FOR HOLYHEAD EVENTS 2010 click below www.holyheadforward.com/wisscms-en-223.aspx
TRADITIONAL SAILING FESTIVAL RETURNS - the Gaff-Rig sailing festival has returned to Holyhead for the third year, with various events on land and sea over the weekend of 3rd/4th/5th September. Various activities of interst to visitors and families are being held on the Saturday and Sunday, including a mock battle.
FOUR CRUISE SHIPS IN FOUR DAYS - the first week in September saw visits by four cruise ships on consecutive days, including the Crystal Symphony, Europa, Prinsendam, and Europa. Events were held in the town centre for the largest ship visits, which were also enjoyed by many local people.
£70M UNDERSEA TURBINES PLAN ON DISPLAY - Holyhead Town Hall hosted an exhibition for the planned Skerries Tidal Stream Array, a major new renewable energy project which aims to tap into strong marine currents, and which lists proximity to Holyhead Port as a key consideration. The consultation by Sea Generation (Wales) Ltd was held on Monday 23rd August 2-8pm and Tuesday 24th August 9am-2pm. See www.marineturbines.com for further details.
TOWN WELCOMES WESTERDAM - a variety of events and activities in the town centre on Saturday 7th August drew large numbers of cruise passengers, tourists, and local people. There will be a steam train excursion to Holyhead on Sunday 8th August.
NEW VISITOR CENTRE - a new visitor centre has been opened in the High Street, providing information, gifts and crafts for sale. It is a summer pilot scheme run by Plas Cybi Partnership and Menter a Busnes, and funded by Anglesey County Council, the Assembly, and EU. See Plas Cybi website for further details www.plascybi.co.uk
HOLYHEAD WINS WALES IN BLOOM - Holyhead has been awarded first place in the medium size town category of the Wales in Bloom competition for 2010. Judges were very impressed by the work of Plas Cybi Partnership's environmental team around the town.
NEW CHAIR FOR REGENERATION BOARD - Councillor John Chorlton was elected as Holyhead Forward Board Chair on the 1st July 2010.
ANGLESEY ARMED FORCES DAY 2010 - Saturday 19th June - A major armed forces event took place in Holyhead which provided a great day out for families in the town. Events included VC remenbrance, flag raising, parade through town centre, exhibitions, activities, and fairground, beating the retreat, and visit by HMS Shoreham mine hunter.
NETTO TO BECOME ASDA ?- Netto stores across the UK have been bought by Asda, raising the possibility of the Holyhead store at A55 junction 1 becoming an Asda.
TALL SHIP VISITS BUT CRUISE SHIP CANCELS - the impressive Irish three masted vessel Artemis is due to call into Holyhead Marina on Tuesday 1st June. Two small cruise ships will visit over the bank holiday weekend but the planned visit by the larger Deutschland cruise ship later that week has been cancelled due to "technical problems" - her engine went on fire whilst visiting Norway.
WILKINSONS MAKEOVER - The Holyhead Wilkinsons is receiving an image revamp and the new-look store will be officially re-opened on Thursday 3th June 2010.
DUNKIRK FERRY LOSS 70th ANNIVERSARY - the 1st June will be the 70th anniversary of the sinking of the Holyhead ferry Scotia which was requisitioned by the Navy to carry troops to France in 1940. On her third trip to evacuate troops from Dunkirk she was sunk by a dive bomber with great loss of life. Special free entry offer applies 29th May to 4th June 2010 to those who complete and hand in a tourism questionnaire. See Maritime Museum website for further information on the Scotia : www.holyheadmaritimemuseum.co.uk/page7.htm and for the captain's account of the day see www.holyhead.com/hmsscotia/index.html
FOUR TOWN MARKETING PROJECT LAUNCHED - The BRAND initiative to rebrand and promote Holyhead, Rhyl, Dun Laoghaire and Athy was officially launched on the 18th May 2010. The scheme is 75% funded by the EU Interreg programme, and the Holyhead element is supported by Anglesey County and Holyhead Town Councils and the Welsh Assembly Government. Over 80 people attended the Holyhead Rebranding Workshop at the Ucheldre Centre on the 25th May. This identified key local priorities and a report on this event is in preparation.
PARC CYBI DEVELOPMENT APPROVED - Anglesey Planning Committee has supported an application by developers Conygar for major new distribution and office premises on the Parc Cybi business park at A55 Junction 2. It is estimated that the scheme will cost about £10m and create up to 450 jobs. May
STEAM TRAIN TO HOLYHEAD- The first of three steam train visits to Holyhead during 2010 arrived on Saturday 24th April. The 400 passenger train from Lincoln was steam hauled by the 6233 Duchess of Sutherland engine.
BREAKWATER PARK REVAMP PLANNED - Plans for upgrading the country park were on show there on Saturday 24th April 12noon-4pm and the public gave views and ideas.
FERRIES BUSY AS VOLCANO GROUNDS PLANES - The grounding of all flights due to Icelandic volcano dust has resulted in a massive increase in ferry usage through Holyhead. Singer Whitney Houston sailed on the Stena Nordica from Holyhead to reach a concert in Dublin.
PRINCE WILLIAM TO SERVE AT RAF VALLEY - It has been confirmd that Flt Lt Wales is likely to be stationed at RAF Valley near Holyhead for three years, engaged in helicopter search and rescue operations, following his current training there in Sea Kings.
TOWN MARKETING PROJECT - Siwan Owens from Valley has been appointed as Holyhead Marketing Officer. She will lead the new Holyhead Vision town image and rebranding project, part of the EU Interreg funded BRAND partnership between the four towns of Holyhead, Rhyl, Dun Laoghaire, and Athy. Apr
FIBRE OPTIC LINK TO DUBLIN - Dublin-based Sea Fibre Networks Ltd has applied for marine consent to lay a new fibre-optic cable between Ireland and the UK, landing at Porth Dafarch near Holyhead. The new cable will link the Irish Republic to the existing fibre optic cable that runs from Holyhead to Manchester, improving links to London, Europe and beyond. Plans have been placed for viewing in Holyhead Library. The company's trading name is CeltixConnect. See weblink www.celtixconnect.com Apr
BIOMASS COMMENTS INVITED - Environment Agency Wales are inviting th public to comment on the proposal by Anglesey Aluminium Renewables Ltd for an environmental permit to operate a major biomass power plant fuelled by wood chips. Comments are invited by 28th May 2010. See weblink here www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/consultations/117702.aspx Summary project information is available on www.angleseyaluminium.co.uk/Biomass.htm
MARINE RENEWABLES PLANS ON SHOW - Energy company Centrica is developing ideas for a major windfarm in the Irish Sea between Anglesey and the Isle of Man. Holyhead may play a key role in building and servicing the project. An exhibition took place in Holyhead on Tuesday 20th April 2010. See link below to Centrica website with site map www.centricaenergy.com/index.asp?pageid=21&area=round3developments
TOP SITE FOR POWER STATION - Horizon, a joint venture by giant energy firms RWE and E.on, is expected to announce Anglesey as its preferred UK site to build a new nuclear power station by 2020. The circa £7billion investment is expected to create thousands of construction jobs and about 800 permanent jobs. Holyhead is the nearest main town, located about 15 miles by road from the Wylfa site. Link to Horizon website www.horizonnuclearpower.com/wylfa.php
BUSINESSES WELCOME RATE EXEMPTION - Holyhead Chamber of Commerce has welcomed the application to Wales of the recent budget announcement of additional small business rate relief for 12 months from October 2010. Small business premises will be fully exempt, with partial exemption for intermediate sized premises.
NEW MENSWEAR SHOP OPENS IN OLD BUILDING - A much requested new men's clothing shop has opened in a historic building in the town centre. Ace 4 Men is the only solely menswear shop in Holyhead, and is located in a recently refurbished building in Market Square, part of which is 1,700 years old.
TOWNSCAPE HERITAGE PROJECT - Following approval to start by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Anglesey Country Council's Planning Service are in the process of appointing a historic buildings expert to manage the new £3m Holyhead Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) which covers the town centre.
BIG PLANS FOR MARKET HALL - A planning application has been made to convert the historic Market Hall into a play centre with cafe/ restaurant on the ground floor, with 11 flats above, together with a new-built block of 11 flats on land to the side. Mar
WIND TURBINE FACTORY PLAN - Peter Hain MP, the Secretary of State for Wales, has revealed that proposals are under consideration to create a major wind turbine manufacturing facility at the Anglesey Aluminium site. Feb
MORE CRUISE SHIPS - A record thirteen cruise ships have booked to visit Holyhead during 2010 bringing over 7,000 passengers. There will also be also three steam train excursions to Holyhead. Eleven ships have already booked for 2011 involving some 15,000 passengers. Mar
TESCO EXPANSION APPROVED - A planning application for a major expansion and remodelling of the existing Tesco store in Holyhead has been supported by Anglesey County Council.
NORTH WALES TOURISM PLAN - A new regional tourism plan has been supported by the County Council. It identifies Holyhead as a specific tourism hub, including the development of a new cruise ship terminal.
MARINE ENERGY PROJECTS - Two massive renewable energy project plans for sea areas near Holyhead have taken a stage forward. Seven Seagen underwater marine current turbines are proposed near the Skerries by MCT / npower - investors including the Carbon Trust have now agreed to help move the project forward. Further north, the Crown Estate has awarded a license to Centrica Renewable Energy to site 840 marine wind turbines. Holyhead may play a role in helping to build and service these projects.
CHANGE TO STENA FAST FERRY SERVICE - The large HSS Explorer will in future only operate during the summer months (June 28 - September 5), being replaced during the rest of the year by the smaller Stena Express ferry, which currently operates between Fishguard and Rosslare. No redundancies are expected due to the change.