory purchase as a means of addressing empty properties. “We have addressed some problems of empty council-owned properties, and identified some long term empty council properties suitable for demolition or sale through our Asset Management Strateg...

Young people are needed to take part in Pembrokeshire's second Wildcamp. The award winning Wildcamp is a week long diversionary activity scheme organised by Safer Pembrokeshire and partner agencies. It proved so successful last year that the camp is being run again but for a longer period. Wildcamp 2010 will run from Saturday July 24 to Friday July 30 and there are 30 places up for grabs. The week will see the young people stay at Castlemartin Army base and get involved with activities with various organisations including the 14th Signal Regiment, RNLI, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Pembrokeshire Adventure Centre, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Dyfed Powys Police. Alison Rogers, of Safer Pembrokeshire, said: "These types of activities are often focused on working with young offenders, but where Wildcamp is different is that it doesn’t reward criminal activity as those with criminal involvement are not eligible for the project. "All of the ac...

Plans for affordable housing will be considered by Carmarthenshire planning committee when it discusses a proposed development in Talley, near Llandeilo. The county council has received an application for development at the Edwinsford Arms including a residential development with some affordable housing, conversion of the restaurant/public house to two residential dwelling, and reversion to a public house from residential. The application site consists of the complex of buildings associated with the Edwinsford Arms in the village of Talley; the site also involves the vacant area to the front and the car park to the rear. If Thursday’s meeting of the planning committee approves the application it will be subject to a Section 106 legal agreement to provide a £15,000 contribution to the open space/play area recently acquired by the community council and to ensure that the affordable dwellings remain affordable permanently.

Work is underway to bridge the gap between young and older people in Carmarthenshire. The Community Safety Partnership organised a number of events along with the 50+ Forum and Carmarthenshire Youth Council in a bid to break down the barriers between the two generations. The ‘We are all young once’ events were held at venues in Llanelli, Carmarthen, Ammanford and Kidwelly. The aim was to improve understanding between the two groups, as well as alleviate older people’s fear of youngsters and the fear of crime in general and give young people a positive view of the elderly. The events were attended by local Neighbourhood Policing Officers as well as the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Women’s Aid, Victim Support, Age Concern, SUDDS (under 18s service), PRISM (alcohol and drug advisory service) and the Children and Young People’s Partnership. It included information stands on services available to both older and younger people as well as workshop sessions on issues important t...

Various international wedding traditions were showcased at a Llanelli event, designed to promote awareness of different cultures. Organised by Glanymor and Tyisha Communities First, the event – at the Antioch Centre, Copperworks Road - gave over 200 visitors an insight in to many cultural marriage traditions including Welsh, Polish, Indian, Jewish, Korean, Muslim, African and Egyptian. There was also a traditional belly dance – which is performed within certain cultures as a way of encouraging fertility between newly married couples. It was topped off with a programme of workshops and a lunch of international flavour, with samples from several countries. The event was funded through the Community Cohesion Fund, in partnership with Communities First – a Welsh Assembly initiative run locally by Carmarthenshire County Council. It is hoped schools and community groups will benefit further from the event, by using a DVD which was produced on the day as a tool for education and religious stu...

A Burry Port woman has been sentenced to community punishment for wrongly claiming more than £3,000 in housing benefit and council tax benefit. Angela Margaret Stanlake appeared before Ammanford Magistrates Court yesterday for sentencing, having pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to making a false statement and failing to declare changes in circumstances. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council, The court was told that an investigation was commenced as a result of the National Fraud Initiative data-matching exercise. Details of employment were obtained from Inland Revenue and statutory powers were used to obtain details of employment. It emerged that 55-year-old Stanlake had claimed for housing and council tax benefit but had failed to declare that she was employed as a cleaner at a surgery in Burry Port. She also failed to mention that her husband had worked for two taxi firms. As a result of the investigation, overpayments of £2,184.69 housing benefit and £907...

"If they took an X-ray of my whole body, with all its plates, pins and rawlplugs, it would look like something from an art collection" - Motor racing star Sir Stirling Moss, who is recovering from an accident in which he fell down a lift shaft, on the injuries he has suffered during his life.

The national police force for the railways spent more than £9,000 on sweets over three years, the Government said. The British Transport Police spent a total of £9,630 plus VAT on bags of promotional sweets between 2006/07 and 2008/09. Junior transport minister Chris Mole said the sweets were used by the BTP at "community engagement and rail safety events".

Llanelli Scarlets rugby stars Ken Owens and Dan Newton are helping with a campaign to kick cigarette-related litter in touch. Hooker Ken and full back Dan joined council officers in Carmarthen town centre to encourage people to bin their butts. Radio Carmarthenshire breakfast show host Tommo was also in town along with ‘Sid the Cig’ to help raise awareness that if you’re caught littering you could get fined £75 - or more if prosecuted through the magistrates court. Ken said: “It is important that people are responsible for their own cigarette litter and ensure that they dispose of it correctly. The benefit will be felt by the whole community, firstly by the reduction in cleaning up costs for the council and secondly it will make the county a much cleaner welcoming place for both residents and visitors.” Free portable ashtrays were handed out to shoppers so that if they are out and about and there is no bin around there is no excuse for dropping their cigarette end on the street and awa...

Frustration grows for coach after narrow loss Big battle now for Llanelli Scarlets to secure Heineken Cup spot.

Prevention is better than cure. That is the ethos behind the new Trading Standards initiative Synnwyr Arian, Money Sense, currently being piloted in Five Roads Primary School. The programme consists of a series of lessons covering issues such as work, tax, budgeting and consumer rights with the aim of ensuring that all young people have the confidence, skills and knowledge to deal with financial matters. Trading Standards hope to build on the success of this pilot by offering the programme to other Carmarthenshire primary schools and expanding on the topics covered to meet the needs of students in Secondary and Further Education. Five Roads School headteacher Gareth Gravell said: “The ‘Money Sense’ initiative has been a huge success at Five Roads School. It has provided the pupils with excellent money handling skills as well as providing an invaluable insight into work, saving, borrowing and sensible spending and financial planning.” Chairman of Governors and local member Cllr Jim Jone...

A ‘Scores on the Doors’ hygiene rating scheme should be introduced in Carmarthenshire. That is the recommendation that will be put to the next meeting of the county council’s executive board. Around half of local authorities in the UK operate local food hygiene schemes, and the Food Standards Agency has now introduced a national scheme for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is asking each local authority to support it. The scheme is designed to provide consumers with information about the hygiene standards of food premises from the results of inspections. The star rating given to a food business reflects those findings. Its purpose is to allow consumers to make informed choices about the places where they eat, or from which they purchase food, encouraging businesses to improve their hygiene standards. The national scheme also aims to help reduce food borne illnesses. Head of public protection Philip Davies said: “Restaurants, takeaways, cafes, sandwich shops, pubs, hotels, superma...

Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board will consider bringing in byelaws to regulate tattoo parlours and similar premises. A report will go to the next meeting of the executive board with a recommendation to adopt byelaws to regulate people carrying on businesses of acupuncture, tattooing, cosmetic piercing semi permanent skin colouring and electrolysis. The byelaws are intended to improve confidence amongst customers using the services. Head of public protection Philip Davies said: “A registration scheme will be a key part of the process, requiring business operators and premises used for cosmetic piercing and skin colouring to register with the council. “They will have to comply with the byelaws, which provide public health and protection measures relating to the cleanliness and hygiene of premises, equipment, practices and practitioners.” The measures are intended to increase public health and protection and reduce the risk of transmission of blood borne viral infections s...

The Llanelli Reds lost their top of the table clash with The New Saints at Park Hall on Sunday afternoon. In a tense encounter, the only goal of the game came in the 66th minute when Craig Jones finished off a fine move to give the home side all three points and go 7 points clear at the top of the table. Carmarthen Town lost 2-1 at home to Newtown. Their hopes of a Top 10 Welsh Premier finish are now diminishing fast. See match report - http://www.carmarthentownafc.net

BBC News - Boxer Joe Calzaghe's cocaine apology Tut-tut, Joe. And no good blaming the press!

"As Aussies we are taught to hate the English and to beat them to a pulp: the convicts against the empire" - TV star and cricket enthusiast Mark Little.

Well, OK, not strange really. People really do have to break the bank to stay in Monte Carlo, according to a hotel price guide. Monte Carlo hotels were the most expensive in the world for UK travellers in 2009, averaging £172 a night, a survey by Hotels.com found. Despite a 27% drop on 2008 prices, Moscow was in second place, with its hotel rooms averaging £169 last year.

Daughter Kathryn back from Cardiff Uni for Easter. Big family lunch for seven yesterday. Nice and relaxing. But now it is time to get back to work!