Latest news with #Cwmbran-based
South Wales Argus
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Argus
Monmouth Concert Orchestra to host 'Animal Magic' concert
The event, titled "Animal Magic," is set for Sunday, June 15, at St Mary's Priory Church, Monmouth, from 4pm to 6pm. The audience can expect a programme featuring music from Bach, Handel, and Saint-Saëns. Tickets are priced at £8, with free entry for under-16s, and are available from orchestra members or at the door. The orchestra will be raising funds for Cwmbran-based charity, All Creatures Great and Small, which rescues and rehabilitates animals. The Monmouth Concert Orchestra is made up of amateur musicians from Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, and the Forest of Dean. They meet fortnightly during term time and are always open to new players, provided they are of Grade V standard or above. There are no auditions.
South Wales Argus
17-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Nick Park on agriculture 'shouldering burden' of tax deal
However, there is a concern that agriculture is shouldering the burden to the benefit of other industries at a time when it is already under pressure. There is widespread worry in particular that the removal of UK tariffs on bioethanol coming into the country could spell disaster for UK production, with US suppliers able to produce and ship cheaper in bulk. While there is currently little-to-no bioethanol production in Wales, it's a renewable energy source for the industry that is regularly cited as having huge commercial potential here, with the country having significant grassland potentially suitable for its production. There are projects underway looking at the viability of extracting and fermenting the sugars from grass to make bioethanol. Any farmers in the region who were exploring this as a potential option may need to keep a close eye on the impact across the rest of the UK. Some good news is that though there has been a relaxing of tariffs on US beef into the UK (and vice versa), UK food standards on imports will remain, meaning no hormone-treated meat on our shelves. What this will mean for Welsh beef or the more than 600 beef and cattle farms in the Gwent region is unclear. However, with Wales seeing a stark rise in production over the last few years (producing 51,300 tonnes in 2023 alone), farmers are again having to hold their breath and see what happens. Overall the only thing certain about this tariff deal is how uncertain it all is - with China already grumbling the deal could compel UK companies to exclude Chinese products from supply chains. Considering that in 2024 China was Wales' second largest import market, and the fastest growing, this could again cause a knock-on effect for our agriculture industry. Add into the mix that this agreement is not an official trade deal - that can only be agreed and ratified by US Congress - so it could be discarded as quickly as it was arranged. Nick Park is the director of Cwmbran-based accountants & tax advisors, Green & Co, and a member of the Country Landowners Association (CLA) National Taxation Committee.
Business News Wales
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Comparison Developer Launches Wedding Insurance on Leading Site
A specialist insurance comparison developer has strengthened its partnership with a leading price comparison sites by launching wedding insurance and a new boiler comparison service. Cwmbran-based Comparison Creator already provides with white label services for short term car insurance, motor breakdown, mobile phone insurance, gadget insurance and home emergency/boiler fix cover. Now customers can also compare wedding insurance from a panel of nine insurers. The new boiler comparison service marks the first time that has offered this type of comparison and is powered by Comparison Creator's standalone brand, Protect Your Family. Steve Jones, founder and CEO of Comparison Creator, said: 'We are over the moon that has once again chosen to partner with Comparison Creator to launch these products. We have worked with the team for over a decade and we're thrilled to be able to launch two more services with them. 'Wedding insurance is becoming increasingly popular as the cost of weddings continues to rise, and we take great pride in the service we've built. It's fantastic that customers can now benefit from it. 'As well as weddings, fitting a new boiler is also a major expense that many homeowners have to manage. They are a vital household appliance that people can't do without so having the ability to compare both boilers and their installation online via will benefit many of its customers.' Tom Banks, spokesperson for said: 'Both weddings and boilers are major expenses, so being able to empower our customers to compare these policies and products, to see if they can save money, and choose the right options for their needs is something we're immensely proud of. We've worked with Comparison Creator for over a decade so we know that they're experts in their field, particularly when it comes to comparing more niche insurance products.'
