Points to Ponder

[SteveH]

This makes me angry.................

The huge debt trail left by Marram Grass as brothers set to relaunch Anglesey restaurant
Marram Grass and Lerpwl restaurants left more than £1m in debts after both ventures went into liquidation

Companies House records show they left owing more than £1m from those previous ventures - including staff wages and tips, money to suppliers, a bounce back loan and cash to Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' (HMRC). These failures did come at an incredibly difficult time for the sector - with the pandemic closely followed by a cost of living crisis that has hit hospitality very hard.

But a local said there is some ill-feeling over the debts left now that they are starting afresh. The owners were asked to comment but declined at this stage. A source said they had put everything into the two businesses.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/huge-debt-trail-left-marram-29308579?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[Hugo]

I read that article earlier Steve and was really disappointed after reading it.      They had the business in a small building on the caravan site near the roundabout as you approach Newborough.     At the time we did many walks in that area and often finished it with a coffee and cake in the cafe, it represented good value for money and the food we had was very tasty too.
However they expanded their business and hiked up the prices so we stopped going there as soon as they did that.
What has happened in this case is one that really annoys me and I know that nothing will ever be done about it.    People often set out in business trading in their own name but as it expands then they form a limited company and become directors of it.     If the company goes in to liquidation then there is no comeback usually on the company directors and so they can trade again usually under another company name
When I was working one person I knew had traded under nine different company names and yet nothing could be done against the director as it was the limited company that was liable to pay the debts.
Like I say nothing will ever be done to correct this loophole whichever Party gets in to power at the next general election

[Hugo]

Barrie Brothers Cyf was the name of the company so the new business will have to have a new company name as it's unlikely that they will trade as a partnership.
     

[SteveH]

Two care home owners say they would be unable to cope without the help of foreign staff.

Lakshmy and Philip Pengelly, who own Ashley Court Care Home in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, said they had been forced to cut occupancy at their home because of staffing issues – until they began to recruit oversees workers.

In an election, poised to scrutinise immigration figures, many in the care sector say they are becoming increasingly reliant on workers from countries such as India, Sri Lanka and Nigeria.

In 2022 the UK government opened, external skilled worker visas to overseas care workers, in a bid to tackle record staff shortage in the care sector.

It meant care home workers such as Mr and Mrs Pengelly could sponsor, external foreign workers and bring them to the UK.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c044jenljeyo

[Hugo]

This seems to be a particular problem with care homes and the hospitality trade so thank goodness this scheme is open to employers.  We need immigrants but the Governments allegations over taking control of our borders seems to have backfired in a big way.

[Hugo]

Pub blasts 'dine and dashers' who ate meat and chips before 'doing a runner'
Staff at Pen Y Bont Farm, in Mold, are warning other businesses and have shared CCTV images on Facebook
This happened in Mold but also something similar happened in South Wales recently and it could also happen here in the Three Towns area.      It's such a shame when someone is trying to make an honest living.   The culprits should be named and shamed and then put in jail like they did to the South Walian fraudsters



https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pub-blasts-dine-dashers-who-29339715

[SteveH]

Welsh house sales boom but renters 'desperate' as landlords leave sector
Wales is bucking the UK trend on sales but figures show increase in demand for rental properties but a fall in supply

Home sales in Wales continued to increase in number last month but many renters are battling against each other to secure places to live. A net balance of 52% of surveyors in Wales reported that sales rose through the month of May - compared to a negative -13% in the UK overall(data explained below).

This is the highest balance across all UK regions and surveyors also expect that sales will continue to rise over the next three months, with a net balance of 16% of respondents in Wales anticipating an increase. The latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Residential Market Survey did though show that prices are continuing to fall and this trend is expected to continue.

A net balance of -9% of surveyors in Wales reported that house prices fell during the most recent survey. Although this figure remains in negative territory for the second consecutive month, it is above the UK average which sits at -17%. On the short-term outlook, a net balance of -18% of surveyors in Wales expect that prices will fall over the next three months.

“Landlords continue to leave the market due to fear of bureaucratic controls and tenant demand remains extremely strong resulting in higher rents and numerous applicants desperate for the same property.”

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-house-sales-boom-renters-29342246?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Are young people forced out of Wales to find work?

While many of his friends chose to work in trades, he wanted something else and, at the age of 23, owns his own watersport business on a beach on Anglesey.

If he had not chosen his own path, how easy would it be for him to find work nearby, in the current economic climate?

He believes there are career options in the area, but "obviously there's less opportunity for people that want to earn more money in the area here".

Conor believes living on Anglesey means people have to "apply themselves a little bit more," in order to find higher-paid work, much more than those in larger towns and cities.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cl44md3zj81o

[SteveH]

£19 million to spend a penny..............

Proposal outside North Wales tourism attraction part of wider transformation to 'world class' site
The submitted proposal is for outside the National Slate Museum in Llanberis

Plans to transform a tourism attraction into a "world class" destination has seen a proposal put forward for the car parking area. The Amgueddfa Lechi Cymru/National Slate Museum in Llanberis, is proposing a £19m redevelopment backed by the The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Welsh Government. TAX PAYERS

This is expected to see a major increase in the number of visitors to the site next to Llyn Padern - with numbers already putting pressure on toilet facilities. It has seen Cyngor Gwynedd put forward a plan to demolish the existing toilet block at Gilfach Ddu, Parc Padarn and replace it with a new facility nearby.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/proposal-outside-north-wales-tourism-29364959

[Hugo]

I wonder if they are creating the site exclusively for Motor  homes and Campervans ?

[SteveH]

I wonder if this will have repercussions for Colwyn Bay and Llandudno etc.

 The Welsh seaside resort that's losing its reasons to visit as hit by closures and mishaps
'How on earth can we expect people to want to visit our town if there is nothing here for them to do?'

A year ago the situation on the seafront of Rhyl looked very different. The promenade boasted a £15m waterpark and a much loved aquarium with hopes they would soon be joined by the Skyflyer attraction and a re-booted Queens Market.

But the hoped for launch of the balloon airship never happened after being beset by problems - with the attraction finally scrapped in October after storm damage. Then in November came the news that the SeaQuarium - which attracted 80,000 visitors a year - was closing permanently as a result of the ongoing Coastal Sea Defence work on Rhyl Promenade.

Read full article ........ https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-seaside-resort-thats-losing-29412286

[SteveH]

The big problem facing whoever wins the election

Inflation, rising care expenses, and central government grant squeezes meant cuts to libraries, the Dial-a-Ride community transport service and dimmed street lights. There has been an almost 5% rise in council tax. The council leader has warned any further cuts will affect frontline services.

What is happening in Swindon is a visible consequence of sluggish long-term economic growth. Government spending cuts, low private investment, deindustrialisation and shrinking disposable income have left scars even on what was one of the UK’s famous boom towns.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cldyw4q5qllo

[DVT]

Swindon not helped by Honda leaving so leaving many people redundant - my last car was made there and was 3 days from coming off the factory floor to get to me, the new one bought a few months ago came from Japan and I had to wait 4 months!

[SteveH]

The two last remaining migrants who are detained and waiting to be sent to Rwanda will be bailed in the coming days, the government has said.

The home secretary's spokesperson also revealed that a further 218 migrants were released on bail from detention centres by the previous government during the election campaign.

They were due to be deported to the east-central African country as part of previous PM Rishi Sunak's policy to tackle illegal immigration.

On his first full day as prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the Rwanda deportation scheme is "dead and buried".

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c880y4yz8yvo

[SteveH]

Prisoners set to be freed early to tackle overcrowding 'crisis

An interesting LIVE repost on this subject follow here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/czrjkg21ywjt

includes ..

What has Starmer said about prison overcrowding?

Prisons crisis 'a total disgrace' - former prisons minister

Using police cells 'more dangerous' than releasing inmates - Fairhurst

Early release plan is dangerous gamble, says aunt of Zara Aleena