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

Father Christmas is making a welcome return to Llanelli Rotary Club's Grotto this weekend. The grotto will be based at Llanelli Indoor Market for the next two Saturdays. It will then move to the Tesco superstore in Llanelli for the countdown to Christmas (times and details in the poster above). Last year, the Rotary Club Grotto raised more than £3000 for local charities when it was based at the old BHS store in Trostre. 'Santa' is flying down from the North Pole to sit in the special Rotary Grotto which has been provided by Llanelli firm Sheds and Chalets. Father Christmas is being accompanied by some specially-dressed Rotary Club 'elves'. Rotarian Alison Evans said that last year's Grotto was such a hit with children that opening hours have been extended this year. Alison said: "Santa is full of the joy of Christmas and most of the young visitors who call in to see him at the Grotto are delighted with the experience. "This will be the t...

Harpist Claire Jones returns to her West Wales roots to help launch a new album celebrating her recovery from ME. ‘Journey: Harp To Soothe The Soul’ SIGNING AT TESCO, SWANSEA 12pm SUNDAY 1st MARCH Album release date - St. David’s Day – March 1st 2015 Claire Jones will be returning to her West Wales roots to launch a very personal new album ‘Journey’ on St David’s Day, with a special signing and in store performance of some of the tracks from the album at Tesco in Swansea at 12pm. Shoppers at the store can relax and take off the pressure of the weekly grocery shop by listening in and enjoying to this music to soothe the soul. Since taking up the role of HRH the Prince of Wales’ official harpist in 2007, Claire Jones’ feet have hardly touched the ground. She’s performed regularly at royal and state functions, at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in April 2011 and became a household name through the international media frenzy surrounding it. In September 2012, Clair...

Members of Llanelli Rotary Club were at the Tesco superstore in Parc Trostre, Llanelli, to rattle their collection buckets for the 'End Polio Now' campaign. The Rotarians raised more than £300 on the day. Pictured are Rotarians Alison Evans and Iori Thomas. The Llanelli Club also teamed up with their daughter club of Cefn Sidan Rotary for a curry night and quiz at the Masala restaurant in West End, Llanelli. The event raised a further £450 for the 'End Polio Now' campaign. Llanelli Rotary Club president Alan Owen said: "Rotary is about many things, including serving the community locally and internationally. We do lots of hand-on activities but we also make sure that we have fun when raising cash for worthy causes like 'End Polio Now'. Weblinks - http://llanellirotary.com/ http://www.endpolio.org/

Off to rattle the tin at Llanelli''s Tesco store  for Rotary's Thanks for Life and End Polio Now campaigns.

Public support for Tesco’s plans for a new supermarket in Burry Port has been welcomed by Carmarthenshire County Council. Executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Clive Scourfield said the project would bring a major superstore to Burry Port benefiting shoppers and the local economy. The supermarket chain held a public exhibition in Burry Port Memorial Hall last Friday and Saturday and visited residents of the Plas y Mor extra care facility on Thursday afternoon. Tesco has plans for a store on the Llanelli Waterside Joint Venture land known as the Fairground Field. It lies behind the Neptune Hotel and Burry Port Harbour. The store will provide a boost to the local economy by creating 130 full-time and part-time jobs. The joint Venture is a partnership between the County Council and Welsh Assembly to help best promote the regeneration of Llanelli Waterside which extends through to Burry Port. Cllr Scourfield said: “It is a development very much to be welcomed. It...

Burry Post businessman Gareth Isaac is confident the planned new Tesco store will provide a boost to independent traders in the town. “Burry Port shouldn’t be worried and should get out the welcome mat,” said Mr Isaac, who runs GI Carpets and Rugs in Station Road. The Tesco plan is for a new store on the “Fairground Field” close to Burry Port Harbour. The store could be open by Christmas, 2012. The store will have 15,000 sq ft sales area and a 125-space car park that will be available for all shoppers, regardless of whether they visit the store. Mr Isaac, 43, said: “Yes, I can see why some independent traders will be worried about the arrival of Tesco. “But we have to look at the positives – they will be creating 130 full and part-time jobs and that money, we hope, should be spent back in Burry Port. “The new car park will also encourage more people to visit the town. “With more footfall through the town, we need to show that we, as independent retailers, offer different sorts of ...

Ammanford Tesco lights too bright (From South Wales Guardian) Ammanford's new Tesco store has been likened to a World War Two prisoner of war camp by one disgruntled councillor. Betws community councillor Annette Price claims the presence of the giant supermarket is blighting the lives of residents of nearby Bwtrimawr who have complained of bright lights and visual intrusion. "I feel sorry for them," Cllr Price told colleagues. "I took my dog for a walk down there the other night and it was more like Stalag 17."

Tesco could become Burry Port’s biggest employer creating 130 full and part-time jobs if its multi-million-pound store plans are approved. Selected as Carmarthenshire Council’s preferred operator, Tesco beat off huge interest in the Llanelli Waterside land known historically as “Fairground Field” close to Burry Port Harbour. Tesco is proposing a new store with a 15,000 sq ft sales area and a 125-space car park that will be available for all shoppers, regardless of whether they visit the store. In addition, the modern store has been designed alongside the award-winning Plasymor so it complements the area and incorporates sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting. County executive board member for regeneration Cllr Clive Scourfield said: “This is wonderful and long awaited news for Burry Port that will help enrich and develop the community.” The store will offer customers a wide variety of food, from the Finest to the Value range, as well as recycling facilities, an ATM machine a...

For the first time, Welsh Rugby Union Tickets are going to be available from your local Tesco store - and they will be Buy One Get One Free! From this weekend, tickets will be available from the Customer Services Desk at Tesco Stores across South Wales for the following matches, to be played at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff - Wales v England - Saturday 13th August KO 2.30pm Tickets £30. Wales v Argentina - Saturday 20th August KO 2.30pm Tickets £25.

Tesco are bringing a new store to Burry Port and could be opening for Christmas 2012. Development of the new food store will guarantee scores of jobs for the seaside community, Carmarthenshire’s third largest township. There was interest from a number of stores in the Llanelli Waterside Joint Venture land known as the Fairground Field. It lies behind the Neptune Hotel and Burry Port Harbour. The development size is nearly 24,000sq ft with a promised 145 car parking spaces and there are design conditions to tie in with existing and neighbourhood development. The food store will include ATM provision and pedestrian access provided to the west and north. Contracts have yet to be exchanged on the deal but the capital receipts received for the Joint Venture land will be ring fenced for projects within the Joint Venture boundary. The joint Venture is a partnership between the County Council and Welsh Assembly to help best promote the regeneration of Llanelli Waterside which extends through t...

A total of 908 tyres were collected to be recycled in an amnesty held in Llanelli. Residents were able to take along any unwanted tyres to Tesco in Parc Trostre to dispose of free of charge. The amnesty was organised by Tidy Towns, a Welsh Assembly Government-funded initiative delivered in partnership by Carmarthenshire County Council and Keep Wales Tidy. It is also being supported by Fly-tipping Action Wales, a national initiative that brings together 40 partner agencies from across Wales to tackle the problem of fly-tipping. The aim is to encourage householders to dispose of their waste responsibly and discourage fly-tipping which is not only a blight on the landscape, but costs local authorities millions of pounds every year to clean up and causes harm to wildlife and the environment. Tidy Towns project officer Simon Troake said: “Tyre companies attach a charge to any tyres that are disposed of at their business so illegally dumped tyres is a big problem not just in Carmarthenshire ...