Business
Skates makes case for rail
TRANSPORT SECRETARY Ken Skates has cited slow speeds, manual Victorian signalling and level crossings bringing traffic to a standstill up to 200 times a day in his call on the UK Government to make available an equitable level of funding for rail infrastructure enhancements in Wales.
In May, Ken Skates announced Cardiff University’s Professor Mark Barry would lead on the case for investment in rail infrastructure in Wales, against the backdrop of the UK Government’s £50bn investment in HS2.
The Transport Secretary summarised the case in the Senedd on Tuesday (Jul 17).
Ken Skates told Assembly Members: “The initial findings of this work are stark. Wales has not received an equitable share of UK rail investment over a sustained period, denying us the economic benefits enjoyed elsewhere in the UK.
“Network Rail’s Wales Route, which makes up 11% of the network, has received little more than 1% of total spend on enhancements in England and Wales.
“This has resulted in low lines speed on the South Wales Mainline, capacity and speed constraints along the North Wales Coast, infrequent commuter services for the Swansea Bay city region, and inadequate cross-border services in both North and South Wales.
“I continue to support HS2, but call once again on the UK Government to make the right choices to benefit north Wales, and exert pressure on them to mitigate against the probable impact of HS2 on the economy in South Wales.”
The work carried out by Professor Barry highlights the use of old, inefficient, and unreliable infrastructure constraining the number, speed, and quality of services.
“These constraints dampen demand, restrict economic growth, and increase costs to passengers and tax-payers.
“I will continue to set out a broader vision for a successful rail network. One that helps us meet our obligations to the environment, responsibilities for Well-being and Future Generations, delivers the goals of the Economic Action Plan, and meets the UK Government’s commitment to rebalance the economy.
“The work undertaken has identified direct transport user benefits of at least £2bn, generated by reducing journey times for rail passengers. Additional benefits also arise from reduced road congestion leading to environmental and safety improvements.”
James Price, Chief Executive, Transport for Wales said: “The success of the Wales and Borders rail service relies on efficient and reliable infrastructure with the ability to transport more people more efficiently. We look forward to working with the Welsh and UK governments to deliver improvements that meet the needs of passengers in Wales and across the border.”
Cardiff University Professor of Practice in Connectivity, Mark Barry said: “Wales’ railways are stuck in second gear. Long-term under-investment compared to the UK as a whole has left them unfit for purpose.
“It’s no great surprise fewer people in Wales choose to use the train than in the rest of the UK, leading to less efficient rail operations, higher subsidies per passenger and more road congestion. This is a brake on our economic growth, improvement of air quality and carbon reduction.”
Business
Welsh food and drink companies forge new connections in Asia
SOME of Wales’ best known food and drink companies have recently returned from Japan, where they have been promoting the best of what Wales has to offer at Asia’s largest food and drink exhibition.
Supported by the Welsh Government, seven food and drink producers from Wales attended Foodex Japan, under the Cymru/Wales banner, with many returning having made important new contacts, that will hopefully lead to lucrative orders.
Among the Welsh exhibitors were Calon Wen, Castle Dairies, Edwards – The Welsh Butcher, Glamorgan Brewing, Hybu Cig Cymru, Mydflower and Ty Nant.
Welsh food and drink exports to non-EU countries were worth £203m in 2022, a large increase from £176m in 2021. This is also a significant increase over the longer term, increasing by £58m since 2018. The value of Welsh food and drink exports to Asia and Oceania in 2022 was £47m.
Welsh Government Minister for Rural Affairs, North Wales and Trefnydd, Lesley Griffiths, said “Foodex Japan is an important event for Welsh food and drink companies to showcase their high-quality products, build valuable contacts and expand their exports in a country which is known for its food culture.
“The Welsh Government offers a number of programmes to assist businesses attending trade events on the world stage, such as Foodex, and I would encourage anyone with an interest to get in touch with the team and find out how we can help.”
Foodex Japan is a four day event, held at Tokyo Big Sight, and hosted over 2,500 leading food and drink companies from more than 60 countries and regions. It is a hub for numerous business negotiations with top food and drink buyers from across Asia, as well as Japan. It provides a key opportunity to promote and build on the reputation of Welsh food and drink and connect with new customers across the region.
Conwy based multi-award-winning food brand Edwards – The Welsh Butcher was one of the companies on the Cymru/Wales stand and Jeremy Stoker felt it was a worthwhile visit, “Foodex was a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our high-quality Welsh ‘meat’ products to an international audience. We were delighted to have ‘interest’ from attendees. We are excited to continue building our brand and expanding our reach in the Asian market.”
Another company hoping to pick up some orders is south west Wales based dry sparkling wines from traditionally foraged local ingredients producers Mydflower Ltd, as Michael Dew-Veal told The Herald: “Events such as Foodex offered us the chance to show off our products to an extensive audience but it’s also an opportunity to meet with buyers and gain insight into new markets. This kind of event allows us the chance to look at expanding our market further.”
Caerphilly based Castle Dairies attracted quite a bit of interest with their range of award-winning butters and spreadable butters, as David Cooknell said: “We were thrilled to attend Foodex and showcase our products to the Asian market. The event was a great success as we were able to connect with many potential customers. It is now the case of following up on that interest and turning it into sales.”
Foodex was held at Tokyo Big Sight on 5-8 March with 7 Welsh businesses in attendance being showcased on the Cymru/Wales stand.
For more information on how the Welsh Government can assist your business with reaching new markets through trade event visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/growing-your-business/trade-events
For more information on how the Welsh Government can assist your business with exporting please visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/export/
Business
The Original Factory Shop in Milford Haven to stay open
THE ORIGINAL FACTORY SHOP, located on Charles Street, Milford Haven in the former Woolworth’s premises, has announced it will remain operational, dispelling earlier concerns about its potential closure.
This news, announced on Facebook on Sunday (Mar 17) will come as a relief to both the store’s employees and the local community, who had been bracing for the loss of what is considered the largest shop in the area.
The announcement said: “We have some fantastic news! The store shall now be staying open! We shall resume to normal deliveries in the next week or two, but in the meantime we are facing a clear out, we have a fantastic huge sale on instore.
“Ladies, Men’s. Children’s-wear and even Just Elegance. All this can be found at the back of store, many items up to half price.”
Financial documents reveal that the national chain had experienced financial difficulties, marking a shift from a profit of £6.6 million to a pre-tax loss of £286,000 for the year ending March 26, 2023.
This downturn followed the termination of government COVID-19 support measures, impacting the retailer’s operations significantly. Revenue also saw a decline from £124.4 million to £118.7 million, with a slight decrease in the workforce from 1,936 to 1,877 employees.
The retailer’s struggle was further compounded by a shift in consumer behavior, with an increased preference for online shopping leading to reduced foot traffic in brick-and-mortar stores.
Despite these challenges, the company had briefly returned to profitability before slipping back into financial distress.
In June 2018, The Original Factory Shop had announced the closure of 32 stores, a decision influenced by falling profits and the withdrawal of credit insurance.
Nonetheless, the company sought to overcome its recent financial hurdles by renewing a £12 million flexible asset-based loan facility for an additional three years, providing a lifeline until December 2023.
The company’s board has acknowledged the financial difficulties but remains optimistic about the retailer’s future, citing a robust financial performance with an EBITDA of £4.6 million, despite a downturn from the previous fiscal year’s £8.5 million. The opening of ten new sites in strategic locations has been highlighted as a key part of its recovery strategy.
The potential closure of The Original Factory Shop in Milford Haven had sparked concerns among staff and residents, threatening a significant change to the local retail landscape. The news that the store is to remain open marks a positive development for Charles Street ensuring the continuation of a key retail outlet that provides a variety of products to local shoppers.
Business
Ascona proudly sponsors Child of Wales Awards 2024
ASCONA GROUP says it is delighted to announce a new sponsorship partnership with the 2024 Child of Wales Awards.
The Child of Wales Awards celebrate the inspirational achievements of remarkable young people across Wales. They cover every corner of the country in a wide range of categories that span outstanding personal courage, bravery, sporting and creative achievements, and also recognise the children who help others, champion causes in their communities, protect the environment, care for others or raise funds to help other good causes.
As part of the new partnership, Ascona will sponsor two awards at this year’s event on 27th September: the Bravery Award and the Courageous Family Award. The Bravery Award recognizes young heroes who have shown exceptional fortitude and determination in the face of adversity, while the Courageous Family Award honours the strength and spirit of families who have overcome significant challenges together over the last year.
The Child of Wales Awards 2024 will be hosted at the Swansea Arena on Friday, 27th September 2024. The event promises to be an evening of inspiration and celebration, bringing together an amazing cross-section of society to honour the young individuals and families who have shown exceptional bravery and courage.
For more information about the Child of Wales Awards, please visit: https://www.nationalchildrenofwalesawards.org/
Darren Briggs, founder and CEO of Ascona Group, commented: “Since we launched Ascona in 2011, supporting our communities has been at the heart of everything we do, so I am very proud that we are able to support the Child of Wales awards in 2024 and invest in the future of our nation – our children.
“We are so inspired by the stories of these young individuals and their families, who have shown such remarkable bravery and courage in the face of real adversity. It is an honour to support the Child of Wales awards as they shine a light on the incredible journeys of some of the UK’s bravest young people and their families, and to be able to celebrate their achievements in front of the entire nation.”
Blanche Sainsbury, founder of Child of Britain, said: “We are thrilled to have Darren and the entire Ascona sponsor some of our awards this year. The Bravery and Courageous Family awards are two ways in which we can highlight some amazing people this year. Their support not only contributes to the success of the event but also helps us to further our mission in recognising the extraordinary courage displayed by children and their families across the UK.
“These awards wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of businesses like Ascona, who share our passion of shining a light on these remarkable young people so we are so grateful for their involvement.”
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