IT’S just not cold enough for Arctic adventurer Paul Fosh. The extreme athlete and Gwent property expert is worried that at just -10c it is far too warm where he is heading next month – the Canadian Arctic.

A 34-year-old man has died following an incident at a recycling centre. Police confirmed officers were called to the recycling centre in Neath on Tuesday, January 24, where a man was declared dead.

Officers from South Wales Police were called to Fenestration Recycling Company Ltd in Neath Abbey on Tuesday morning. A 34-year-old man from Swansea was pronounced dead.

Detective Inspector Carl Price said: “Police and other emergency service colleagues were called to Fenestration Recycling Company Ltd in Neath Abbey on Tuesday morning, 24th January, following a report of an incident at the site.

“A 34-year-old man from Swansea was declared deceased at the scene. The Health and Safety Executive have been informed and an investigation has begun. Our thoughts remain with the man’s family, friends and colleagues.”

Fenestration Recycling Company Ltd is a “tip” for window companies to dispose of UPVC window frames and glass. The materials are then recycled at the site. The Health and Safety Executive has been contacted for comment.

Read next:

COUNCILLORS are to make a decision on plans to address parking issues in the area around Newport’s Passport Office next week.

Will Hughes is finding growing demand for his energy-efficient, innovative garden studios after support from Tata Steel subsidiary UKSE.

//= do_shortcode(‘[in-content-square]’)?>

Fast-rising TV and radio presenter Katie Owen has posted on social media about how her Welsh accent was ridiculed by two women who said they hate Welsh people.

Katie, who is from Merthyr and is one of the most in-demand young presenters in the UK, shared her story of how she was doing interviews on the red carpet at a business awards in London last night, when she encountered the anti-Welsh comments.

She posted on Twitter: “On a job tonight, doing interviews on the red carpet at an event, just walked into the toilets and heard two women slagging me off, saying my accent was jarring and they can’t do an interview with me because they hate Welsh people and don’t want to hear my accent.”

On a job tonight, doing interviews on the red carpet at an event, just walked into the toilets and heard two women slagging me off, saying my accent was jarring and they can’t do an interview with me because they hate Welsh people and don’t want to hear my accent 🙃

— Katie Owen (@Katieeowen_) January 26, 2023

Katie told Nation Cymru that the pair had earlier refused to do an interview with her – and how upset she had been on hearing their comments.

“I don’t know what business they were with or who they were because they refused to do an interview and speak to me,” she said. “I was upset and trying to remain professional. Then I overheard their conversation in the toilet when I was in the cubicle, they were doing impressions of Welsh accents too and laughing, when I walked out they went quiet and quickly left, I only saw them again at the end of the night quickly leaving.”

Katie whose tweet has now gone viral, also wanted to stress that the company she was working with were wonderful and didn’t want them to receive any negativity.

“I also just want to flag up too, the company running the awards were absolutely lovely and a pleasure to work with. I don’t want them to receive any negativity from my tweet. I was just venting about those two women and didn’t expect it to blow up.”

In response Katie had hundreds of people reply to her tweet telling her how wonderful her Welsh accent is and to ignore those who criticised her.

Get to know Katie…

Born in the Valleys of South Wales, Katie Owen is a London-based DJ and Presenter.

Katie recently headed out to the World Cup 2022, where she hyped up the crowds while DJing for the British Council and the Welsh Arts International. Nearly fluent in Welsh, she was also asked to act as an ambassador for Wales showcasing Welsh language, history and culture and appeared on international TV for networks such as BBC News World alongside fellow ambassadors, including football legend Ian Rush and Olympian broadcaster Colin Jackson. She was also Capital South Wales’ football correspondent, giving fans the latest updates and feel for the atmosphere during the tournament. Throughout her visit, she also filmed social content for TalkSport and JD Sports.

Katie landed the spot as tour DJ for Kasabian on their 2021 UK tour, this saw her playing at iconic venues across the country such as the O2 Academy Brixton. She’s also supported Blossoms & Rick Astley in 2021, iconic SKA band Madness in Dubai and South Africa 2020 and Jo Whiley’s 90s anthems in 2019.

Katie made her TV debut on Welsh-language show ‘Iaith ar Daith’ produced by Boom Cymru which aired on S4C in 2022 and has subsequently appeared on their popular chat show ‘Hansh’.

Katie has packed out tents at many legendary music festivals such as Isle Of Wight, Y Not, Neighbourhood, Tramlines, Snowbombing and more. After securing herself as a well-known face on the festival circuit, Katie was asked to host the Main Stage at Leeds Festival in 2021 and again in 2022. She was also the Welsh Fire DJ at The Hundred 2022, for BBC Music Introducing.

She is also a lifelong football fan, which sees her DJing at multiple Wales fixtures. Katie also hosted a podcast special combining sport and music for BBC Wales and fronted SportBible’s social content for the Women’s Euros in 2022.

Katie is an animal lover and is an ambassador for the The Rescue Hotel, a dogs home in Cardiff. She also works with Musicians Against Homelessness and Teenage Cancer Trust.

A South Wales property auction and lettings business has snapped up a competitor in the same city.

Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions and Lettings swooped for Everything Lettings in a deal which will see the leading property business more than double the size of its lettings business. The value of the acquisition has not been revealed.

Paul Fosh Auctions, based on Lower Dock Street, in the city, has been established in Newport for more than twenty years. The business, which consistently tops the charts in Wales for the number of properties sold and the cumulative annual total value of the sales, stages monthly online property auctions as well as managing an expanding stable of properties for clients.

The lettings acquisition has created two new jobs and more could be generated as the lettings side of the business continues to grow while retaining its headquarters in Newport.

Paul Fosh,  owner and founder of Paul Fosh Auctions, said:

“The acquisition of Everything Lettings is a perfect fit for us and allows our already very healthy lettings business to grow to more than twice its current size. We envisage seeing further expansion in this side of the business  in 2023 through acquisition as well as organic growth. We’re looking to massively expand this side of the business over the coming years.

“Most of the properties that have been acquired through the acquisition of Everything Lettings, a very successful, medium-sized business built up over the past five years, are within the Newport,  Gwent and surrounding areas.

“We have been growing organically over the past four years and were pleased with our steady growth but this opportunity to acquire the Newport-based business presented us with an opportunity to double our business. The owner had other offers for the business but chose to go with us as he was personally invested in his business and clients and liked the synergy between our way of working and his and was comfortable with us taking the business over.

Paul said Paul Fosh Lettings is on the acquisition trail.

“We are keen to scale up, lettings is a scalable business, so we’re on the lookout now to acquire  suitable similar businesses to help us grow. It’s advantageous for a lettings business to operate at a certain scale as this allows staff to specialise.

“We are now looking to consolidate our position in south Wales by increasing the density of our activities here as well as at the same time reaching out into newer areas across the Severn in Bristol and the west country.

“We already manage properties in Cheltenham, Bristol and Llanelli areas so we have a broad coverage. The aim now is to increase the density of coverage in those areas with the business controlled from our Newport headquarters with some staff working remotely

“Work is now in progress  on making thorough inspections of all these properties in the portfolio to ensure that  they’re up to standard in line with new Government regulations which came into force from December 1, 2022.”

Aria Studios, a shiny new filming facility on the island of Anglesey in North Wales, has officially opened its doors today (26 January), with a visit from Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford to mark the occasion. 

Aria Studios was established by Rondo Media and S4C’s commercial arm S4C Digital Media Limited, with the support of the Welsh Government through Creative Wales.

It comprises 20,000 sq ft in total, with two fully-soundproofed stages of 9,500 sq ft and 6,500 sq ft – the first two-stage facility in the region. 

The team behind Aria Studios is committed to raising North Wales’ profile as a film-friendly destination for both domestic and international productions, and there will also be a range of training and development schemes for local talent in the region.

It is establishing the Aria Training Academy, working with key partners including Bangor University, the University of South Wales Screen Alliance Wales as well as other training providers. The partnerships will create the infrastructure and access to apprenticeships and training to develop the skills of those looking to break into the industry, as well as house existing talent in the region. 

In addition to growing Wales’s production potential, Aria will employ and train a local workforce through accessible and sustainable job opportunities.

Situated close to Snowdonia National Park, the studio offers natural filming backdrops right on its doorstep including slate quarries, copper mines and dramatic coastlines. From an environmental standpoint, the studio will deliver sustainable productions and minimise its carbon footprint. 

By forging close relationships with local suppliers, it will offer sustainable opportunities for other ancillary sectors, including catering, accommodation providers and waste management. Local film and TV crews will be available in order to minimise travel expenses and carbon emissions.

Visiting the studios today (26 January), Wales’ First Minister, Mark Drakeford, said “Many producers already know what our country has to offer and this kind of top tier development will grab the attention of more high-profile productions and help to position the region as a hub for talent, training and access to the creative industry. 

“Rondo and S4C have shown their support in Wales’ talent and potential. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support this development, which is a great opportunity to grow the Welsh industry and its footprint in the global entertainment business.”

Rondo Media’s chief executive, Gareth Williams, added: “This launch is significant for our TV and film industry here in Wales. We’re thankful for the support from S4C’s commercial arm, Cymru Greadigol, and Wales Screen for helping us bring this vision to life, which we know will offer brilliant new opportunities and investment to the region. 

“North Wales has such a unique offering, from its breath-taking landscapes to its creative production talent, and we’re looking forward to further investment in the region and working with inspiring partners to enable the production of exceptional content for a worldwide audience.”

S4C chief executive Siân Doyle remarked: Creating opportunities to nurture talent in the creative sector across the whole of Wales is a key priority for S4C and we are delighted to support Aria Studios.

To have a great resource like this at the home of Rownd a Rownd – one of S4C’s biggest productions – is something really exciting for us. I see the Aria Studios initiative as an opportunity to nurture local talent and build on S4C’s presence in North Wales as well as attracting more high profile productions to Anglesey. I look forward to a very exciting future working with Aria Studios.

The number of ailing businesses in Wales stands at more than 17,000, according to latest figures from insolvency firm Begbies Traynor. Its latest Red Flag Alert report, which monitors the financial health of British companies, show the number of distressed Welsh firms (17,383) in the last quarter of 2022 decreased by 1% on the previous quarter while being up 1% on a year earlier.

Despite the overall flat picture, the data indicates there has been no material let-up in the turmoil and financial distress being faced and identified specific sector hotspots where businesses are particularly struggling.

The businesses most affected are in the real estate and property sector, with a year-on-year increase of 12% in the number of companies in significant financial distress. This was followed by media, which saw an annual jump of 6%.

UK-wide the Red Flag Alert research for Q4 2022 recorded 610,405 businesses in significant distress. Representing a 4% increase since Q4 2021, and 24% surge in significant distress levels compared to pre-Covid times in Q4 2019, the data highlights the intense strain an increasing number of companies are under as they are hit by rising labour and materials costs, increasing energy costs and an economy likely headed into recession.

The most recent data on County Court Judgement (CCJ), widely seen as a leading indicator of financial distress, shows CCJ numbers are also climbing rapidly. There were 23,885 CCJs in the final quarter of 2022 (UK as a whole), a 52% rise in the level compared to the same period a year ago. Similarly, winding up petitions, a much more serious legal action lodged by creditors, totalled 576 in the same period, a rise of 131% compared with 2021.

Commenting on the figures, Huw Powell, managing partner at Begbies Traynor across South Wales, said: “We came into 2022 hopeful that the pandemic was behind us, and better times were ahead, only for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to unsettle the global economy, leading to spiralling inflation and soaring energy bills, and laying the foundations for what looks like a global recession. In the UK in particular, strike action is also piling on the pressure as staff struggle to get to work and customers stay away. Many of the companies captured by the Red Flag Alert are SMEs without the financial firepower larger enterprises have to fall back on. We should be applauding the directors of these smaller companies which make up the backbone of the UK’s economy for the incredible tenacity they have shown for so long.

“However, we’re taking calls from company bosses who are facing multiple challenges to keep their businesses afloat. They are dealing with a gloomy economic outlook with inflation at 40-year highs and interest rates at levels not seen for 14 years. As a result, more and more companies are starting to feel the burden of their debts, making directors question whether they can go on.”

Read Next:

Lettings boost for Cwmbran Centre

The booming speculative industrial scheme in Barry

Aria Studios in North Wales has now officially opened.

The new 20,000 square foot fully soundproofed film and television studio is located on the doorstep of the region of Eryri (Snowdonia) and has been established by Rondo Media and S4C’s commercial arm S4C Digital Media Limited, with the support of the Welsh Government through Creative Wales.

The 16,000 square foot of studio space is positioned “amongst thousands of acres of unspoilt landscapes, featuring castles, slate quarries, copper mines, dramatic beaches and seascapes, providing endless options for filming both on and off location.”

Aria is also establishing the Aria Training Academy, working with partners including Bangor University, the University of South Wales, Screen Alliance Wales as well as other training providers. The partnerships will create the infrastructure and access to apprenticeships and training. Aria will also employ and train a local workforce through “accessible and sustainable job opportunities.”

Rondo Media’s Chief Executive, Gareth Williams says “This launch is significant for our TV and film industry here in Wales. We’re thankful for the support from S4C’s commercial arm, Cymru Greadigol, and Wales Screen for helping us bring this vision to life, which we know will offer brilliant new opportunities and investment to the region. North Wales has such a unique offering, from its breath-taking landscapes to its creative production talent, and we’re looking forward to further investment in the region and working with inspiring partners to enable the production of exceptional content for a worldwide audience.”

S4C Chief Executive Siân Doyle says: “Creating opportunities to nurture talent in the creative sector across the whole of Wales is a key priority for S4C and we are delighted to support Aria Studios.

“To have a great resource like this at the home of Rownd a Rownd – one of S4C’s biggest productions – is something really exciting for us. I see the Aria Studios initiative as an opportunity to nurture local talent and build on S4C’s presence in North Wales as well as attracting more high profile productions to Anglesey. I look forward to a very exciting future working with Aria Studios.”

Wales’ First Minister, Mark Drakeford, said “Many producers already know what our country has to offer and this kind of top tier development will grab the attention of more high-profile productions and help to position the region as a hub for talent, training and access to the creative industry. Rondo and S4C have shown their support in Wales’ talent and potential. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support this development, which is a great opportunity to grow the Welsh industry and its footprint in the global entertainment business.”

Jon Creamer

Share this story

EXCLUSIVE: Aria Studios, a new two-stage £1.6M ($2M) facility that boasts 20,000 sqft of filming space, has officially opened for business in Anglesey, North Wales.

The facility, located near the popular Welsh region of Snowdonia, has been established by indie production company Rondo Media and Welsh broadcaster S4C’s commercial arm S4C Digital Media Limited, with the support of the Welsh Government through Creative Wales.

The studio has two fully-soundproofed stages and is located amongst acres of unspoiled grounds in the Snowdonia region.

Rondo Media is currently filming the drama series Rownd a Rownd for S4C for 27 weeks in stage 2 at Aria. The studio has said they expect further bookings from drama and film producers commissioned by S4C. However, the studio has said its principal target clients are high-end film and television productions from the UK and the US.

Wales has long been the shooting location of productions like Doctor Who, and more recently, HBO’s His Dark Materials and Netflix’s Sex Education are filmed in the country. Bad Wolf, one of the UK’s biggest drama indies, is based in Cardiff.

Aside from commercial business, the studio has also partnered with local educational institutions, including Bangor University and the University of South Wales Screen Alliance Wales to launch Aria Training Academy to provide training and development schemes for local talent in the region. The studio has said it hopes the scheme will “create the infrastructure and access to apprenticeships and training to develop the skills of those looking to break into the industry.”

Visiting the studios today, Wales’ First Minister, Mark Drakeford, described Aria studios as a “top tier development” that will attract “more high-profile productions and help to position the region as a hub for talent, training, and access to the creative industry.”

“Rondo and S4C have shown their support in Wales’ talent and potential,” he said. “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support this development, which is a great opportunity to grow the Welsh industry and its footprint in the global entertainment business.”

Rondo Media’s Chief Executive, Gareth Williams, added: “This launch is significant for our TV and film industry here in Wales. We’re thankful for the support from S4C’s commercial arm, Cymru Greadigol, and Wales Screen for helping us bring this vision to life, which we know will offer brilliant new opportunities and investment to the region. North Wales has such a unique offering, from its breath-taking landscapes to its creative production talent, and we’re looking forward to further investment in the region and working with inspiring partners to enable the production of exceptional content for a worldwide audience.”