Here are the cheapest prices for petrol and diesel in Penarth , this week.
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The pitch was designed through extensive community consultation, with the aim of being a space for the entire community rather than for sole use by the club and its teams.
Aimed at addressing the “chronic shortage of all-weather sports facilities in Barry”, the site would support grassroots rugby and football teams alongside local schools, women’s and girls’ sport, disability and inclusive sport, and the wider community. The site would be available for all these groups to use year-round.
Speaking in January, Daniel Maggs, head of partnerships at Barry RFC, said: “This is about meeting a very real local need.
“We regularly hear from schools, clubs and community groups who simply can’t access suitable facilities in Barry, especially during the winter.
“A 3G pitch would transform participation, inclusion and consistency for sport across the town.”
Alongside this community initiative for sports teams across the town, they are also looking to transform the club into a space for the entire community.
The project aims to redevelop their clubhouse into a modern, inclusive community space that supports youth activity, health and wellbeing programmes, and wider community use.
A survey recently launched by the team to gauge the community’s feelings on the project and their needs has so far amassed more than 200 responses, with 98 per cent supporting the project overall.
84 per cent said that Barry “needs” hubs like the one the clubhouse would become, and 69 per cent said that they would use these facilities weekly or more.
A representative for the club said: “We’ve had a great response so far, with over 230 people taking part, and the message is clear – this is about more than rugby, it’s about creating a proper community hub for Barry.
“We’re already supporting things like the Warm Hub and local wellbeing groups, but the current clubhouse is at capacity.
“This project is about creating a modern, inclusive space that supports the community all year round, and the survey is key to helping us make that case for funding.”
Barry RFC is encouraging as many residents as possible to have their say by filling in the online survey, as this will directly support any upcoming funding applications to turn the project into reality.
Ethan Read, 21, is the head chef at the Golden Lion in Penarth – an award-winning pub better known until now for its match-day atmosphere than its menu.
Mr Read said: “It was just what everyone did in my family.
“We went into hospitality to get some money in – and I enjoyed it so much I never left.”
His route into the industry may sound familiar, but his rise through the ranks has been anything but typical.
After starting out as a line cook at the Elms, he was offered what was supposed to be a short-term stint up the road at the Golden Lion – a four-month placement that quickly turned into something much bigger.
He said: “I was a line cook at the Elms and Jon [Bassett, JW Bassett Pubs CEO and founder] asked if I wanted to come up here for four months.
“I thought, why not?”
He began working behind the bar before being thrown into the kitchen during a busy shift – and everything changed from there.
Mr Read said: “I just really enjoyed it as I developed.
“When I got the chance to come up here and run my own pub, I jumped at the chance.
“Not many people my age get that kind of responsibility.”
The Golden Lion, located on Glebe Street, has long been a drinkers’ favourite in Penarth – known for its noisy, old-school charm, well-kept ales, and a loyal crowd of regulars.
But behind the scenes, a culinary refresh quietly took root under Mr Read’s direction.
He said: “It’s a nice small kitchen – I feel like I’ve got control.
“I’ve got the ability to make my ideas happen.”
He values the personal connection with the pub’s regulars, adding: “We can change methods to suit them and that freedom is great.”
His respect for the community extends to the workplace, where he credits much of the pub’s success to teamwork.
The Golden Lion recently passed its first official food hygiene inspection under Mr Read, following months of internal checks.
He said: “We always do monthly inspections to prepare, but this was the first official one since I started.
“It went swimmingly.”
When asked about his signature dish, he named his chicken curry off the bone – a classic pub staple he enjoys cooking and eating.
“It’s my favourite to eat and cook,” he said. “Everyone knows it and loves it, which is a major plus.”
Here are the cheapest prices for petrol and diesel in Barry, this week.
The money-saving expert says many travellers unknowingly make the wrong choice at cash machines and checkouts – one that hands control of the exchange rate to foreign banks or retailers.
It’s a quick tap most people don’t think twice about, but over the course of a trip, it can quietly add up.
According to Lewis, the fix is straightforward – and getting it right could make a noticeable difference to how much you spend while away.
The quick tap that can cost you
When paying or withdrawing cash abroad, you’re often asked whether you want to be charged in pounds or the local currency.
“When you go abroad and you pay on plastic and the overseas cash machine or shop asks you, do you want to pay in pounds or euros, what do you do?” he said.
“The correct answer is you should always pay in euros, or whatever the local currency is, because that means it’s your plastic that’s doing the exchange rate conversion, not the overseas shop or ATM.”
He added that even standard UK cards often still work out better overall than letting foreign machines set the rate themselves.
“Even a bog-standard UK credit or debit card… is beating most overseas ATMs or shops’ exchange rates,” he said, based on his testing.
His advice is simple: stick with the local currency every time, whether that is euros, dollars, or even dong when travelling further afield.
It might seem easier to pick pounds, but that’s where people go wrong.
Lewis says the rule is simple: always choose the local currency – whether that’s euros, dollars, or anything else.
By doing this, your own bank or card provider handles the conversion, which is typically more competitive than the rates offered by foreign ATMs or retailers.
Even standard UK debit or credit cards can outperform the exchange rates set by overseas machines, meaning that one small choice could save you money every time you use your card.
Why dynamic currency conversion adds up
The trap is known as “dynamic currency conversion.” It’s designed to feel convenient, showing you exactly what you’ll pay in pounds — but that clarity often comes at a cost.
The exchange rate used is usually less favourable, and extra fees can be baked in without being obvious.
While a single transaction might not seem like a big deal, repeated spending – meals, transport, shopping – can quickly add up over a holiday.
A spokesperson for travel experts Ski Vertigo added: “This is a mistake many travellers make without realising. The option to pay in pounds can seem like the easier or more familiar choice, but it often comes with a less favourable exchange rate and extra charges built in.
“Those small decisions each time you make a withdrawal may seem minor, but they can quietly add up across several days of spending.”
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Travel experts also warn that many people don’t check their card’s foreign usage fees before leaving the UK, which can further increase costs.
If you’re travelling abroad, the advice is straightforward: always pay in the local currency.
It might feel counterintuitive at first, but that one choice can help you avoid hidden charges and get a better deal throughout your trip.
The shop is putting on talks by celebrity foodies Matty O’Brien and Claudine Boulstridge.
Matty, well known for “fire-stoked” food at his backyard supper club in Penarth, has recently brought out his debut cook book, Boots and Bare Hands, after his cooking caught the attention of Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt.
The chef will be joined by broadcaster and Bar44 co-founder Owen Morgan in a talk at the Paget Rooms in Penarth on Wednesday, May 6, at 7.30pm.
Matty’s story is an “unconventional” one, who two years ago would run pop-up events from a household oven and a single chip tray to now owning ten smokers in his garden.
His outdoor “Cue Fine Dining” experiences have made his Penarth cul-de-sac a must-visit destination for food lovers.
Griffin Books is also hosting a book launch for Claudine Boulstridge on Thursday, June 4.
The British-French chef, mother-of-three, and taste-tester for Yotam Ottolenghi will be sharing stories about her background as a chef and Ottolenghi taste-tester, as well as providing culinary solutions for health-conscious, time-pressed families.
Claudine’s approach is centred around elevating everyday meals into vibrant, healthy, and flavourful dishes that are suitable for children and adults.
Her book, titled Family: Simple, healthy recipes for everyone, is filled with recipes and meal ideas aimed at making family mealtimes more delicious and enjoyable.
For those who enjoy fine dining and innovative culinary experiences, Griffin Books’ events with Matty O’Brien and Claudine Boulstridge promise to be a feast for the senses.
Tickets can be purchased at the Griffin Books website or via the shop at 9-9a Windsor Road, Penarth.
The shop at 27 Harvey Street, on the corner with Quarella Road, Cadoxton, is a relative mystery. I posted on our Barry and District Museumeers page, and not many people could remember it as a shop, until our page expert found a few nice facts.
But, before we look at this research let’s look at the fabric of the building and where it fits on the old maps.
Although the building that we discuss this week at 27 Harvey Street is shown as standing, it is not marked as a shop in 1898 or 1915 on the Ordnance Survey; this is not surprising either. Most shops were not marked on maps at the turn of the 1900s.
I realised there was something special about 27 Harvey Street, as it has lots of blocked up windows and doors. The large partially blocked up window that faces Quarella Road looks like one that was used to display products, sold from a shop. The Quarella Road frontage uses primarily local yellow bricks from one of the many Cadoxton brickworks from the late 1880s. Terracotta red brick in string courses stretching around to Harvey Street is also used, and on the ground floor level plinth as well, alternating with the yellow bricks for windows and doorway detail.
The corner of Harvey Street with Quarella Road isn’t angular, but creates its own frontage. This frontage shows evidence of a former narrow door blocked up, using a different stone work than the blue Lias limestone that survives as five courses above the former doorway below. Above this is a clearly blocked window, the same stone used to block the doorway.
Here on the corner frontage, at first floor level, as with windows and the doorway on the Harvey Street front, are fine terracotta keystone bricks. In relief on the keystone is a flush of leaf detail.
Three other points: Looking at the Harvey Street frontage, this uses Lias limestone instead of yellow brick, except for windows and doorway detail. There is also a large blocked up window using a different stonework than that surrounding it. This window is very shop like. The chimneys of red and yellow brick are ornate.
Now over to what our Barry and District Museumeers said. The first sign that saw some sanity in my thinking of this building being a shop was from Sandra Campbell, who used to buy ‘toffee dabs’ from there in 1955, from an Ethel Green. However, Angela Palmer, who lived at 27 Harvey Street in the 1980s, told us it had previously been a family home for 25 years. However, more confusion?
Nino Spiteri did remember 27 Harvey Street as a shop in the 1970s. It was his friend’s parents’ shop. But the confusion is answered, as whoever ran the shop lived above.
Now some last-minute gems from the star of the show, John Anzevino of the Barry and District Museumeers. It was a shop! For in the Barry Dock News of August 7, 1891, Martel and Barker was the name of the shop at 27 Harvey Street! “The Noted Shop for Home-knitted Stockings and Real Scotch Wools. A large assortment of Gentlemen’s, Ladies’ and Children’s Socks and Stockings at a very low price.” The shop claimed in 1891 that it was ‘the sole Agents for the Sketchley Dye Works.’
But, as reported in the Barry Dock news of November 16, 1894, the shop was up for let! Known at that stage as The Central Stores. According to the Barry and District Newspaper of the day, it was “Suitable for Grocery Business. Shop complete with Fixtures and Gas Fittings. Convenient Dwelling House and Back Premises.”
On a final note this week, the Barry Dock News of November 12, 1897, tells us that a John Evans at our 27 Harvey Street shop was fined five shillings for the illegal sale of fireworks. The fireworks were exposed for sale in the window of his shop without a license. As a forensic archaeologist and film maker, I love this detail, this proves that they were blocked up shop windows after-all!
Deepest thanks for continuing to read this weekly column, and if you have any stories for us on the shop at 27 Harvey Street, email me: Karljlangford@hotmail.com
Penarth Men’s Shed will host a session titled Healthy Food Healthy Mood at Penarth Yacht Club on Wednesday, May 6, between 10am and 12pm, exploring the connection between nutrition and mental health.
Dietician Phil Addicott will lead the discussion.
The group is very pleased that Mr Addicott is able to join them to lead a chat on this essential men’s health topic.
As always, there will also be time for tea and general chat.
Details of future meetings will be shared on the group’s social media.
The Bear’s Head has unveiled a refreshed line‑up of dishes with a focus on high‑quality food, strong value for money and a commitment to Welsh products and suppliers, aiming to create a more locally rooted, community‑led dining experience.
Lunchtime diners can choose from four pub classics for £5, while a £9.95 meal deal offers a sandwich or baguette served with a side and a drink. Jacket potatoes are also on the menu for £6.25, with a choice of six toppings.
The Bear’s Head is also introducing five weekday offers, each pairing a meal with a drink for £12.95 to provide value and variety throughout the week.
Starters, listed under “Croeso Tasters”, showcase Welsh classics or dishes built around Welsh ingredients, including Welsh rarebit and leek on toast, Wrexham beer‑battered goujons and mozzarella fries served with Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm baconator BBQ sauce.
Sundays will feature hearty, family‑style roasts such as Welsh leg of lamb, Welsh topside of beef, turkey and Vegan Wellington, all served with the pub’s signature Croeso baked leek gratin made with Teifi smoked cheese, alongside traditional trimmings.
Executive chef Jamie Newman said the launch marked The Bear’s Head’s ambition to be “a true community hub where quality food, Welsh pride, and great value come together”.
He added: “Great food doesn’t have to be expensive, it just needs to be honest, well‑sourced, and rooted in the best of Welsh produce.”
The Bear’s Head is one of nine venues owned by Croeso Pub Ltd, which also runs Cardiff city centre spots The Philharmonic and Retro nightclub, as well as Brewhouse, Blue Bell, The Dock at Mermaid Quay, The Cricketers in Pontcanna and The Discovery in Lakeside.
Croeso area director Michael Haygarth said: “Almost two years on from taking over The Bear’s Head, we’re proud to see it evolve as part of the Croeso community pub brand.
This new menu is all about celebrating Welsh suppliers, delivering real value for our guests, and creating a place where the local community can come together and enjoy great food in a welcoming setting.”
Bookings can be made via the pub’s website at : https://thebearshead.co.uk/
Thursday will start with some patchy clouds clearing up in the early hours. Temperatures will fall to the lower single digits at this time, with a few frosty patches. High ground areas are likely to experience gusty conditions.
This will lead to a bright, dry, and sunny day with temperatures hitting a balmy 20°C.
Forecasters say high pressure will dominate the weather on Friday and throughout the weekend.
This brings dry and steady weather conditions on Friday, with no clouds to spoil the sunny skies. Temperatures will peak at 20°C, only dipping once the sun sets.
As we approach the weekend, the weather will remain warm and sunny, with light winds on Saturday. It will echo the day before, providing sun and no chance of rain, with temperatures reaching a crest to 20°C mid-afternoon.
Sunday can expect a little more cloud cover. This slight change will cause temperatures to decrease slightly. Despite this decrease in sunshine, the day will remain moderately warm and will stay cloudy into the evening and night, with temperatures reaching a high of 20°C.
The weather will shift back to sunny conditions on Monday. There will be no rain, and the day will start relatively cold, warming up to 19°C by mid-afternoon.