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

Attended by more than 120 people, Laugharne’s Heritage Day was deemed to be an outstanding success story by all who took part. The day, which had been organised by the Laugharne and District History Society, had the Great War (1914-18) and Laugharne’s connection with it as its main theme. The intention of the day was to highlight and record the strands linking Laugharne families and others in the area to World Ware One. Residents of Laugharne and their families were encouraged to talk about their family members who took part in the war and bring their family photographs to be scanned as a permanent record. These photographs and recorded memories will form the basis of a book focusing on Laugharne’s history at the turn of the last century. Alongside the displays of major national organisations such as the National Library of Wales and Historic Gardens Trust and county-wide groups such as the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and the Dyfed Archaeological Trust, there was a live...

Laugharne will be home to a host of events celebrating International Dylan Thomas Day later this week. The festivities will take place across the town including at the Boathouse, the Castle and the Tin Shed. Dylan Day was set up last year to celebrate the life and work of the Welsh poet, and will be held each year on May 14 – the date Under Milk Wood was first read on stage at 92Y The Poetry Center in New York in 1953. Across the country, events are taking place to have fun with the magic of Dylan’s words through activities such as creative writing workshops, literary tours, educational resources and readings in unusual places. In Laugharne, the fun starts at the Castle from 10.30am to 11.30am with storytelling for children and adults. Storyteller Daniel Morden, and actor and writer Mark Montinaro, will tell terrific tall tales at the event, which is supported by Literature Wales and CADW. A spokesman said: “Action and adventure loom large in the acclaimed Morden’s fantastic fairy st...

It’s a double whammy for the  Dylan Thomas Boathouse tea rooms! The iconic landmark building has not only been named in the top ten best places in the UK and Ireland for afternoon tea but also awarded a Five Star rating for its food hygiene. It comes after a recent survey by travel company, GoEuro revealed the Boathouse, owned by Carmarthenshire Council, ticked all the right boxes for the quality of their afternoon tea spread. Home-made bara-brith, scones with clotted cream and jam and traditional Welsh cakes make a high tea not to be missed. The famous hotspot was also credited for its unique charm, interesting history and stunning location. The report says: “Laugharne, home of Dylan Thomas for the later part of his life, lies on the Welsh coast. The Dylan Thomas Boathouse combines this poetic heritage and the beautiful coastal setting. Often patronised by members of Thomas’s family, you never know who you might run into while taking afternoon tea.” The council’s executive boar...

Several businesses in Laugharne have received a facelift with the help of an RDP Sir Gâr  Commercial Property Enhancement Grant . Choices Gift Shop, Castle View Restaurant on the Grist, and the newly opened Ferryman Delicatessen on King Street, have all benefited through the scheme run by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Physical Regeneration department. Grants of up to £15,000 were available to eligible businesses to renovate the facade of their premises in the centre of Laugharne ensuring their continued use. This was funded by the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007 – 2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural fund for Rural Development. Council project officer Grant Cole said: “The work carried out has really improved the look of the buildings and we hope it will help to bring more visitors to the area. “Between the businesses assisted, the grant has safeguarded five full-time and four part-time jobs, and it is hoped it will create a fu...

He may have been born 100-years ago but Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas is still one of Carmarthenshire’s most powerful tourism assets. He composed most of his greatest works in his Laugharne shed, which continues to attract great numbers from far afield whenever events are staged in his adopted home of Laugharne. Carmarthenshire County Council commissioned Strategic Marketing to conduct a survey of visitors to Laugharne during this summer’s Dylan Thomas centenary celebrations. County marketing and tourism development officer Sarah Owen said: “The objective was to understand in more detail the profile of visitors and their overall experience and perception of Carmarthenshire as a place to visit. “There were quite a few surprises. A significant proportion of visitors travelled to the events from England with many making journeys of several hours. One in six travelled from South East England. Twenty per cent of Dylan’s events visitors had never been to Carmarthenshire before. These ...

The 11 members of Bwlchnewydd Chapel, near Cross Inn, Laugharne, held a special service to welcome nine new members. Much to the delight of all, another two individuals came forward during the service stating that they, too, would like to be a part of the Bwlchnewydd family. Therefore, the growth in membership at Bwlchnewydd Chapel on one day was 100% ! Seven years ago the future of Bwlchnewydd Chapel was hanging in the balance. However, through the efforts of the 11 members and the generous support of the National Lottery, CADW and other agencies, the building was restored and the congregation returned. The building was re-opened with much celebration and efforts were made to encourage others to join. The Minister, Rev Huw M George stated that, “There is definitely something exceptional about Bwlchnewydd and to experience 100% growth in this day and age is something special in itself. We are making every effort to ensure that our voice will be heard and that the...

Latest news from the team at the Brown's Hotel in Laugharne -  Laugharne... early morning 'Dylan loved all that small-town pomp and nonsense gossip he heard in Brown's Hotel...' Caitlin Thomas Laugharne Weekends Ahoy! Both Brown's and the Mariners (our sister pub next door) have had some great reviews recently on Trip Advisor . And not only that, Brown's was in at #3 in the Top 10 Boutique Boozers; part of the '100 Ultimate Hotels Guide' in the Sunday Times. Nice. We've been running our, 'Liquor, Literature & Laugharne' breaks for a few months now and thev've been very successful. If you like Dylan Thomas and whisky and fancy a 2 night break in one of our fantastic rooms, then check out the details below. Next up - events. Lots of great stuff in both Brown's and Mariners in October and beyond. See listings below. If you want to be kept abreast of all Laugharne events, follow us on facebook , and also maybe po...

A ceremony has taken place to honour a war hero from Laugharne – the first Welsh man to be awarded a Victoria Cross for heroic deeds in World War One. William Charles Fuller has had a paving stone laid in his honour as part of the WW1 100thanniversary commemorations. Mr Fuller was awarded the Victoria Cross in September 1914, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be given. Now, as part of the commemorations, all VC recipients are receiving a paving stone in their honour to be laid in their home county. As the stones are being laid 100 years to the date that the VC was awarded the ceremony for Mr Fuller took place on September 14. Dozens of members of Mr Fuller’s family came from across the UK to be at the event organised by Carmarthenshire County Council and Laugharne Town Council. The paving stone was unveiled by his daughter Muriel Crooks, aged 91, who said it was a very proud day for her family. “It’s been a fantastic day and a wo...

Random photo slideshow from a trip to Laugharne and The Corran -

A ceremony is taking place on Sunday to honour a war hero from Laugharne. William Charles Fuller is the first Welsh man, and the only one this year, to have a paving stone laid in his honour as part of this year’s World War One commemorations. Mr Fuller was awarded the Victoria Cross in September 1914, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be given. Now, as part of the WW1 100th anniversary commemorations, all VC recipients will receive a paving stone in their honour to be laid in their home county. As the stones are being laid 100 years to the date that the VC was awarded and the ceremony is taking place in his birth town of Laugharne, on September 14. Dozens of members of Mr Fuller’s family are coming from across the UK to be at the event being organised by Carmarthenshire County Council and Laugharne Town Council. Armed Forces Champion Cllr Kevin Madge will be in attendance. He said: “This is a very prestigious honour to have a ston...

The Dylan Thomas Boathouse in Laugharne has been given an excellence award by Trip Advisor. The travel website hands out annual accolades to those places which achieve consistently outstanding customer reviews. Now the Boathouse has joined its prestigious ranks after scoring highly from 95 traveller testimonies. Of those, around 78% gave the iconic building a positive rating with 52 reviewers saying the attraction was excellent and 22 saying it was very good. One of the comments, posted along with an excellent rating, stated: “There can be few houses in Wales with such a beautiful location. It is nicely presented as a reminder to what it would have looked liked in Dylan's time with some original artefacts. It is small and doesn't take long to look around but it is worth lingering for the tea and cakes and the views over the estuary. Don't forget to visit his writing shed.” The Boathouse is owned and managed by Carmarthenshire County Council and has been preserved as a m...

People are being urged to vote for the Dylan Thomas mobile writing shed in a national competition. It has been entered into the #shedoftheyear competition, run by www.Readersheds.co.uk . The bespoke replica of Dylan’s writing shed in Laugharne has been made specially as part of the DT100 celebrations. The interior and exterior recreation is as true to the original as possible, down to the wood panel walls and corrugated tin roof. It even has the curled pictures on the walls and the view over the estuary. The shed has been created by Carmarthenshire County Council’s arts and culture department, which owns and manages Dylan’s famous Boathouse . Principal Arts Officer Eleri Retallick said: “The shed allows people to experience the creative writing environment in which Dylan escaped into. “It has become an educational tool and has been embraced by schools nationwide. It has become a visitor attraction in its own right and demand for the shed has been phenomenal. “Since its launch on the...

RDP Sir Gâr's Mentro Project is hosting an evening with business celebrities for rural Carmarthenshire's young entrepreneurs. The evening will feature motivational talks from international actress Samira Mohamed Ali, Dr Nerys Jones (Agri Advisor Solicitors), Ann Hughes (Designer) and Efa Gruffudd-Jones (Chief Executive of the Urdd) to inspire future businesspeople from rural areas of the county. Samira said: "I’m really looking forward to being part of the evening. Mentro is a fantastic programme that enables young entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas with the right guidance and provides a great platform for future small and medium enterprise owners in Wales, who are the backbone of the Welsh economy." Mentro is run by Menter Bro Dinefwr and is part of the RDP Sir Gâr Rural Entrepreneurship project, providing free business support to young people aged between 16 and 30. Funding for the project has come from the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007 – ...

A project is underway to improve walking trails in Laugharne linking it to the Wales Coastal Path. Laugharne’s walking trails are being transformed thanks to a £3,072.00 grant from the Rights of Way Improvement Plan Funding Programme, with match-funding from the county council Access to routes are being improved with the replacement of old stiles for new pedestrian gates to help walkers enjoy the spectacular views overlooking the estuary and the dramatic ruins of the Norman Castle as well as a new Laugharne walks leaflet being produced. The improvements will develop community and circular walks linking Laugharne, made famous by Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, to the Wales Coastal Path County executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “The improvements will see an enhanced experience for residents and visitors to enjoy the history, wildlife and landscape of the area and supports our aim to get more people more active more often. “It is also wonderful that th...

Special offers of accommodation for the Dylan Thomas 100 festival in April are now available on  www.discovercarmarthenshire.com The Dylan Thomas 100 festival is a year-long festival celebrating the birth of Dylan Thomas with a variety of special events running across South West Wales during 2014. Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Swansea Councils are involved under the umbrella of the Welsh Government. Carmarthenshire events are centred on the Dylan Thomas Boathouse in Laugharne, where Dylan wrote many of his most influential and important works and also across the whole of Carmarthenshire where Dylan found the inspiration for the many works he wrote about Carmarthenshire including such favourites as “Fernhill”, “Poem in October” and even his most influential work “Under Milk Wood”. This April will see the literary glitterati descend on Laugharne for the return of the well established and highly regarded Laugharne Weekend Festival, but will also see a further Laugharne Weekend fes...

A replica of Dylan Thomas’s iconic writing shed in Laugharne is to tour the UK as part of the  DT100 celebrations. The bespoke replica of Dylan’s shed even has the curled pictures on the walls and the view over the estuary. It will be popping up at places and events across the country, including the Hay Festival, the Royal Welsh Show and the National Eisteddfod. It is one of many features and events to celebrate DT100 – the 100th year of the anniversary of the birth of Dylan Thomas, Wales’s most famous bard. Visitors to the shed will be encouraged to make up a new word which will be published in a Dictionary of Dylan, in honour of his love of words. Writer in residence Emily Hinshelwood will tweet and blog words of the week, and run short workshops from the shed. Other activities are planned for the festival which will celebrate the life and work of the famous bard. They will include events in Laugharne, home of the Boathouse and Writing Shed made famous by Dylan. The Boa...

A small, volunteer run museum in Laugharne is launching an appeal to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the arrival of a very special group of American soldiers to Wales in 1943. Tin Shed Experience 1940s museum is appealing for information on the 28th Infantry Division known as the ‘Keystones.’ Seimon Pugh-Jones of the Tin Shed has been interested in this particular division for quite some time, he even produced a self-funded documentary on the Americans in Wales during WWII entitled ‘Operation Bolero.’ He says, "I have always taken an interest in the 28th It is the oldest division in the armed forces of the United States but the most interesting thing to me about these troops is that they hail from Pennsylvania and of course that area of America has a large Welsh community that dates back to the late 17th century where a large emigration of Welsh Quakers occurred and then later in the 19th century where Welsh coal miners emigrated to the anthracite and bituminous mines. "...

Hurst House on the Marsh is now taking bookings for works Christmas parties throughout November and December. There is also an offer to spend three nights at the hotel for a Christmas escape. The hotel is located just outside Laugharne, a 15 minute drive from Carmarthen. They are able to organise a host of activities for guests, including arranging local experts in sea-fishing, golfing, horse-riding and cycling. The three night stay over the Christmas period includes traditional mulled wine, afternoon tea and carols with a Christmas Eve feast. December 25 involves a champagne breakfast in bed, homemade winter punch and a five course lunch, homemade mince pies and a buffet in the evening. On Boxing Day you can have tea and toast while waiting for brunch, tea and cakes served at 3pm and a finale dinner at 7.30pm. Breakfast concludes the stay on December 27. There are also New Year packages available. Carmarthenshire County Council’s tourism department helps promote local businesses a...

The line-up for this year’s Laugharne Weekend is (yet again) an interesting and diverse one with a variety of artists set to appear, including Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden, Cerys Matthews, the Pogues’ James Fearnley, Simon Armitage, Howard Marks, John Cooper Clarke and Jah Wobble and Keith Levene from the iconic late 70s band, Public Image Ltd.  There is one performance on the bill, however, that has a special relevance to Laugharne. The work of one of its most famous residents, Dylan Thomas, will be brought into the 21st century with a performance of Buggerall – which has been described as an ‘update’ of Under Milk Wood. The play, written by local author Jon Tregenna (pictured above), is being performed by Corsham-based theatre group Three’s Company on the opening night of the weekend. Buggerall poses the question: what if the poet was alive and well and writing about life in a West Wales seaside town today? (For those not in the know, Buggerall is Llareggub – the settin...

Tributes for character steeped in town history | This is South Wales Tributes have been paid to one of the last of the old Laugharne characters. Former Merchant Navy sea captain Douglas Williams of Broadway died last weekend, less than a week after his 90th birthday. The funeral is due to take place at 1pm this Friday at the township's St Martin's Church.