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Wales Online
13-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Concerns over building firm hired to work on beloved Welsh attraction
Concerns over building firm hired to work on beloved Welsh attraction A whistleblower fears the project could 'turn into an absolute farce' Castell Coch in Tongwynlais, Cardiff (Image: Matthew Horwood/Getty ) Concerns have been raised over the choice of subcontractor for a key conservation project at a beloved Welsh tourist attraction. SSH Conservation Ltd – which last month changed its name to AAT (2025) Ltd – recently fell into administration owing more than £1.25m. A new company, led by one of the same directors, has taken on the SSH Conservation Ltd name and landed a major contract to work on Castell Coch, a 19th-century Gothic Revival castle in Tongwynlais, north Cardiff. The older firm's debts include £956,576 owed to the taxman but the Welsh Government says it has been assured "all necessary due diligence" was carried out in the tender. The Grade I-listed landmark is controlled by Cadw, the Welsh Government's historic environment service, which has contracted a £2.52m conservation job involving the castle's well and kitchen towers to John Weaver Contractors Ltd – which in turn has now subcontracted a portion of the upcoming work to SSH. A source close to the project claimed to WalesOnline that the value of the work contracted to SSH is around £500,000. Companies House paperwork lists the older company's debts as totalling £1,256,834 to some 86 creditors including various small businesses and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC). "Employees" are listed as unsecured creditors owed £44,188. Article continues below "The company had 21 employees," the administrators wrote last month. "However as a result of the administration they have all been made redundant." The new SSH was registered on Companies House in January as 'Abacus Building Conservation' before adopting its current name last month. It has yet to file accounts. The sole director is 51-year-old Jacob Motley, who is one of the three directors of the older business. Our source voiced concern the project could "turn into an absolute farce" if the new firm encounters difficulties. A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "Following a rigid procurement and appointment process Cadw contracted John Weavers Contractors (JWC) as the main contractors in 2024 to carry out conservation work to the well and kitchen towers of Castell Coch. "Subsequent tender processes for domestic subcontractors were managed internally by JWC and one of the appointed subcontractors is SSH Conservation, who this year will be undertaking repointing, masonry repairs, and dismantling and rebuilding chimneys on both towers and have the necessary skills to undertake this specialist work." She added: "JWC have provided full assurances to Cadw that all necessary due diligence had been carried out." In a statement last month AAT's administrators, FRP Advisory, wrote that they did not believe the company could be rescued as a "going concern" due to "the level of historic debt". They went on: "In this administration it is proposed that the administrators will take the necessary steps to dissolve the company as it is not anticipated there will be any funds available for distribution to unsecured creditors." Why did the firm fall into administration? In a summary of AAT's struggles its administrators wrote last month: "The company was acquired by the current director in 2022 by way of management buyout and shortly thereafter began experiencing financial difficulties when it fell into arrears with HMRC and entered into a time-to-pay arrangement. "Escalating costs together with losses on some projects caused the company to reach a point where it breached the arrangement. "Its financial statements show that in the year ended March 31, 2024, it had a turnover of some £7.2m but reported a loss of £466,000. The directors sought advice from insolvency practitioners at FRP Advisory but owing to its insurmountable liabilities the company was placed into administration on April 22, 2025." Sally Strachey Historic Conservation Ltd was formed in Somerset in 2010 and shortened its name to SSH Conservation last year before changing its name to AAT last month. The SSH website says: "We undertake the repair and conservation of historic fabric across a range of projects that incorporate architectural stonework, archaeological sites, museum pieces, church monuments, historic plaster and render, sculpture, polychrome, and decorative surfaces." The conservation project is anticipated to take two years from when it began in April 2024. "Very damp conditions" in the well tower had been "damaging the fabric of the building", says Cadw. SSH and JWC declined to respond to questions. Article continues below If you know of a story we should be investigating email us at
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Oasis fans in Manchester get good news compared to Cardiff gigs
Oasis fans in Manchester get good news compared to Cardiff gigs The band's loyal supporters have been greeted by a welcome announcement when entering the gig venue Heaton Park Oasis fans sing in the street with a pre-gig drink ahead of the Oasis Live '25 Tour at the Principality Stadium (Image: Matthew Horwood ) Oasis fans attending the band's second leg of their reunion tour in Manchester have received welcome news ahead of tonight's opening gig at Heaton Park. After outcry over the prices of a pint at the Principality Stadium, drinks prices are going to be far lower for the second set of gigs. Liam and Noel Gallagher are back in their hometown ready to perform the first of five gigs at Heaton Park. They will perform there on Friday, July 11 and Saturday, July 12. They will then return to perform there on Wednesday, July 16, Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20. It follows their historic first gigs on stage together in 16 years at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. And those attending the outdoor gigs will have to fork out less money at the bar than those who attended their gigs in the Welsh capital. A pint of lager and cider is priced at £6.50 for those attending Heaton Park shows. This is a marked difference from the Cardiff shows, where a pint of beer was priced at £8.20 and a half £4.10. It wasn't the only place that fans were stung over drinks prices in Cardiff, as fans voiced their discontent after nearby Wetherspoons establishments, which implemented a price surge at three of its pubs in the centre of the city. Article continues below Despite the inflated prices, for drinks as well as tickets, fans filtering out of the Principality Stadium gave glowing reviews to our reporters, describing it as "the best gig ever", "ten out of ten" and "worth every penny." Others described it as "absolutely amazing" and "an emotional, out of body experience." The media also lauded the return of the band, with publications across the world united in its assessments to give the gig five stars. This included WalesOnline's Kathryn Williams who described Liam's voice as "faultless." The city was abuzz with Oasis fever for an entire weekend, with merchandise stores, an exhibition of priceless items displayed and its music pumping out of most pubs. Tickets for the Oasis reunion sold out across all venues due to huge demand when they went online earlier in the year. However, there are still several options available for fans trying to snag a last-minute spot. Limited last-minute tickets can be bought from the official Ticketmaster resale site, where fans who can no longer go can sell their seats, although these tend to go in and out of stock quickly. Viagogo and resale tickets Sites such as viagogo, Stubhub, and Vivid Seats allow fans to buy resale tickets from other fans. However, it is important to note that ticket conditions often prohibit resale after initial purchase. Those tickets may not be valid for admittance to gigs. Fans intending to buy tickets for live events through resale websites should check the ticket terms and conditions, to confirm whether resale is prohibited, before they buy. Ticket terms and conditions can be checked with the original seller, such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation. If resale is prohibited, tickets bought second-hand could be voided and admission to the event refused. Elsewhere, resale sites like Viagogo, Vivid Seats, StubHub, and Twickets are selling tickets for various dates with prices from £121, although fans should always bear in mind that many official sites, such as Ticketmaster and Live Nation, discourage the purchase of resale tickets. Article continues below
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Number of long term empty properties in Merthyr brought back into use last year
Number of long term empty properties in Merthyr brought back into use last year The council's target is to bring 7% back into use each year and 200 over the course of the period covered by their strategy Open space improvements, new council vehicles and a temporary alteration to a section of road are among the projects set to be funded by this Community Infrastructure Levy funding (Image: Mirrorpix ) The council brought 43 long-term empty homes in Merthyr Tydfil back into use over the last financial year. Figures from a cabinet report on the council's empty homes strategy show that 43 out of 540 (8%) long term empty properties in the county borough were brought back into use through direct action from the council in 2024-25 with the aim of the strategy which covers 2022 to 2026 being to bring 7% of empty properties back into use each year. The specific target within the strategy is to bring a further 200 empty properties back into use. In 2023-24 a total of 39 of 529 (7.37%) long-term properties were brought back into use via direct council action and the figure for 2022-23 was 41 out of 582 (7.04%). The report says the council is making 'good progress' in towards achieving the aim of the strategy and has updated its action plan around bringing long-term empty homes – defined as those left vacant for more than six months – back into use. The strategy emphasises that there are several ways in which council officers can bring empty homes back into use which come under four main categories: engagement, advice and assistance, financial assistance and support, and enforcement action. Article continues below Number of homes Merthyr Tydfil needs outlined in report Some of the actions the council is taking include setting up an officer-led steering group and re-drafting and launching of the council web page with information relating to empty homes into one easily found page. Other actions include a communication plan which includes monthly social media posts in relation to subjects associated with the strategy and providing contact details of registered social landlords who have indicated they would consider purchase/leasing empty homes on the empty homes web page. To get all the latest Merthyr Tydfil news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here. The council is also writing to all owners of empty properties every other year to engage and offer support to bring properties back into use but the updated action plan includes contacting owners on an annual basis. The council has carried out a risk assessment of all empty properties that have been empty for more than 10 years and has participated in the national empty homes grant scheme which has brought 11 properties back into use. Latest council figures show 43 long term empty properties were brought back into use through direct council action last year (Image: Matthew Horwood ) It has also participated in property improvement loan schemes and it has introduced council tax premiums on empty properties. Article continues below Where engagement, advice, financial assistance and support have failed to bring properties back into beneficial use enforcement may be the only tool left, the report said. The strategy includes 'priority scoring' for the most problematic empty homes based on a set of factors that takes into consideration the risk of leaving the home empty. Following a risk assessment in December 2024 six properties empty for more than 10 years were considered to be high-risk.
Wales Online
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Plans for all voters in Wales to be registered in time for the next election in doubt
Plans for all voters in Wales to be registered in time for the next election in doubt The First Minister says there needs to be 'realism' over targets Changes were touted ahead of the Senedd election in 2026 but they look less likely (Image: Matthew Horwood ) Plans for people to automatically registered to vote before the next election appear to be in doubt. Currently, people have to register to vote themselves. Councils then have to contact households to check whether the existing electoral register is accurate, identify new voters, and invite residents to apply to be on the register. But, the plan for Wales is that voters would no longer have to register themselves to be eligible to vote. The hope is that would increase the numbers registered by 400,000. Pilot schemes have been taking place in Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd, Newport and Powys. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here In the full meeting of Senedd members on Tuesday, July 8, Plaid Cymru MS Adam Price asked the First Minister Eluned Morgan: "The former Counsel General who led on the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill was clear and unequivocal throughout that process that the automatic registration would be in place by the Senedd election. "For example, he told the Local Government and Housing Committee 'the 2026 elections will be quite different, because you'll have an automatic register'. "Does that commitment still stand?" Article continues below Ms Morgan replied there were "hurdles to overcome" to get it in place before the Senedd election in May 2026. She said: "The regulations passed by the Senedd mean that the pilots run until the end of September, and after that the Electoral Commission is going to be evaluating them by December. "I think we've got to be realistic and practical about what that means in practice, because there will be quite a lot of work to be done before there's an ability to roll them out nationally. "I think it is important to manage expectations around the ability to roll out those automatic registrations in time for the next election. I think there are many hurdles to overcome. "There will be a need for us and local authorities to properly consider the Electoral Commission's evaluation. There'll be a need to bring forward necessary secondary legislation. "We'll need to think carefully about applying the Gould principle [whereby electoral law should not be changed within six months of an election that the change would impact] and there'll be a need to make changes to software systems. Article continues below "All of those things are quite complicated, and I think that it's going to be a tall order to ask within about three months. "Local authorities have made it clear that they think that might be very difficult, and, obviously, the Electoral Commission will want to take their time to make sure that they get it right."
Scotsman
08-07-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
How renewable energy can turn cost-of-living crisis into cost-of-living miracle
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In October 2021, energy regulator Ofgem raised the annual price cap for the average household by £139 to £1,277, citing a 50 per cent increase in the price of wholesale gas. At that time, charity National Energy Action estimated 4.5 million UK households were experiencing fuel poverty. In February the following year, Vladimir Putin sent Russian forces to invade Ukraine, prompting oil and gas prices to skyrocket. The following October, after the then Conservative government had provided billions of pounds in support to help people pay their bills, the average energy bill hit £2,500. It would have been even higher, at £3,549, had the government not intervened. By this time, an estimated 6.7 million out of 28.4 million households were in fuel poverty. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The energy crisis also caused food prices to soar, with a kilo of sugar rising from 69p in April 2021 to £1.19 in April 2024, a tin of baked beans going up from 65p to £1.04, and a kilo of white potatoes rising from 59p to 88p, according to the Office for National Statistics. READ MORE: GB Energy to take Scandinavian inspiration to become power company amid renewable slowdown alarm High energy costs resulted in prices for everyday good rising dramatically and contributed to the general flatlining of the UK economy (Picture: Matthew Horwood) | Getty Images UK economy flatlined Suddenly, everything required to keep body and soul together had become a lot more expensive and costs remain high to this day. No wonder people feel stressed out, angry and fed up with politicians struggling to find a solution to their problems. The extraordinary rises in energy and other prices also affected businesses who faced difficult decisions over whether to pass on the extra costs to customers by increasing their prices, risking lower sales, or absorb the blow themselves. Partly as a result of this, the UK economy basically flatlined, experiencing a shallow recession in the last six months of 2023, and it has been struggling to return to decent growth rates ever since. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rishi Sunak may wonder whether he would still be Prime Minister if Putin hadn't launched his invasion. For all the talk about 'stopping the boats', governments usually stand or fall on the strength of the economy. READ MORE: Eight in 10 Scottish small businesses cite barriers to growth Wind turbines should be viewed as a symbol of hope (Picture: William Edwards) | AFP via Getty Images The opposite of a cost-of-living crisis However, there is another way of looking at this. The crisis showed that the price of energy has an extraordinarily large influence on our lives and livelihoods. So what if domestic bills, instead of doubling over the space of a year, could be cut in half? Think of the transformational effects this would have as the country effectively experienced the opposite of the cost-of-living crisis – perhaps a cost-of-living miracle? Of course, I'm not suggesting that anything as extraordinary as that is about to happen, but the UK Government is looking at ways to reduce energy costs and is focussing on the difference that renewable energy can make. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad While comparing prices between different sources of electricity generation is complicated, a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero study found that new, large-scale, solar power projects can produce electricity at a cost of £41 per megawatt hour (MWh), new offshore wind at about £44/MWh and new onshore wind at £38/MWh – all of which are well below half the £114/MWh for electricity produced by new gas-fired power stations. The reason why our electricity bills remain so high despite the growth of renewable energy is that they are almost always set by the price of gas. Frustratingly, breaking this link appears to be much harder than it can seem to outsiders like me but, still, the potential is there, it is huge and there are many who can see it. 'Exciting, terrifying' pace of change Speaking to The Rest is Politics: Leading podcast, Emma Pinchbeck, chief executive of the UK and Scottish governments' independent advisors, the Climate Change Committee, said that 'based on ten years of working in the energy sector, I'm pretty confident that we're in the middle of the kind of energy transition that we last experienced at the turn of the industrial revolution. I cannot tell you how exciting, terrifying, fast the change in technologies were happening away from fossil fuels towards electrification. 'This isn't a Climate Change Committee view, though we've got cheap electricity in our modelling, it's an energy sector view. I cannot understand why any economy looking to grow – where energy is such a key input to everything else that you're trying to do, particularly after an energy crisis caused by volatile gas [prices] – would not be trying to make electricity as cheap as possible and taking advantage of the fact that we can have renewables...' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Net zero' not stupid There are steps along the way that need to be taken. For example, the National Grid is currently undergoing what it calls the 'Great Grid Upgrade' – with the aim of building 'five times more electricity transmission infrastructure over the next six years than has been constructed over the past three decades' – as part of the transition to clean energy. Tom McGarry, the Grid's deputy external affairs director, has said that this will 'help address the issue of rising energy costs' mainly caused by the 'volatility of the commodity cost of gas'. 'Having more renewables connected to the UK energy system will help overcome the price spikes we have seen recently, ensuring bills are more affordable in the long-term,' he added. Expensive energy has been trashing the UK economy for years. Renewables are unquestionably cheaper than fossil fuels and yet, for their own reasons, there are still politicians who talk about 'net stupid zero' and claim low-carbon energy is the reason why bills are high.
