Latest news with #Penrhyn
North Wales Live
3 days ago
- North Wales Live
Hostel originally built for quarrymen now on market for only third time in nearly 200 years
A hostel in the Nant Ffrancon Valley is now on the market for only the third time in nearly two hundred years. Originally built and owned by Lord Penrhyn for the slate quarry workers, it was sold by the Penrhyn estate to the 'Home Air Command' in 1956. It subsequently became a training centre for the Fleet Air Arm and then the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. In 2016 it was bought by the Martinson-Hughes family and re-opened as Snowdonia Mountain Hostel after extensive internal works. Since the pandemic it has been available for exclusive use only and is one of the highest guest rated hostels in North Wales scoring 4.9/5 on Freetobook and 4.88/5 on Airbnb. Hannah Hughes said: 'It is with enormous sadness that we are selling our wonderful hostel due to family bereavement after 10 years of an amazing adventure. Our family lived in North Wales for decades. "Those who know Nant Ffrancon know what a special place it is in the most beautiful of valleys in Snowdonia/Eryri. We've always welcomed guests who are respectful of the environment and culture and hope any new owners would continue that tradition.' The hostel has up to 26 beds in five dorm rooms and one self-contained flat, and owner's accommodation. Estate agent Sidney Phillips said: "Snowdonia Mountain Hostel is located in the stunning Nant Ffrancon, next to the Ogwen Valley in the heart of Eryri/Snowdonia National Park. This secluded yet easily accessible property is surrounded by the Welsh 3000s hiking route and offers spectacular views of Tryfan, the Glyderau and the Carneddau. It is just 30 minutes from Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa and within easy reach of Zip World and the beautiful beaches and coastline of North Wales and Anglesey. The property is located just off the A5 London to Holyhead trunk road between Betws-y-Coed and Bangor. "The property is set over two storeys to the main with single storey extensions to the rear and side, and is of local stone construction under a pitched slate roof. The original part of the property dates back to the 1850s and was previously used as a military training centre. It has been subject to much investment in recent years and now offers cosy and welcoming accommodation. "Our client has operated Snowdonia Mountain Hostel since 2016 and it is now a well-regarded hostel which caters primarily for groups. The business sees all year round trade but is most busy between the months of April to late October. Marketing is currently via Airbnb (where it boasts a rating of 4.9) and the business's own website."
RNZ News
5 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Cook Islands: Jailed former deputy PM awarded project manager role for hostel renovation
Robert Tapaitau Photo: RNZ Pacific / Lydia Lewis By Talaia Mika , Cook Islands News The decision to appoint a convicted former Member of Parliament, Robert Tapaitau, as project manager for the recent renovations of the Tongareva (Penrhyn) hostel has raised questions, especially given his status as an inmate at Arorangi Prison. The appointment has sparked concerns in some circles, including a resident who did not want to be named but questioned the decision. Cook Islands News understands that the hostel's interim committee of management is under the leadership of current MP Tongareva Sarakura Tapaitau, wife of the former MP Robert Tapaitau. Willie John, a key community leader and committee member for the project, confirmed to Cook Islands News that Tapaitau was brought in to oversee the renovation works, which were completed just ahead of Te Maeva Nui celebrations. The work focused on improving key facilities such as the kitchen, showers, and toilets to meet health and nutrition standards. "We asked the government for him to come and help, but we try not to make publicity of him (as it) might affect his terms of release at some later date," John said. "We just want to call him a project manager without any name." John said the community of Penrhyn had met and approved Tapaitau to take on the role. "We had a meeting (in Penrhyn) and they approved of him. Yeah, the people approve that he be the project manager." He explained that Tapaitau, who was sentenced to jail for corruption-related offences in 2024, was allowed to manage the project daily. "Well, every day he goes back. He works from 8 (am) to 4 (pm), and then he goes back to jail, prison. About 8 weeks, 8 to 10 weeks," John said. The Corrections Services was contacted for a comment regarding Tapaitau's work scheme from prison. Papa Willie John at the Tongareva Hostel in Rarotonga. Photo: Cook Islands News / Teitimoana Tairi Asked if this was part of an official work scheme for inmates, John replied: "Yeah. It must be. I'm not sure." John further explained the nature of Tapaitau's involvement: "The supervision and making sure that all the repair work should conform to, you know, what is desired. Those areas that require health, you know, nutrition standards, that's really the part we focused on... Like toilet facilities, a shower, kitchen." When asked why someone else wasn't considered for the role instead of a serving prisoner, John said the former MP's experience was a major factor. "Well, we believe that he was involved with building (the hostel). That's why we didn't want anybody else," he said. "There may be, but the meeting didn't suggest any other person. That's why we approved that he be the project manager." Tina Browne, legal advisor for the Tongareva committee and leader of the Opposition, said she was aware that Tapaitau had taken part in the renovations but could not confirm whether proper processes were followed in awarding him the role. "The brief answer to that is I'm not sure, because I don't know what the process was in contracting him, other than the fact that I was aware that he was the one who was doing the renovations for the hostel," Browne said. "But I'm not quite sure what process was undertaken by the committee, by Willie. You'll have to ask him that question." The Penrhyn hostel, located in Tupapa, serves as temporary accommodation for Tongareva students and visitors to Rarotonga. The recently completed upgrades were intended to improve living conditions and ensure the hostel was ready to host the Penrhyn Te Maeva Nui team. According to an earlier report, community leaders and hostel caretakers had welcomed the completed renovations in time for the national celebrations. The work included repainting, cleaning, and refurbishing internal spaces, with the support of Penrhyn's Rarotonga-based community group. When asked whether any formal oversight or government approval had been obtained for Tapaitau's work, John said: "We got approval from the Corrective Services." The Ministry of Corrective Services and other responsible authorities have not yet publicly confirmed if Tapaitau's release for the project was officially part of a rehabilitation or work release scheme. The former MP was convicted and sentenced to prison to serve two-year-and-nine-months for three counts of cheque fraud. Last year, the Ministry of Corrective Services has said that Tapaitau, was on a work scheme programme, and was hired by his family "to do work at home". Tapaitau, the former minister for Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) and National Environment Service (NES), was sentenced alongside former NES director Nga Puna and his wife and former ICI secretary Diane Charlie-Puna. Puna was sentenced to five years in prison while Charlie-Puna received an 18-month prison term. The trio were accused of taking public funds amounting to $70,000 between April 2019 and March 2021. - Cook Islands News
The Guardian
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Caught in the contest between China and the west, the Cook Islands asks where its future lies
On a remote stretch of land in the Cook Islands lies a second world war airstrip. Once used as a wartime supply route by American forces, the narrow runway is in dire need of resealing to allow larger tourist jets to land. Leaders on the northern island of Penrhyn have asked New Zealand, Australia and the US to help, but none have come through. Now, they hope China will step in and fund it. 'That is the dream,' says Penrhyn's executive director, Puna John Vano. 'We want to maintain our traditional partners, but if not, we're going to get assistance from elsewhere.' Funding for the airstrip is a symbol of a wider struggle unfolding in the Cook Islands, a new front in the contest between China and the west in the Pacific. The country of about 17,000 people has seen ties with its biggest ally and former colonial partner New Zealand fray as leaders draw it closer to Beijing. On the Cook Islands' main island of Rarotonga, many people are angry over the damage caused to relations with New Zealand. The Cook Islands struck major deals with China earlier this year for economic and other kinds of cooperation, sparking a diplomatic row with Wellington over a lack of consultation. Cook Islands operates in 'free association' New Zealand and while it governs its own affairs, Wellington provides assistance including in foreign affairs and defence. Tensions escalated and last month New Zealand abruptly cut off millions of dollars in critical aid and funding. Penrhyn island's executive director, Puna John Vano, says 'we're going to get assistance from elsewhere' if it doesn't come from customary partners. Now, the path ahead is unclear. On the country's main island, Rarotonga, many are angry over the damage caused to relations with New Zealand. Some welcome more Chinese investment but others raise questions over what it will bring. The Cook Islands prime minister, Mark Brown, and his government declined requests for an interview. But others, such as the opposition leader, Tina Browne, were vocal in their criticism of Beijing building its influence in the Cook Islands. 'China frightens me. Its involvement with my country scares me a bit,' Browne says. 'You have this big power and small, small us. What sort of voice would we have?' Rarotonga is a tourism hub and home to nearly three-quarters of the Cook Islands' population. The place is small enough to circle by motorbike in under an hour. In the sleepy seaside town, one of the main attractions is standing at the seawall to watch planes land. Opposition leader Tina Browne fears the Cook Islands will 'be swallowed up in China's money.' Many here share Browne's concerns over China, particularly as it begins to put pressure on the country's longstanding ties with New Zealand. This relationship is overwhelmingly popular – its citizens hold New Zealand citizenship. Cook Islanders have access to healthcare and employment opportunities in New Zealand. Fruit and vegetable seller Teremoana Napa spent 40 years living and working in New Zealand before returning to the Cook Islands. She is now on New Zealand's pension. 'The New Zealand passport gives us so much,' she says. 'We don't want a Cook Islands passport, that's a bloody dead-end passport.' Rarotonga's economy is heavily influenced by tourism, fishing revenue and the rising cost of imports. Others share concern over the loss of crucial aid from Wellington. Outside the country's main hospital, Calais Ngatan helps his heavily pregnant wife to the car. The young man fears what New Zealand's funding cuts will mean for the islands' already stretched healthcare system. New Zealand's NZ$18.2m budget support – which is tied up in the freeze – supports education, healthcare and other critical services. 'Our government decided to sign a contract with China,' Ngatan says. 'So it's limiting our resources over here.' He says he 'feels robbed' by China 'taking everything from us'. 'If we cut ties with New Zealand, it also cuts ties with all the tourists that are coming from overseas,' he says. 'That will be a big problem for us, because that's how we survive.' Watching planes land is a popular attraction on the island of Rarotonga. On Rarotonga, many people hold two jobs to make ends meet in an economy heavily influenced by outside forces: tourism demands, weather-affected fishing revenues and the rising cost of imported goods. The deal signed in February between the Cook Islands and China encompasses a series of cooperation agreements designed to support the domestic economy. They include more cooperation in trade, tourism, infrastructure, climate resilience and seabed minerals development. They also signalled closer diplomatic cooperation, with pledges to consult and support one another in multilateral forums, including the UN and the Pacific Islands Forum. The documents did not include references to security or military cooperation. Top: deep-sea mining plans have prompted concern in the Cook Islands. Above: tourism hub Rarotonga is home to nearly three-quarters of the country's population. China has already pledged $US1.5m to the Cook Islands for a new shipping vessel and promised to support renewable energy projects. The controversial practice of seabed mining is a key part of China's deals with the Cook Islands. The Pacific nation is one of the first countries in the world to grant exploration licences for deep-sea mineral exploration, a practice that has drawn criticism from others in the region. Gary van Eck walking through the research boat from Moana Minerals. Anna Powles, associate professor at Massey University's centre for defence and security studies, says deep-sea mining is crucial to China's interest in the Cook Islands. The two countries have agreed to collaborate on scientific research, joint expeditions, education and training. Powles says there is a 'race' for critical minerals for their defence application and for that reason China is 'actively engaged in finding opportunities and formalising partnerships with countries who are interested in mining their deep-sea minerals within their waters'. The activity has prompted concern in Rarotonga. Don Beer, head of Cook Islands' Fishing Association, is firmly opposed to seabed mineral exploration, citing concerns about its potential impact on already declining fish stocks. His unease is compounded by China's growing interest not just in minerals but also in the Cook Islands' maritime resources. 'We've just got to get the best possible deal out of them. But we've got to be careful,' Beer says. 'Like with any nation, we have to make sure they respect that we have sovereignty.' Cook Islands is one example of a story playing out across the Pacific, where China has been steadily deepening its influence. In recent years Beijing has signed security and development deals with Solomon Islands, Kiribati and most recently Nauru, reshaping traditional alliances. For New Zealand and its allies, the fear is that China's growing presence in the region could eventually translate into military access or control over critical infrastructure. Powles says that for Beijing, deepening relations with the Cook Island shores up 'closer diplomatic ties with Pacific Island partners and that helps to influence and shape a regional order'. From New Zealand's perspective, she notes, the aid freeze was a sign of just how fragile the relationship has become. 'It is quite an extreme move to pause aid,' she says. 'New Zealand has been increasingly clear over the years that, particularly in the security realm, that it sees China as a disruptor and a destabilising actor in the Pacific.' Some in the Cook Islands welcome more Chinese investment but others raise questions over what it will bring. Next month, the Cook Islands will mark 60 years of self-government in free association with New Zealand. As preparations for a massive inter-island celebration unfold, the event is tinged with diplomatic unease. Cook Islands has invited New Zealand to attend – Wellington says their attendance is still 'under consideration'. In addition to pausing financial assistance, New Zealand is also not considering new funding 'until the Cook Islands Government takes concrete steps to repair the relationship and restore trust'. 'New Zealand and Cook Islands officials are engaging on this,' a New Zealand ministry of foreign affairs and trade spokesperson told the Guardian. 'New Zealand hopes that steps will be taken swiftly to address New Zealand's concerns so that this support can be resumed as soon as possible.' The Guardian contacted the Chinese embassy in New Zealand for comment, but did not receive a response. At a press briefing in Beijing last month, Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China's cooperation with the Cook Islands 'targets no third party, nor should it be interfered with or constrained by any third party'. He said the two countries were 'comprehensive strategic partners based on mutual respect and common development', adding that their partnership was based on 'equality and mutual benefit'. Fishing association head Don Beer on his boat. 'We have to make sure [China] respect that we have sovereignty.' But others, like Browne, are worried about China's growing influence. She fears her country will 'be swallowed up in China's money'. 'I totally support us not being too reliant on others, I see that as a real positive,' she says. 'But when I see China's involvement, I think: two steps forward, three steps back.'
The Guardian
14-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Caught in the contest between China and the west, the Cook Islands asks where its future lies
On a remote stretch of land in the Cook Islands lies a second world war airstrip. Once used as a wartime supply route by American forces, the narrow runway is in dire need of resealing to allow larger tourist jets to land. Leaders on the northern island of Penrhyn have asked New Zealand, Australia and the US to help, but none have come through. Now, they hope China will step in and fund it. 'That is the dream,' says Penrhyn's executive director, Puna John Vano. 'We want to maintain our traditional partners, but if not, we're going to get assistance from elsewhere.' Funding for the airstrip is a symbol of a wider struggle unfolding in the Cook Islands, a new front in the contest between China and the west in the Pacific. The country of about 17,000 people has seen ties with its biggest ally and former colonial partner New Zealand fray as leaders draw it closer to Beijing. On the Cook Islands' main island of Rarotonga, many people are angry over the damage caused to relations with New Zealand. The Cook Islands struck major deals with China earlier this year for economic and other kinds of cooperation, sparking a diplomatic row with Wellington over a lack of consultation. Cook Islands operates in 'free association' New Zealand and while it governs its own affairs, Wellington provides assistance including in foreign affairs and defence. Tensions escalated and last month New Zealand abruptly cut off millions of dollars in critical aid and funding. Penrhyn island's executive director, Puna John Vano, says 'we're going to get assistance from elsewhere' if it doesn't come from customary partners. Now, the path ahead is unclear. On the country's main island, Rarotonga, many are angry over the damage caused to relations with New Zealand. Some welcome more Chinese investment but others raise questions over what it will bring. The Cook Islands prime minister, Mark Brown, and his government declined requests for an interview. But others, such as the opposition leader, Tina Browne, were vocal in their criticism of Beijing building its influence in the Cook Islands. 'China frightens me. Its involvement with my country scares me a bit,' Browne says. 'You have this big power and small, small us. What sort of voice would we have?' Rarotonga is a tourism hub and home to nearly three-quarters of the Cook Islands' population. The place is small enough to circle by motorbike in under an hour. In the sleepy seaside town, one of the main attractions is standing at the seawall to watch planes land. Opposition leader Tina Browne fears the Cook Islands will 'be swallowed up in China's money.' Many here share Browne's concerns over China, particularly as it begins to put pressure on the country's longstanding ties with New Zealand. This relationship is overwhelmingly popular – its citizens hold New Zealand citizenship. Cook Islanders have access to healthcare and employment opportunities in New Zealand. Fruit and vegetable seller Teremoana Napa spent 40 years living and working in New Zealand before returning to the Cook Islands. She is now on New Zealand's pension. 'The New Zealand passport gives us so much,' she says. 'We don't want a Cook Islands passport, that's a bloody dead-end passport.' Rarotonga's economy is heavily influenced by tourism, fishing revenue and the rising cost of imports. Others share concern over the loss of crucial aid from Wellington. Outside the country's main hospital, Calais Ngatan helps his heavily pregnant wife to the car. The young man fears what New Zealand's funding cuts will mean for the islands' already stretched healthcare system. New Zealand's NZ$18.2m budget support – which is tied up in the freeze – supports education, healthcare and other critical services. 'Our government decided to sign a contract with China,' Ngatan says. 'So it's limiting our resources over here.' He says he 'feels robbed' by China 'taking everything from us'. 'If we cut ties with New Zealand, it also cuts ties with all the tourists that are coming from overseas,' he says. 'That will be a big problem for us, because that's how we survive.' Watching planes land is a popular attraction on the island of Rarotonga. On Rarotonga, many people hold two jobs to make ends meet in an economy heavily influenced by outside forces: tourism demands, weather-affected fishing revenues and the rising cost of imported goods. The deal signed in February between the Cook Islands and China encompasses a series of cooperation agreements designed to support the domestic economy. They include more cooperation in trade, tourism, infrastructure, climate resilience and seabed minerals development. They also signalled closer diplomatic cooperation, with pledges to consult and support one another in multilateral forums, including the UN and the Pacific Islands Forum. The documents did not include references to security or military cooperation. Top: deep-sea mining plans have prompted concern in the Cook Islands. Above: tourism hub Rarotonga is home to nearly three-quarters of the country's population. China has already pledged $US1.5m to the Cook Islands for a new shipping vessel and promised to support renewable energy projects. The controversial practice of seabed mining is a key part of China's deals with the Cook Islands. The Pacific nation is one of the first countries in the world to grant exploration licences for deep-sea mineral exploration, a practice that has drawn criticism from others in the region. Gary van Eck walking through the research boat from Moana Minerals. Anna Powles, associate professor at Massey University's centre for defence and security studies, says deep-sea mining is crucial to China's interest in the Cook Islands. The two countries have agreed to collaborate on scientific research, joint expeditions, education and training. Powles says there is a 'race' for critical minerals for their defence application and for that reason China is 'actively engaged in finding opportunities and formalising partnerships with countries who are interested in mining their deep-sea minerals within their waters'. The activity has prompted concern in Rarotonga. Don Beer, head of Cook Islands' Fishing Association, is firmly opposed to seabed mineral exploration, citing concerns about its potential impact on already declining fish stocks. His unease is compounded by China's growing interest not just in minerals but also in the Cook Islands' maritime resources. 'We've just got to get the best possible deal out of them. But we've got to be careful,' Beer says. 'Like with any nation, we have to make sure they respect that we have sovereignty.' Cook Islands is one example of a story playing out across the Pacific, where China has been steadily deepening its influence. In recent years Beijing has signed security and development deals with Solomon Islands, Kiribati and most recently Nauru, reshaping traditional alliances. For New Zealand and its allies, the fear is that China's growing presence in the region could eventually translate into military access or control over critical infrastructure. Powles says that for Beijing, deepening relations with the Cook Island shores up 'closer diplomatic ties with Pacific Island partners and that helps to influence and shape a regional order'. From New Zealand's perspective, she notes, the aid freeze was a sign of just how fragile the relationship has become. 'It is quite an extreme move to pause aid,' she says. 'New Zealand has been increasingly clear over the years that, particularly in the security realm, that it sees China as a disruptor and a destabilising actor in the Pacific.' Some in the Cook Islands welcome more Chinese investment but others raise questions over what it will bring. Next month, the Cook Islands will mark 60 years of self-government in free association with New Zealand. As preparations for a massive inter-island celebration unfold, the event is tinged with diplomatic unease. Cook Islands has invited New Zealand to attend – Wellington says their attendance is still 'under consideration'. In addition to pausing financial assistance, New Zealand is also not considering new funding 'until the Cook Islands Government takes concrete steps to repair the relationship and restore trust'. 'New Zealand and Cook Islands officials are engaging on this,' a New Zealand ministry of foreign affairs and trade spokesperson told the Guardian. 'New Zealand hopes that steps will be taken swiftly to address New Zealand's concerns so that this support can be resumed as soon as possible.' The Guardian contacted the Chinese embassy in New Zealand for comment, but did not receive a response. At a press briefing in Beijing last month, Foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China's cooperation with the Cook Islands 'targets no third party, nor should it be interfered with or constrained by any third party'. He said the two countries were 'comprehensive strategic partners based on mutual respect and common development', adding that their partnership was based on 'equality and mutual benefit'. Fishing association head Don Beer on his boat. 'We have to make sure [China] respect that we have sovereignty.' But others, like Browne, are worried about China's growing influence. She fears her country will 'be swallowed up in China's money'. 'I totally support us not being too reliant on others, I see that as a real positive,' she says. 'But when I see China's involvement, I think: two steps forward, three steps back.'
Wales Online
28-06-2025
- Wales Online
'Shabby' Welsh seaside town is named UK's second worst, and people are angry
'Shabby' Welsh seaside town is named UK's second worst, and people are angry The UK's consumer champions surveyed over 3,800 people about their experiences of UK seaside destinations in the last year. Bangor's harbour (Image: R) Wales is fortunate to have some of the world's most stunning beaches and just this week two of our seaside destinations have been named among the very best in the UK. UK consumer champions Which? surveyed over 3,800 people about their experiences of UK seaside destinations in the last year. They asked those taking part what their views were on a range of things including the quality of the beaches, scenery, food and drink offerings, accommodation, tourist attractions and value for money. In the end, two Welsh locations made it into the best five seaside finds, along with Bamburgh in Northumberland which took the top spot for the fifth year running. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Portmeirion in Gwynedd, North Wales' colourful Italian inspired village celebrated for its vibrant architecture achieved a commendable 79% rating. In fourth place on the list was another Welsh gem that won over visitors. St Davids in Pembrokeshire, the UK's smallest city, it also matched Portmeirion's 79% destination score. You can read more what the people had to say about both places here. Article continues below Garth Pier in Bangor (Image: R) The least popular location on the list was Bognor Regis, which in the past has been celebrated as one of the sunniest spots in mainland Britain. It has now languished at the bottom of the holiday destination table with a mere 36% rating, earning just one star across most judged areas. A disappointed visitor described it as "'a run-down seaside town". Trailing just slightly better was Bangor in Gwynedd, which scored a very disappointing 38% where its "shabby" state didn't go unnoticed. However, it has gone up a spot from being last year's 'worst seaside town in the UK'. Yet, amidst criticism, someone commended the area for its "stunning views across the Menai Straits" and considered it an excellent gateway to North Wales and Anglesey. Bangor may lack a traditional beach but boasts a Victorian-era landmark pier, virtually unchanged since Lord Penrhyn inaugurated it in 1896. WalesOnline reporter and Bangor daughter Branwen Jones has been left less than impressed by the news that Bangor is again at the bottom of the Which? table. She said: "I was quietly outraged, firstly because Bangor had been referred to as a 'town' when in fact it's a city, and secondly, that so many people could get it so wrong. Article continues below "You can keep your sandy beaches and your fancy hotels because Bangor has so much more than that. It has a community of people that genuinely care about it, people who have lived and worked on its shores, and will fight to keep its history alive and its future bright. "And as an added bonus, you can find impeccable views of Eryri, the sea and the north-west Welsh coastline. You'll find a city rich with history, a beautiful cathedral, a university built by the people and for the people, and so many amazing people that call it 'adra'."
