Community

Sky Cinema original ‘Save The Cinema’ filmed in Carmarthen to hit local screen

Published

3 years ago

January 12, 2022

CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has annonuced that it has secured a two-week showing of Sky Cinema original movie Save The Cinema at Carmarthen’s Lyric Theatre – the very subject of the film.

Welsh Government Covid-19 restrictions meant that plans to premiere the film at Carmarthen had to be called off, but the council has since brought specialist equipment in to allow people to see the film being screened in the very place it was filmed during 2021.

The film is based on a true story inspired by the life of Carmarthen hairdresser Liz Evans who called on Hollywood to save her local cinema.

Save The Cinema illustrates how the resolve of a small Welsh town, inspired by the magic of cinema, was able to bring Tinseltown to their doorstep.

The film stars Golden Globe-winning Samantha Morton as the main character, supported by Oscar-nominated Jonathan Pryce, Harry Potter star Tom Felton and Keith Allen among others. Filming started last year and parts of the town were transformed to look like the early 1990s when the film is set.

Carmarthenshire County Council has been working closely with Sky Cinema throughout the production, supporting the filming of key scenes at The Lyric, in streets around Carmarthen, in council offices in Ammanford, and in other areas of the county such as Laugharne and Llandeilo.

The film has boosted the local econonmy by around £750,000 already, with more economic benefit expected in the coming months.

The sleepy town of Carmarthen in Wales is not exactly the first place to spring to mind when thinking of Hollywood blockbusters. But this changed in 1993.

Supporting filming in Carmarthenshire is one of the council’s key aims because of the money it brings into the county.

Council leader, Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “We were delighted to host the production of this fantastic film earlier this year, with scenes filmed in Carmarthen, Ammanford, Laugharne and Llandeilo. And now to screen it in the place where it was filmed is just the icing on the cake. Carmarthenshire has proven itself again and again to be a desirable destination for the media and it’s enjoying a growing reputation as a filming location for major television dramas and movies, with several award-winning productions finding their home here in Carmarthenshire. Attracting national and international productions such as this has a major impact on the growth of our economy and ensures that our communities reap the benefits.”

Tickets for the screenings in The Lyric, from January 14-30, can be booked at www.theatrausirgar.co.uk. Bookings will only be allowed for maximum groups of six, and seating will be socially distanced. A Covid Pass will be required.

The film is also showing on Sky Cinema from Friday, January 14.

Business

Derelict Cilgerran house to be transformed into cafe

Published

11 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS by a village shop owner to convert a house “in a state of disrepair” to a café to “improve the variety of community facilities” locally have been given the go-ahead.

Mrs Morris, through agent Harries Planning Design Management, sought permission from Pembrokeshire County Council to convert The Old Post House, High Street, Cilgerran, currently a four-bed dwelling, to a ground floor café, along with a first-floor flat.

The application received five letters of support, saying it would provide local jobs, support the community, promote Welsh and local food, and provide a local community hub, with three letters of objection, raising concerns about parking and traffic, and potential odours from the premises.

A supporting statement, through the agent, said: “The proposed site is currently a dwellinghouse, in current need of modernisations and renovations throughout. The site is under the same ownership as the neighbouring village stores Siop Y Pentre,” saying the proposal “can be read as an extension to the existing Siop Y Pentre”.

“Siop Y Pentre is a thriving local community village shop which acts as a village hub. The shop provides local residents with day-to-day necessities, with a focus on local, sustainable and minimal waste products,” the statement says, adding the dwelling it seeks to convert “is in disrepair and in need of internal works to make suitable for modern living”.

It went on to say: “The proposed café seeks to retain its focus on local and seasonal produce with minimal waste and would provide a welcomed opportunity for socialising, especially during the daytime. The café will also seek to employ local staff retaining a community feel throughout. As such, the principle of the café adjacent to the existing village store is considered acceptable. The site seeks to encourage a sustainable community, with development of an appropriate scale and nature.

“Further to this, the location of the development is within the settlement boundary and seeks to fulfil a need for day-time socialising environments currently lacking within Cilgerran.”

The application was conditionally approved by county planners.

Community

Emergency call outage affected Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire

Published

11 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS in parts of Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire faced difficulties contacting emergency services via the 999 landline number on Sunday (Dec 17) due to a temporary outage.

Dyfed-Powys Police issued alerts on social media, warning residents of potential issues when trying to dial 999 from landlines in affected areas. Locations impacted included Pembroke, Manorbier, Carew, and surrounding areas.

In a statement, police advised: “You may have faced problems calling 999 from a landline in the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire area. Places likely to have been affected were Pembroke, Manorbier, Carew. Please try calling from a mobile phone as mobile networks may have been working normally. Normal service will be restored as soon as possible. Non-emergencies can be reported online. Please look out for further updates.”

Later in the day, an update confirmed that the 999 landline service had been restored in the Llangrannog and Llanteg areas.

The temporary disruption raised concerns about access to emergency services in rural areas, where mobile coverage can sometimes be unreliable.

Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant and use alternative communication methods in the event of future disruptions. Further updates are expected as investigations into the cause of the outage continue.

For non-emergency issues, residents can continue to report incidents via the Dyfed-Powys Police website or contact their local police station directly.

Community

Police and council in collaborative effort to tackle fly grazing

Published

11 hours ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

IT WAS confirmed this week Pembrokeshire County council is teaming up with Dyfed-Powys Police in a bid to tackle a growing problem of horses on public areas in the county.

The move comes after the County has witnessed a significant increase in incidents of horses being left on public land and highways – known as fly-grazing.

Over the Christmas period the agencies will work operationally in a collaborative effort to alleviate the issue.

This joint approach is in response to community concerns and part of a wider initiative that will enable partner agencies to effectively address with the issue.