Latest news with #Braithwaite
Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Greggs opens new store in Welsh town despite health board objections
Greggs opens new store in Welsh town despite health board objections The town is home to some of the most deprived wards in Wales where health expectations are relatively low in comparison to the rest of the country George Street, Pontypool, where a Greggs has opened despite an objection from the health board (Image: Media Wales ) A new Greggs bakery has opened its doors at a Welsh high street despite health officials' worries about "unhealthy food". The well-loved brand, self-proclaimed as "the UK's leading bakery food-on-the-go retailer", opted to expand into a previously unoccupied shop adjacent to its establishment on George Street in Pontypool's town centre last year. The company has confirmed that the bakery began serving customers on Friday, May 23, despite vociferous objections from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Writing to planners the health board had said it had concerns about what it called the proliferation of food and drink outlets within Pontypool town centre. Pontypool as a town is home to some of the most deprived wards in Wales where health expectations are relatively low in comparison to the rest of the country. The health board raised the location of the new Greggs near to a school as a concern and cited worries too about the store's impact on local eating habits. But planning officer Tom Braithwaite said there is a limited capacity to tackle issues regarding fast food outlets being situated near schools. Article continues below Planners gave the premises the green light when an application to repurpose the building at 13 to 15 George Street – formerly home to Superdrug – came under review. Torfaen Borough Council's planning committee dismissed the objections, stating that the additional outlet would not lead to an excessive concentration of food and drink premises in the area nor would it dent the "vitality" of the town centre. Mr Braithwaite said the type of goods sold couldn't determine the application as it was for mixed retail and food and drink uses so could be operated by any business in those use classes. His report concluded: "The nature of the occupier and the goods that they sell in this instance cannot prejudice the favourable determination of this application, and on balance does not warrant refusal of the scheme presented." Greggs' new expanded outlet on George Street, featuring indoor seating, will operate from 6.30am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 6pm on Sundays. The chain confirmed that it retained all 12 members of staff from its former George Street location. Gillian Long, retail operations director for Greggs, said: "We're excited to be welcoming customers to our new and improved shop in Pontypool, with one new member joining the existing team. Article continues below "We look forward to providing customers with a modern, convenient new place to experience their Greggs favourites." In its planning application, the company stated that, as of 2023, 40% of its product range were "healthier options", each containing under 400 calories and without any red traffic lights, adhering to the UK Government's voluntary nutrition labelling scheme.
South Wales Argus
23-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Relocated Greggs opens in Pontypool after NHS objection
The popular chain, that describes itself as 'the UK's leading bakery food-on-the-go retailer' revealed plans to move into a vacant shop next to its existing store on George Street in the centre of Pontypool late last year. It confirmed the store has opened on Friday, May 23. Gwent's Aneurin Bevan University Health Board attempted to thwart the expansion by objecting to the firm's application to change the use class of the building at 13 to 15 George Street which is thought was last occupied by Superdrug. The objections were however ruled out by Torfaen Borough Council's planning department which said relocation of the store wouldn't mean there are too many food and drink outlets and neither would its selection of savoury goods such as the Steak Bake and sweat treats harm the 'vitality' of the town centre. Planning officer Tom Braithwaite said the type of goods sold couldn't determine the application as it was for mixed retail and food and drink uses so could be operated by any business in those use classes. His report stated: 'The nature of the occupier and the goods that they sell in this instance cannot prejudice the favourable determination of this application, and on balance does not warrant refusal of the scheme presented.' The health board also said the shop would be close to schools but Mr Braithwaite said there is limited power to address concern about fast food outlets being close to schools. The new larger store in George Street, that also has indoor seating, will open from 6.30am to 7pm Monday to Saturday and from 8am to 6pm on Sundays and the chain said it has created one additional job. Greggs had 12 staff at its previous shop on George Street. Gillian Long, retail operations director for Greggs, said: 'We're excited to be welcoming customers to our new and improved shop in Pontypool, with one new member joining the existing team. We look forward to providing customers with a modern, convenient new place to experience their Greggs favourites.' When it submitted its planning application the firm stated 40 per cent of its range of products, in 2023, were 'healthier options' that contain fewer than 400 calories and with no red traffic lights, based on the UK Government's voluntary nutrition labelling scheme.
The Herald Scotland
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
'Lockerbie has run through our lives' - Mogwai soundtrack BBC1 drama
'I remember the gravity of it from the way it was being spoken about on the news, and the way my parents were talking about it. I knew this was a really tragic, disastrous event. It's still a big story to this day. It has run through our whole lives ever since it happened.' Now, the story has become part of his own life, after his band were asked by director Michael Keillor to score the soundtrack for his telling of the tragic events of 21 December 1988. The result, The Bombing of Flight 103, airs tonight on BBC1 starring Peter Mullan and Connor Swindells and featuring Mogwai's distinctive cinematic sound. Mogwai have scored the new drama (Image: free)Braithwaite said: 'We get asked about soundtracks quite a lot these days and they're not always the easiest to fit into our schedule because we play a lot of gigs. But when this came in we were all excited. I read the script and thought it was really good. 'I had a call with Michael the director and we got on really well. He's really down to earth for people who work in that industry. So we were really excited to do it. We've never been involved in something explicitly Scottish before, even though we've been doing soundtrack stuff for nearly two decades.' The band's previous film scores include American sci-fi flick Kin and Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait. Braithwaite found parallels in the experiences of working on the Lockerbie story and Atomic: Living In Dread and Promise, Mark Cousins' 2015 documentary about key events of the nuclear age, including the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He said: 'We have a lot of fun in this band. We are good pals, and we're having a really good time but every night after playing along with the Atomic film we were just sitting staring at the floor. We went through the ringer. And there were parts with this project when it was the same, especially because the performances are so good and it's all based on real people. You can't help but be drawn into it. Hopefully that has inspired the music in some way too. Read more 'There's an extra pressure in the expectation of the gravity of the music you have to try to come up with. Barry [Burns], our piano player, wrote most of the music for this. Our music is inherently morose, which helps a little bit. But I was very impressed by the sensitivity that the writers had in regards to heir connection with the local community, and how careful they've been.' None of the band visited Lockerbie ahead of recording, working instead from references identified by director Keillor from within their own canon. He said: 'We're lucky, Michael likes our music. We have done quite a few projects where we've been given other musicians' work as reference points, which can be bewildering. Michael's references were all from our own music, the tone and sound palette was ours, which was massively helpful.' Braithwaite was in a select audience for a Bafta Scotland preview screening in Glasgow last week, and was reassured with the end product. 'Sometimes working with film and TV you can think something's good and it doesn't always turn out as well as you hoped it might,' he said. 'But I actually think this is better. My biggest hope was that people will like it, and that was put to bed the other night. I'm really happy with it. I'm confident they've told this story in a sensitive and compelling way. I think it does a good job at portraying Scottish people. It's been good to be involved in something that tells an important story but also reflects the country so well. Cora Bisset is also in it and she played cello with Mogwai for a while, so I like that connection too.' The band's score for the BBC/Netflix co-production has also been released as a 50 minute album this weekend. He added: 'We haven't always made albums of all our soundtracks as pleased as we might have been with the music. We don't think that anyone wants to sit for an hour listening without watching. But when we were recording it quickly became quite obvious that this music would work on its own without the film.' The transmission of The Bombing of Flight 103 is just one part of a big weekend for Mogwai - the band also play Glasgow's Barrowland tonight. Braithwaite said: 'As the first episode goes on TV we'll be goin on stage at the Barras at the very same time. That's a nice piece of synchronicity.' The Bombing Of Pan AM 103 begins tonight at 9pm on BBC1
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'We have enough quality to beat Aston Villa'
Manchester City are looking to get their hands on more silverware on Monday afternoon (15:00 BST) as they compete in their second consecutive FA Youth Cup final with the aim of winning the trophy back-to-back for the first time in the club's academy striker Matty Warhurst spoke about what it means to reach this stage again: "It's recognised as one of the most prestigious competitions in youth football so to win that and be classed as the best team your age in the country is obviously an unbelievable achievement and feeling if we were to win it. Everyone is preparing right and looking forward to it."As a team we are recognised as a special team. Obviously the statistics speak for themselves but when we play football, we play together and we play some really good football on the eye. I feel like we have enough quality to beat Aston Villa on Monday."The final is being played at Villa Park, something that Warhurst says the squad are looking forward to: "As a squad, everyone is excited to play there, it's a really big stadium and it's got a lot of history and that will only make it special. We're expecting a big crowd there with a lot of atmosphere so that's always good."Listen to Warhurst speak to BBC Radio ManchesterFellow academy defender Kaden Braithwaite also gave his thoughts ahead of the final: "Very excited. The whole season we have been working towards this so it will be good to get out there and play against Villa."Braithwaite was asked about the prospect of lifting the FA Youth Cup as captain and said: "Madness. At the start of the season if you said we would be in these tournaments and I'd be leading them, I wouldn't have believed it. I wouldn't be where I am now without my team-mates, they have a big part to play in it."We just need to stay level-headed, understand what we have to do and as long as we stick together, I think we can go all the way."Listen to Braithwaite in full
Telegraph
26-03-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Wild goats could become protected species after outcry at cull
Scottish Parliament ministers are considering the protected species status of native wild goats, after a private landowner carried out a cull. Oxygen Conservation, a company that owns 11,000 acres of moorland in the Scottish Borders, faced criticism for the killing of feral goats around the villages of Langholm and Newcastleton. The animal's ancient bloodline can be traced back 3,000 years to native species that roamed during the Iron Age but Oxygen claims the 138-strong herd needs to be reduced to protect trees and prevent a 'serious threat to delicate habitats'. Local residents argued that the culling of the goats, which have no legal protection, took place during the 'kidding' season, when female goats give birth to young. Oxygen said culling had been paused until later this year. A petition, which is under consideration by MSPs for the goats to be given protected status to ensure their survival. Lodged with the Scottish Parliament last month, the petition states: 'These neglected species survive in the last truly wild and free habitats of the Borders, and represent an independence of spirit reflective of our national character. Their numbers are dangerously low, and in danger of extinction due to loss of habitat, and systematic and ongoing culling.' The feral goats of the Cheviots in Northumberland, which share similarities with the native goats in Scotland, have been added to a watchlist by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, a conservation charity. They are also included on a native breeds at risk list maintained by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. However, the Scottish goat population has limited protection under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. Last month, Oxygen Conservation, which has bought several rural estates across the UK in its bid to 'deliver positive environment and social impacts', said it planned to reduce the number of wild goats in an area of Langholm Moor known as Blackburn and Hartsgarth. The firm, which bought the land at the end of 2023, said the wild goat population had exploded from 20 to 138 at the last count in January. David Braithwaite, a Newcastleton resident and conservationist, who previously lectured in applied ecology at Hull University, said the animals are not prolific breeders and that it was far more likely that more of the nomadic goats had strayed onto Oxygen's land at the last count. Thousands of locals in Newcastleton, Langholm and surrounding areas signed a petition against culling the goats. The practice is legal providing that animal welfare guidelines are followed. Mr Braithwaite said Oxygen confirmed in an email that a cull, focusing on male goats, was underway and that meat from the wild goats had been sold into the food chain. He added: 'It's great news that the petition is under consideration but we need Scottish ministers to take this seriously. There needs to be a long term conservation strategy and statutory protection for the goats which are truly loved. 'I think that someone should call 'time out' on this so that things can be properly reviewed. None of this is making any sense and I would have expected the government agency to have worked out that the conservation priority for this highly protected landscape is assisted by the wild goats.' Cull to continue later this year David Mundell, the MP for Dumfriesshire, raised his concerns to Lucy Powell, the Leader of the Commons, as fears grew about the future of the goat herd in an integral part of their scenic natural home landscape. Mr Mundell asked: 'Whatever the merits or otherwise of such a scheme, does the Leader of the House agree that it is important that organisations such as Oxygen [Conservation] consult local people and do not just ride roughshod over their views'? Oxygen Conservation said a targeted reduction, using trained professional shooters, will be conducted over the course of the year to reduce the number back to the original population of 20, avoiding times when nannies are heavily pregnant or with young kids. A spokesperson added: 'We have stopped culling now, but will continue later in the year. 'We can confirm that the meat from the cull will be legally entering the Scottish human and animal food chains through licensed game dealers, they have asked to not be mentioned. Importantly, Oxygen Conservation has not received a penny from this process.' NatureScot said a licence is not required to cull wild goats as they are not considered a native species and therefore have no legal protection. A spokesperson added: 'We understand why the community is concerned about the goats at Langholm, but as goats aren't a protected species, culling them is legal as long as animal welfare guidelines are followed.'
