Latest news with #ValeOfGlamorgan
The Sun
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Steps star Ian ‘H' Watkins forced to change name of latest project after he's SUED by festival giant Coachella
FORMER Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins was forced to change the name of his festival Cowchella — because it was too similar to Coachella. Watkins organised a small event including a Harry Styles tribute act and actress Claire Sweeney. 3 But he was stunned to get a complaint about the name from Coachella, the famous festival in California with 250,000 fans. Watkins' show at his home town of Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan is now called the Moo-La-La Festival. The Welshman, 49, said: 'I'm taking it as a massive compliment that they feel that our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine. 'It's a little bit mindblowing. What we're doing is very, very different to what they do. 'We don't have Beyonce performing. "We have a Steps tribute act and also they don't have myself, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans hosting, which in my book is much better than Beyonce.' He added: 'We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town. 'So yes, those will have to go in the bin but let's just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door.' 3
Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Coachella forces small Welsh festival to change name
A pop star's small festival in South Wales has been forced to change its name following a complaint from the organisers of California's Coachella. Ian 'H' Watkins, a singer from the group Steps, had wanted to call the event in Cowbridge, in the Vale of Glamorgan, 'Cowchella'. But the 49-year-old was forced to alter his plans after those behind Coachella, the 250,000-capacity music festival, got in touch. The renamed 'Moo-La-La Festival' will feature a string of tribute acts and is to be hosted by Watkins, alongside Claire Sweeney, the television personality and actress, and Owain Wyn Evans, the Radio 2 presenter. The change was announced as new social media accounts were set up for the festival revealing its 'fab new name', along with a statement that tickets for the event in August would remain valid. Acts set to appear at the festival include Harry Styled UK, Got To Be Taylor Swift, Got To Be Steps, Got To Be Mamma Mia and Wickedly Hariana. Watkins said: 'I'm taking it as a massive compliment that they feel like that our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous juggernaut of a machine. 'It's a little bit mind-blowing. What we're doing is very, very different to what they do. We don't have Beyonce performing. 'We have a Steps tribute act and also, they don't have myself, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans, hosting, which in my book, is much better than Beyonce.' The Welshman added: 'We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town. So yes, those will have to go in the bin – but let's just do that rather than have any more people knocking on our door.' Watkins said the festival, at Bear Field on Aug 2, will otherwise remain the same with 'great food, great drink'. He said: 'Our town is so beautiful, but there's so much untapped potential there, which is why we keep creating events such as Pride. 'We do the panto in town, so many amazing things. I decorate the town hall for Armistice [Day]. I do a lot in the town just to bring a lot of joy, and it's a town that should be celebrated, and that's what Moo-La-La, as it's now called, will be.'
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Coachella forces Welsh festival Cowchella to change name
Steps star Ian "H" Watkins has said it is "mindblowing" that Coachella has forced his small Welsh festival to change its media accounts for Cowchella in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, went down and its Eventbrite tickets page had its name disappear amid a complaint which Watkins said was from Coachella Ltd, the US festival in Sunday, new social media accounts were set up for the renamed Moo-La-La Festival, hosted by Watkins, actress Claire Sweeney and BBC Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn post explained the "fab new name" and said tickets would remain valid for the inaugural event in August. Coachella has been asked to comment. Welsh singer and actor Watkins, 49, told the PA news agency he was taking the official complaint as "a massive compliment that they feel like our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine"."It's a little bit mind blowing... what we're doing is very different to what they do," he added. He also said people "love that Coachella has put Cowbridge on the map".Watkins admitted that thousands of pounds spent on "marketing costs, posters and banners" would be "a financial impact that we have to absorb".He added: "We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town."So yes, those will have to go in the bin... but let's just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door." He also said there were "lots of festivals" that use wordplay, including GlastonBarry, that had not appeared to encounter the same said the idea of Moo-La-La was to "make it accessible for families that can't afford to go to Cardiff or London" for events that can cost hundreds of pounds."We wanted... to provide an amazing place where everybody could come have a great time, make it family friendly, accessible," he said.
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
‘Mindblowing' Coachella forces Welsh festival to change name
Steps star Ian 'H' Watkins has said it is 'mindblowing' that Coachella has forced his small Welsh festival into a name change. The social media accounts for Cowchella in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales went down, and its Eventbrite tickets page had its name disappear amid a complaint which Watkins said was from Coachella Ltd, the US festival in California. On Sunday, new social media accounts were set up for the renamed Moo-La-La Festival, hosted by Watkins, actress Claire Sweeney and BBC Radio 2 radio presenter Owain Wyn Evans. The post explained the 'fab new name' and that tickets would remain valid for the inaugural event in August. Welsh singer and actor Watkins, 49, told the PA news agency that they thought at first the social media sites were 'hacked', before finding an email with an 'official complaint from Coachella'. 'I'm taking it as a massive compliment that they feel like that our little festival is a little bit of a threat to their ginormous, juggernaut of a machine,' Watkins said. 'It's a little bit mindblowing… what we're doing is very, very different to what they do. 'We don't have Beyonce performing. We have a Steps tribute act… and also, they don't have myself, Claire Sweeney and Owain Wyn Evans, hosting, which in my book, is much better than Beyonce.' He also said he was happy the small Welsh festival is a 'talking point' and people 'love that Coachella has put Cowbridge on the map' as well as admitting that 'luckily, it wasn't like, the week before because that would be the disaster'. Watkins did acknowledge that thousands of pounds spent on 'marketing costs, posters and banners' would be 'a financial impact that we have to absorb'. He said: 'We've spent a lot of money on marketing and flyers and posters and banners that are all visible around the town. 'So yes, those will have to go in the bin… but let's just do that, rather than have any more people knocking on our door.' He also said that 'there's lots of festivals' that use this concept including the Welsh event GlastonBarry, with a name inspired by Glastonbury in Somerset, which has not appeared to come up against the same issue. Watkins said the idea of the festival formerly known as Cowchella was to 'make it accessible for families that can't afford to go to Cardiff or London' for music events that can cost hundreds of pounds. 'We wanted… to provide an amazing place where everybody could come have a great time, make it family friendly, accessible,' he said. He said the festival will remain the same, despite the name change, and promised 'great food, great drink' on Saturday, August 2 at Bear Field. Watkins also highlighted 'the number one tribute acts in the country' such as Harry Styled UK, Got to be Taylor Swift, Got to be Steps, Got to be Mamma Mia and Wickedly Hariana would perform. 'Our town is so beautiful, but there's so much untapped potential there, which is why we keep creating events (such as Pride),' he said. 'We do the panto in town, so many amazing things. I decorate the town hall for armistice. I do a lot in the town just to bring a lot of joy, and it's a town that should be celebrated, and that's what Moo-La-La, as it's now called, will be.' Watkins rose to fame in the the dance-pop group, Steps, and has appeared on ITV show Dancing On Ice as well as mystery Dial M For Middlesbrough. His group celebrated 20 years since their formation with a comeback album and UK tour in 2017 and in 2022 they released a Platinum Collection album.
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Premium Bonds June 2025: 4 winners in Wales claim £100k
More than 800 people across Wales have been named winners in the June 2025 Premium Bonds draw, with four taking home the "high value" £100,000 prize. National Savings and Investments (NS&I) has announced the Premium Bonds winners for this month. The June draw saw 829 people across Wales win a share of more than £2.35 million with prizes ranging between £100,000 and £1,000. What is a premium bond? Four winners in Wales claim £100,000 in June Premium Bonds draw Four lucky winners in Wales have won £100,000 each in the June Premium Bonds draw. One of the winners had the bond number 535VS677373. This bond was valued at £49,975 and was purchased in July 2024 with an overall holding of £50,000. The second winner was bond number 343WP833738. This bond was valued at £15,000 and was purchased in November 2018 with an overall holding of £50,000. Bond number 583XG123345 was the third winner from Wales. This bond was valued at £8,950 and was purchased in June 2024 with an overall holding of £21,500. While the fourth Welsh winner was bond number 410HW199583 from Cardiff and Vale Of Glamorgan. This bond was valued at £20,000 and was purchased in August 2020 with an overall holding of £50,000. Premium Bond prizes won in Wales in June 2025 Every month, two winners in the UK take home £1 million. There are also prize values of £100,000, £50,000, £25,000, £10,000, £5,000 and £1,000. Welsh bondholders shared in over £1.64 million in the June draw, with four winners claiming £100,000 and another six winning the £50,000 prize. Here is a full rundown of the June 2025 winners in Wales and what prizes they were awarded: £100,000 - 4 Welsh winners £50,000 - 6 £25,000 - 12 £10,000 - 34 £5,000 - 60 £1,000 - 713 NS&I Premium Bonds prize checker To find out if you have won a prize in June on your Premium Bond(s), simply visit the NS&I website. Use the NS&I prize checker, but make sure you have your holder's number handy as you will need that to claim your winnings. Your holder number is either a nine or 10-digit number or 8 digits followed by a letter.
