Latest news with #Aberdare
The Sun
23-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Major British bank with 14million customers is axing TEN branches this week – is one going near you?
A MAJOR British bank is set to axe a further ten branches this week. It comes after the provider closed ten branches last week as part of a nationwide reduction in services. 3 3 Santander is one of just several major banks to be shutting shops country-wide in a decision that affects 14 million customers. The bank said that the closures were impacted by changing consumer habits, as more shoppers move online. A further ten branches are set to close this week, with a total of 23 closing throughout June. Santander closures this week The stores set to close this week are: Aberdare - June 24 Blackwood - June 23 Brecon - June 25 Cleveleys - June 23 Dungannon - June 23 Eltham - June 23 Glasgow LDHQ - June 24 Glasgow MX - June 23 Greenford - June 24 Magherafelt - June 24 A spokesperson for Santander said: "As customer behaviour changes, we are ensuring that our branches remain fit for the future. "Our new combination of full-service branches, alongside Work Cafés, counter-free branches and reduced hours branches, aims to provide the right balance between digital banking and face-to-face money management and guidance. "As a business, we must move with customers and balance our investment across all the places where we interact with customers, to deliver the very best for them now and in the future." With high streets on the decline, bank branches have been shutting at an alarming rate, with some campaigners concerned about the impact on vulnerable customers. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: 'Physical spaces – whether a bank or building society branch, Banking Hub, or alternative suitable provision – must continue to exist so people can still carry out face-to-face tasks. "The disappearance of face-to-face banking risks cutting a significant minority of the older population out of an essential service, making it difficult if not impossible for them to manage their money and maintain their independence.' The ten closures are part of a wider reduction in Santander's in-person services. This includes the closure of 95 branches, and the conversion of 18 to "counter-free" service desks. Instead, customers can visit 73 new banking hubs set up across the UK to serve customers from all major banks. Just 349 branches will remain following the shake-up. It comes as several major banking providers have significantly reduced their in-person services. Consumer magazine Which? revealed that 6,300 bank and building societies have closed since January 2015 - an average of 53 per month. A total of 102 banks are set to close this month alone affecting major providers like Lloyds, Natwest and Halifax. Meanwhile, Nationwide has promised to keep its nearly 700 branches open until the start of 2028. Muir Mathieson, Nationwide's chief financial officer, recently said: 'The branches are thriving. 'We're seeing the number of people going into branches going up, and we think part of that increase is that there are fewer branches on the high street now that our competitors have closed theirs.' 3
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Paul Weller's little-known Welsh connection to Merthyr's Jonny Owen
For years, filmmaker Jonny Owen had been saying that his hero, singer Paul Weller, was Welsh. And not just Welsh - more importantly than that, The Jam lead vocalist had roots in Owen's beloved hometown of Merthyr to mark Weller's 60th birthday, a national newspaper asked 20 well-known figures to pose any question they wanted to the star, known as The Vicky McClure, Owen's wife, was asked to contribute. Without him knowing, she decided to put an end to the debate with her husband about Weller's Welsh roots. "She asked him, without telling me, which is quite funny," Owen told Lucy Owen. "She said, 'my husband is obsessed with you, to the point where he actually claims you're Welsh. Not only that, he actually claims you're from Merthyr Tydfil'. "And he came back confirming that his grandmother was indeed from Merthyr Tydfil and lived in Aberdare as a young girl. I was over the moon." Owen has since got to know Weller and they text and meet up every now and then. And when he played the Town Called Malice star some music by an up and coming singer from Merthyr called Nancy Williams, it proved to be a hit."He gave her a week free in his barn studios, he said 'get her down to my studios and let her record'," Owen said. "That's the kind of guy he is, he supports not just new artists but Welsh artists as well, so he hasn't forgotten his roots. What a guy." As part of a season across BBC Wales celebrating Merthyr Tydfil and the 200th birthday of Cyfarthfa Castle, Owen has been discovering more about the place where he grew up in a documentary series for BBC Radio Wales called Merthyr Made said his favourite thing he discovered from a historian he spoke to as part of the documentary was how the famous Welsh valleys accent was born in Merthyr. "There was no Welsh accent [when speaking English] before, because people spoke Welsh. All these people came together from Ireland, west, north Wales, England, Italy, Spain, as part of the industrial revolution there," he said. "And this accent was sort of created. It's the accent I've got, the accent people know all over Wales, all over the world know, a valleys accent. It was born in Merthyr. I thought that was fascinating." As part of the documentary series, Owen returns to his roots to learn about his own family history as well as the town's history - even going back to his old primary school in Heolgerrig. "They traced all my generations back and I'm almost a perfect example of someone from Merthyr," Owen said, speaking about relatives like his great-grandfather who left Ireland for the "goldrush" town in search of work during the industrial revolution."There was even a saying in west and north Wales that if someone disappeared for whatever reason, they would say they've gone to Merthyr," he said. "People would just turn up in Merthyr because there was work there." Owen and McClure now return to Merthyr Tydfil as often as possible, organising their Day Fever daytime disco events in the town as well as watching Merthyr Town FC, which they sponsor. "[Vicky] loves Merthyr," Owen said."We try to do as much as we possible can in our hometowns. We film stuff there and try to create a positive impression of both places."She's an adopted Merthyr girl, the people there love her and she loves the town as well." You can catch up with Lucy's full interview with Jonny Owen on BBC Sounds.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Private refuse collector fined £2,000 after he simply left piles of clients' rubbish among his own bins instead of proper sites
A private refuse collector has been fined more than £2,000 for dumping piles of rubbish outside his front door instead of taking it to a proper disposal site. Daniel Morgan, 34, charged people to take away their old furniture, ripped-out kitchens and tyres. Morgan - who operated business Dan's Disposable Services - had already been warned after complaints about him leaving bulky items including a three-piece-sofa, kitchen work tops and window frames outside his door. But Morgan carried on using the pavement in Sunnybank Street in Aberdare, South Wales, 'as a refuse skip' despite the warnings. A court heard the dumped rubbish took up the full length of the property and made the public footpath completely impassable. Images show how Morgan left a heap of tyres, door frames and huge bags of building waste that completely blocked the pavement for pedestrians. A third complaint was then received - and council officials found panes of glass, a mirror, a builder's tonne sack full of waste, worktops, a broken-up sofa frame and springs, cushioned seating and a plastic patio chair. Mr Morgan was issued with a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice - but ignored it along with another three. Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court fined him a total of £1000, £770 costs and £400 Victim Surcharge, totalling £2170. He denied fly-tipping but failed to turn up to court. Councillor Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure said: 'We didn't have to travel far to find the offender in this case as he chose to literally mess on his own doorstep and ruin the street for his neighbours and wider community. 'Despite a number of warnings, Mr Morgan chose to continue using the public highway as his own personal skip. 'Not only were the items unsightly, but they were unsecured and dangerous to the public.'
The Advertiser
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
'Holy sh**!' Cessnock man claims $30 million Powerball win
A Cessnock man has claimed a $30 million Powerball win after buying a ticket from Aberdare. The man held the only division one winning entry in Powerball draw 1512 on Thursday, May 8. He pocketed the entire $30 million jackpot. An official from The Lott reached out to the unsuspecting new multi-millionaire after the draw. "Holy shit!" the man said. "Bless you, man! Bless you!" he added before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. "I just had this ticket on the fridge. I was looking at it this afternoon and thought, 'wouldn't it be lovely to win'. "The ticket was there with all the bills. There will be no more worrying about bills now. I don't care if I get a bill now! "I used to wonder what I'd do if I got a winning phone call, but now all I can do is shake! "I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight now. "I better take a breath or two." The winner shared he'd been through a bit of a "rough trot" of late but saw the win as a sign of good things to come for him and his family. "For a start, I'll look at buying a new house and looking after the family. Then, I'll take it from there," he said. "I'm going to ring my kids right now and tell them the news!" The man's winning 12-game QuickPick entry was purchased at Shell Aberdare Newsagency. A Cessnock man has claimed a $30 million Powerball win after buying a ticket from Aberdare. The man held the only division one winning entry in Powerball draw 1512 on Thursday, May 8. He pocketed the entire $30 million jackpot. An official from The Lott reached out to the unsuspecting new multi-millionaire after the draw. "Holy shit!" the man said. "Bless you, man! Bless you!" he added before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. "I just had this ticket on the fridge. I was looking at it this afternoon and thought, 'wouldn't it be lovely to win'. "The ticket was there with all the bills. There will be no more worrying about bills now. I don't care if I get a bill now! "I used to wonder what I'd do if I got a winning phone call, but now all I can do is shake! "I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight now. "I better take a breath or two." The winner shared he'd been through a bit of a "rough trot" of late but saw the win as a sign of good things to come for him and his family. "For a start, I'll look at buying a new house and looking after the family. Then, I'll take it from there," he said. "I'm going to ring my kids right now and tell them the news!" The man's winning 12-game QuickPick entry was purchased at Shell Aberdare Newsagency. A Cessnock man has claimed a $30 million Powerball win after buying a ticket from Aberdare. The man held the only division one winning entry in Powerball draw 1512 on Thursday, May 8. He pocketed the entire $30 million jackpot. An official from The Lott reached out to the unsuspecting new multi-millionaire after the draw. "Holy shit!" the man said. "Bless you, man! Bless you!" he added before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. "I just had this ticket on the fridge. I was looking at it this afternoon and thought, 'wouldn't it be lovely to win'. "The ticket was there with all the bills. There will be no more worrying about bills now. I don't care if I get a bill now! "I used to wonder what I'd do if I got a winning phone call, but now all I can do is shake! "I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight now. "I better take a breath or two." The winner shared he'd been through a bit of a "rough trot" of late but saw the win as a sign of good things to come for him and his family. "For a start, I'll look at buying a new house and looking after the family. Then, I'll take it from there," he said. "I'm going to ring my kids right now and tell them the news!" The man's winning 12-game QuickPick entry was purchased at Shell Aberdare Newsagency. A Cessnock man has claimed a $30 million Powerball win after buying a ticket from Aberdare. The man held the only division one winning entry in Powerball draw 1512 on Thursday, May 8. He pocketed the entire $30 million jackpot. An official from The Lott reached out to the unsuspecting new multi-millionaire after the draw. "Holy shit!" the man said. "Bless you, man! Bless you!" he added before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. "I just had this ticket on the fridge. I was looking at it this afternoon and thought, 'wouldn't it be lovely to win'. "The ticket was there with all the bills. There will be no more worrying about bills now. I don't care if I get a bill now! "I used to wonder what I'd do if I got a winning phone call, but now all I can do is shake! "I don't think I'll get any sleep tonight now. "I better take a breath or two." The winner shared he'd been through a bit of a "rough trot" of late but saw the win as a sign of good things to come for him and his family. "For a start, I'll look at buying a new house and looking after the family. Then, I'll take it from there," he said. "I'm going to ring my kids right now and tell them the news!" The man's winning 12-game QuickPick entry was purchased at Shell Aberdare Newsagency.
