Is the Vale Of Glamorgan Council Being Snobby? Let's Talk About Barry Island and Penarth Esplanade Car Parking Charges

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

So in the midst of nobody knowing what to do and as it looks as if the disunited kingdom is hurtling into a long dark Brexit of the soul I'm going to be talking about car parking charges am I? I certainly know how to keep  my finger on the pulse of a very sick group of nations.

But hey let's crack on because it's in a way a metaphor for Brexit.

I've spoken about the proposals by the Vale of Glamorgan council to impose car parking charges in the area before. Focusing specifically on it's effects on Barry Town. Arguing that it would be the first step turning it into the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town. Well this week the council are going to discuss the proposals.

Now nothing changes in what I said about it's effects on Barry Town. So let's focus instead on Barry Island and Penarth Esplanade. For those who've never been in either place Barry Island is the classic place of your imagination full of golden beaches (depending on the weather) and a funfair and all things seaside. Penarth Esplanade on the other hand is far more upmarket. With upmarket shops and restaurants nearby dominated by the pier (also containing amenities) which I always hesitate to go on for fear of looking down and my glasses falling off my face.

There is a beach. But compared to Barry Island it's really a strip of craggy nothing.

And I think you could work out which of the two is more popular.

So the issue of car parking charges is being discussed this week. And for the traders of Barry Island the focus is on the effect on their winter trade. With people who like the idea of walking along beaches on a cold January night looking at the bracing sea with the sort of mournful bittersweet way seen in movies. Either by themselves, a loved one or a dog (not me I'd have to stress - hypothermia on the beach is not the way I'd like to die and as regular readers will know never with a domesticated wolf by my side).

The argument of the traders is that it will put people off visiting the Island. And they have a point given that there is a reduction in out of season charges for Penarth Esplanade but not for Barry Island.

People who'd prefer to go to Penarth Esplanade would probably be able to afford the car parking charges all season long at the same level anyway. But as I've said Barry Island is more popular as it offers more. Yet it would appear to be this popularity that has made it a cash cow in the eyes of the council. Let ordinary people suffer whilst the privileged take advantage? Who knows? But that is certainly the perception.

I've said before that car parking charges will damage many parts of the borough. Not unlike Brexit what it appears to do as well though is to give some protection to those who can afford it.

Until the next time.

If Dominic Grieve Is Deselected For Having Principles Chucky Cairns Should Be Deselected For Having None

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

It's been a long while since I've chatted about Secretary of State for Wales, and walking microdot Alun "Chucky" Cairns but yesterday something happened to a Tory MP in England which made me think about the blog villain again.

Dominic Grieve staunch Remain campaigner has lost a vote of confidence by his local constituency party, thus paving the way for his deselection as an MP. Now he's a Conservative so I'm not going to say he's a wonderful human being. But he stuck by his principles and noticeably did not leave the party to join "The Independent Group" as other Remain supporting MPs did. This is however how the Tories thank him for having independence of thought.

Which leads me to Chucky....

Do you know how he's voted in Theresa May's maddening "meaningful votes"? Did he vote for? Did he vote against? No he abstained.

Now what does say about Chucky? Some might say that he abstained so that he keeps his options open for the day the current sub Prime Minister leaves office screaming into a darkened room somewhere. Not me of course.

Who knows then ? What his local constituency in the Vale of Glamorgan (who incidentally voted to Remain in the EU referendum) should expect - especially as a member of the cabinet and it's only Welsh voice is a decision. Instead what you get is nothing but waffling piffle that leads to no action at all.

At least Nero fiddled when Rome burned. Chucky it appears is not even doing that.

Well actually that's not quite fair. In TV interviews he blamed the current situation on the Labour Party, Now let's pause here.

Labour have not shrouded themselves with glory either. But they are not, even in name only, the government of the disunited Kingdom. Also it's not Labour that have made him abstain unless there are some incriminating photos that we don't know about.

So Vale of Glamorgan Conservatives you know your duty for Wales.

Chuck Chucky.

Until the next time.

On The Road With My Family. Shopping With My Family. Watching Fighting With My Family

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Mainly because of my shift work we rarely as a family are able to go out together to do something. Life as it were interferes, But yesterday was different. Wife, daughter and I were able to take one of the great road journeys of the world for the day.

Or the roughly half hour journey from the Vale Of Glamorgan to the out of town outlet centre Macarthur Glen just outside Bridgend. One of the two.

As there were things we had to do in the morning we left around three in the afternoon, Driving anything longer than ten minutes does not bring out the best in us. The wife, remarkable woman that she is, will never win the prize for car passenger of the year. She would say I should break when there is a gap that would full three buses or say I'm too slow or too fast or wondering why I've parked in a particular parking spot where there could be others available.

And also, and my mother is exactly the same, she has an inability to judge gaps in the road. She cannot believe that the mighty Kia Picanto can go through them and yet it always does. Would she ever say "Yes husband you were right?" Well what do you think?

(Before you think I'm being sexist, I'll say this. Between you me and the worldwide web she's a better driver than me aside from oddly enough motorways. She has more confidence and self awareness than I do. I'm far more cautious - Something which daughter has caught on to)

But eventually we got to Macarthur Glen. And after parking (in of course the wrong space) we had some time to spare before the film we had planned to see started. So we did some window shopping (the plan being that if there was anything we wanted to get then they'd be bought later).

Wife and daughter made a beeline for the Yankee Candle shop. I've chatted about them before. This thing about smelly candles is something I just don't understand. And when I went in there later, well I'm not a person with a refined sense of smell, but it was as if someone had mugged my nose.

I of course went to The Works and later bought a book for just £10. More expensive than the books I'd normally buy but I'm sure fellow Plaid Cymru members would approve (It's an absolute brick of a hardback size).

Seemed suitable as it's St David's Day

And so to the movie. Fighting With My Family tells the story of the wrestling obsessed Knight family and in particular daughter Paige who turns into fighting wrestling matches in Norwich to a WWE star. Wrestling and me parted in the seventies so I'd no backstory in my head.

So I'll start at the ending. Daughter loved the film. Wife (normally the most critical) loved the film. I too loved the film. But not as much as the female fan club around me.

Let's get to my reservations with it first. Paige Knight described it as being "95% factual". Well that 5% of non factual seemed important to me. She revealed that the scene (which is widely shown) where she and her brother Zak first meet Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson did not happen. The final fight scene when compared with the actual match (which we saw later on YouTube) is shall we say Hollywoodised and I was shocked to find that the end credits reveals that the Dad, resplendent in a Norwich City shirt for a lot of the movie is actually an Arsenal fan. No wonder he did time in prison.

The WWE partly funded this film and this seems to show up in the Florida boot camp scenes. The sort of hard but fair cliché you get in these sort of movies as Paige gradually finds the motivation to progress in the wrestling camp.

But it's extremely well acted. Particularly the Knight family itself. The sense of a family no matter how eccentric and having to battle against the stresses of life. At no point did I look at any of the actors playing the family and thought they were exaggerated for the screen. Though Florence Pugh carries herself as Paige particular mention should be made to Jack Lowden who plays her older brother Zak, fighting against the agony of having almost reached his dream of becoming a WWE professional wrestler but not quite whilst his sister progresses.

Wife and daughter said they would give the movie a ten. Personally I'd say an eight. For as I said I loved it as well, just slightly not as much. And I didn't nod off either.

Until the next time.

Cardiff Bus: On The Road To Nowhere?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Regular readers may remember a while back I took an Assembly member and the leader of Cardiff Labour council Huw Thomas to task for querying the policy of free car parking in hospitals, specifically the University College Hospital in Cardiff.

Part of the argument Mr Thomas used was the bus service to that hospital. Suggesting that as it was so good people didn't need to use their cars.

I'll return to hospitals later. But Cardiff Bus co. That is the bus service that the council actually own are making cuts and alterations to the service across Cardiff and the neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan at the end of March. Cardiff Council's own special version of Brexit.

Now I won't be a hypocrite. I don't use the bus service as the journeys I need to take (mainly to where I work in Bridgend from the Vale) make it a non starter. Would I use it if I could? Probably not as things stand a journey from where I live to Cardiff would be difficult and involve more than one bus. if I lived in the centre of a town (say Penarth) then I'd consider it.....and would probably say no.

Why? Well cutting the bus services is not a good sell is it? What message does it give for future customers? And more importantly what if I needed to use the service? How can I use the service if it doesn't exist? Or drastically altered?

And when I say doesn't exist Penarth is a good example of this. The town will lose it's direct bus service to Leckwith ( a part of Cardiff) and Llandough hospital.

Losing the direct bus service to Leckwith would mean I presume that any Cardiff City fans (as their ground is in the area) would be more tempted to use the car. If anybody drives around the ground on match days will know, sometimes the cars are parked almost literally anywhere.

But it's the loss of the direct service to the hospital that's more important. Leaving aside Llandough itself it and Leckwith are the closest areas to the hospital. From Penarth the journey is basically straightforward (depending where you live in the town almost literally so). The logic of a direct bus service from a town close to the hospital is there.

Yet Welsh Labour want to cut it.

And don't forget the type of people who would use this service. the venerable and underprivileged in our society. Not forgetting of course the elderly. Groups that the Labour party shout out loudly that they're here to protect. Well not this time.

What should they do? Well act socialist would help. Cut fares and subsidise the service through taxes would help. Trouble is though would the service be attractive to any customer after the council's onslaught whatever the cost? That is the question I really don't know.

And why you ask should I be interested with the Brexit madness swirling around in buses? Well public transport is one of the cornerstones of a decent society for all. When a Labour council is scurrying about to work ways of chipping away at that, then you know it's betrayed it's voters.

So when the Mr Thomas boasts again of the Cardiff bus service. Perhaps the example of Penarth should be rammed down his throat.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post : The "Is It Going To Snow" Edition?

Hello there. hope you're feeling well today.

Well despite the distractions of Brexit this is the time of year where the first thing you check up on is the weather. Specifically whether it's going to snow. It's always touch and go. Mainly go. Though last year if you remember it was definitely touch. And a heavy one at that.

As things stand for this week at least Tuesday looks like the day to watch and be careful. The phrase "wintry showers" is mentioned, which I always assume to mean "it'll snow but it won't settle" which I can tolorate' Still these forecasts can change daily. Yesterday the weather didn't snow but had an ominous sheen to it.

This was on the road from Cardiff to Bridgend (I stopped on a layby for any police reading this).

The rain hammered by soon after

Meanwhile in library news this was the latest book I've read.

The Canon - The Beautiful Basics Of Science - Natalie Angier

This book sought to, as I understand it discuss science in the same way people would chat about films or books. Thing is whilst I look as if it was born with a white coat I'm definitely not one of life's scientists so for me a lot of things it explained were still so above my head it needed a rocket to reach there (which as I occupy a life barely scientific I'd have no idea how to take off).

The book's cover contains press quotes from scientists and science writers praising her, including one who stated she made the subject "sexy". Trust me whatever I was with the book aroused was not one of them.

So in short if it sort to appeal to the lay reader it failed.

Here's something that happened at work (remember I work in Bridgend) a few days back. A man approaches me and says "Do you live in Barry?"

"Nearby" is my response.

"Thought so. Saw you in Barry LIDLs"

And that's happened quite a few times before as well. It always amazes me that anyone in Wales considers having an affair purely for reasons of lust and having no wish to leave their actual partner given that the chances of being caught are far greater than in say London. We're talking about the neighbouring borough at least forty minutes away by car (assuming reasonable traffic) and I'm recognised for living in the Vale of Glamorgan.

I suppose it adds to the sense of danger.

Yesterday on BBC Radio Wales there was an interview with the political correspondent of the Western Mail about the problems Wales is having with current and future investment by companies in the country. I didn't hear the interview but the fact they asked a journalist from the Western Mail astounded me. Because his paper and others the holding company owns (including the Wales On Sunday which I chatted about before and local papers like the Glamorgan Gazzette) are printed in England.

Boycotting the company's publications is a pointless exercise. You can tell by how thin they're becoming that they're in trouble anyway. I've instead enquired on their website the Wales Online whether the maintenance of said site is in Wales. If it isn't perhaps action should be taken there. We'll chat about that if I get a response.

Until the next time.

Is Santa Being Co-Opted Into Alun "Chucky" Cairns' Western Powerhouse Plan?

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Something very weird came in the post on Thursday.

Yes It's Christmas Again!

Now what made this odd was not that it was announcing the opening of a Christmas grotto (though as an aside it opened yesterday 9th November.....9th November! How did they persuade Santa to do it that early? Kidnap an elf?). No what made it odd was that it was from Cabot Circus. A shopping centre in Bristol.

Now if I lived in a border town, say Caldicot or Chepstow I would understand why this would be tempting. But I don't. I live in the Vale of Glamorgan. The AA route planner tells me it would take just over an hour to get to Cabot Circus. The route would pass through Cardiff and Newport. Cities that have shopping centres.

Furthermore Santa is not the kind of guy who would expect South Walian children to go to another country to see him. That's why there are grottos in South Wales as well.

So why have Cabot Circus done this when it's clear that going there would be just a waste of fuel?  Well I don't know. I can only speculate.

So here goes...

Perhaps Cabot Circus has that cliched arrogant thought that the Welsh travel to England for a touch of sophistication absent in their own country?

Or perhaps things are so bad there they are casting their net wider to attract new customers?

Or perhaps they're chancing their arm in the "Western Powerhouse" notion of Secretary Of State for Wales Alun"Chucky" Cairns?

Who knows?

But if you want my advice (and as it's my blog you're going to get it) unless you live in a border town don't waste your fuel travelling to Bristol when it's available in South Wales. Protect retail jobs in Wales.

I'm sure Alun Cairns Secretary Of State for Wales and a Vale Of Glamorgan MP would agree.

Or does he.....?

Until the next time.

Whilst I Was Away

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I've been away to see my mother in Essex for the past two days. And for reasons I won't bore you with I've neither had the time or the connection to make a post whilst I was there.

It's good to be back I  Wales. Though the journey took six hours to complete from it's usual three and a half. Mainly due to an accident between junctions 13 and 14 of the M4 where the resulting traffic was stopped and then moved slowly for about an hour. You know how bad an accident is when the electronic roadsigns mention an air ambulance.

When I eventually passed the scene of the accident on the other side of the motorway a van was mangled as if tossed away by a petulant child. And there was a truck. I don't remember much of the truck except that the windscreen was completely smashed.

I felt my jaw drop. Makes you think you know.

Whilst I was away two things happened in Wales that made me want to put finger to keyboard. The first was the vote in the Senedd upholding the Welsh government's decision to allow the dumping of nuclear mud from Hinckley Point to Cardiff Bay.

I've chatted about this issue many times before in this blog. So I won't go into great detail here. But what I will say is that this decision marks the last by Carwyn Jones and the latest by Welsh Labour. After all not taking into account the consequences if the science is wrong has made the people of Cardiff and the surrounding areas possibly subject to radioactive Russian roulette.

And even if the science is right that does not absolve Welsh Labour. They were prepared to let people be subjected to this risk and have shown they treat them with arrogance bordering on contempt. Politically I suspect this issue will not die as Welsh Labour will hope. Plaid Cymru will see to that.

Secondly near where I live there is a Vale of Glamorgan Council proposal to put a gypsy site. This seemingly has aroused local opposition as there was a meeting on Wednesday to discuss this and plan how to defeat it.

Now I will not make any insinuations about this meeting. Given that I wasn't there and I haven't seen any reports about this. But I'll say this. I'm not in principle against the site. But the gypsy community will need to make sure no incidents can be traced to anyone in the site.

For after all let's talk hypotheticals. Let's say the site is allowed. It will take only one incident, no matter how trivial involving someone in the Gypsy community and we all know that UKIP, with it's leader in Wales Mr Creepy, will try and exploit it.

And if history tells us anything a "Them and Us" scenario will not be good for anyone.

Until the next time.

Alun "Chucky" Cairns' Vision For Wales Is Revealed. Dependent, Disabled And Poor

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Last time I chatted about blog villain, Secretary Of State for Wales and faulty microwave of thought that is Alun "Chucky" Cairns it was to mention the one time I've agreed with him over the issue of car parking across the Vale of Glamorgan.

Now however the Chuckiness has returned. When in a House Of Commons Committee meeting yesterday he said and I quote:

"Infrastructure investment doesn't have to be in Wales to benefit Wales".

Really? How are the high speed rail networks of HS1 and HS2 going to benefit Wales when the tracks are not going there? And even if you take a connection to wherever in Wales the service will obviously be slower and in most cases you'll feel that the stabilisers have been put on. How is that going to benefit Wales? Welsh taxpayer's money going on projects where there is no metaphorical or literal connection to the country.

Let's go on. The Swansea Tidal Lagoon project would have provided Wales with a lot of it's power supply but no the UK government with Alun Cairns as it's Welsh figurehead and glove puppet rejected it. So instead the plan is for Welsh taxpayer's to help pay for Hinckley Point in Somerset England. And when I say pay it's not just in fuel bills but also in the nuclear mud coming Cardiff's way.

I could continue but you get the drift.

Now time for me to go off on a tangent.

On Sunday I was in the South Bank in London with my mother. As we were walking along the Thames I noticed a frail old woman walking slowly. Whether from old age or disability I could not tell but her back was arched as she was walking. In her hand was a pink mug as she weakly asked people for any spare money.

That old lady is a metaphor for Chucky Cairns' Wales. A Wales where the infrastructure is underfunded. A Wales which has to be dependent on England for essential services such as power. A Wales consequently poor because of the lack of investment by businesses specifically because of the lack of infrastructure spending (a vicious circle).

Given the weakness of Welsh Labour once the election for leader is resolved Plaid Cymru will need to be vocal not just to be against Chucky but to explain loudly that the only alternative to this disaster will be independence.

Until the next time.

The Alun Cairns Barry Town Test Has Finally Arrived

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

As they say on TV shows:

Previously On This blog....

The Vale of Glamorgan council in 2015 proposed introducing car parking charges in the area. This was successfully resisted. The particular focus was on Barry Town. It was felt that car park charges would damage businesses in the area as people would either not come at all or would just go in, quickly do their business and get out again. Thus there would not be benefit from any passing trade.

As I mentioned previously for a town the size of Barry car parking charges do not work. Whilst there are other reasons for it's decline car parking charges is one factor in the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town.

And as I previously explained on the blog one of the people who was against these charges was actually blog villain and Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns who was a Vale Assembly Member at the time and whose parliamentary constituency is in the borough.

The web page is here:

http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/10291008.Vale_of_Glamorgan_car_parking_
charges__tax_on_the_high_street____AM/

And let me be clear here (pause for dramatic effect) Alun Cairns was right.

I agree with Alun Cairns.

Now read on...

Vale of Glamorgan Council are trying again. They go the firm Capita to report on the issue and they basically proposed that the first hour was free but tiered charges from then on. This is going out to consultation now until next month.

Businesses in the town have demonstrated against it already. For the reasons to objecting to the charges in 2015 have not changed now.

And so Alun Cairns what is your position now on car parking in Barry Town now?

After all nothing has changed between 2015 and 2018.....except in Labour were the in power in 2015 and now Vale Of Glamorgan council is run by a Conservative led coalition.

The test Alun Cairns has finally arrived....and your answer is?

Until the next time.

When Science Loses To Emotion Part Three: Let's Boycott EDF

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have before in this blog chatted about the plan for radioactive mud from the nuclear power plant at Hinckley Point Somerset to be transported from there to a point between Cardiff Bay and Penarth .

Whilst you should look at my previous posts on the subject essentially I argued that despite apparently science stating that it would be safe. The consequences of the Science being wrong would be too great as that would pause a risk not just to the people in Cardiff Bay but also depending on the movement of the sea to the Penarth and Barry Island, where families go for a day out enjoying the seaside.

Well from Thursday French power giant EDF were about to start doing exactly that. This though has been postponed until sometime in September (see https://penarthnews.wordpress.com/2018/08/12/now-nuclear-mud-dumping-off-penarth-is-postponed-until-september/ for a more detailed analysis on this. Worth a read. Won't chat about it here because as regular readers will know I won't knowingly copy another blogger's work).

It had the apparent approval first of Alun "Chucky" Cairns. (Who let's not forget is a Vale of Glamorgan MP though not of Barry Island I'm sure his constituents work/visit there as it's nearby). Secondly Carwyn Jones, soon to be ex First Minister and political man fat, who represents as a constituency AM Porthcawl which is also a day trip beach area for families and might also be affected re the tide if the science is wrong. Indeed Welsh Labour as a whole seems to have treated this entire issue with an arrogant smugness which typifies the way they run Wales.

Politically these people should be dealt with through the ballot box come election time. But for now the focus needs to be on EDF. I'm sure there are organisations planning protests against the disposal and for what it's worth they have my support. But let's just try something else as well. Let's punish EDF by boycotting them. Showing them that if they hurt the people living in Wales then the people can fight back using the greatest weapon against business....no business.

I have before suggested the same with regard to Virgin Media when they made all of the people in their Swansea Call Centre redundant and the pieces seem similar here. After all they appear to have not taken notice of the opinions of the people living in the area and are acting on something the consequences of which could be disastrous should the science be wrong.

Also a Welsh EDF boycott would damage them both financially and in terms of a company's all important image. There would be alternatives to move to (not saying any of the alternatives are great companies but at time of writing none of the others are dumping nuclear mud in Cardiff Bay) so the impact on families living in Wales would be minimal.

So a simple boycott may not stop the dumping of the radioactive mud, but it would damage EDF's consumer arm. Make them suffer for the way they might cause suffering to Wales.

Until the next time.

That's It. We're Definitely A Townie Family

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yesterday we went tp the Vale of Glamorgan show near Fonmon Castle. I say near because though on the grounds the castle itself was apparently closed, or perhaps it's not open at all yo the public. No matter the point is that it kept itself well hidden whilst the show was on.

We'd been to the equivalent Bridgend show some years back and decided to go to see if there was anything different. The signs were good. It had been slightly raining which meant that though not cold by any means it was less oppressively hot than it had been for a few days.

After parking and walking through the small fairground I'd realised that the first bit of the show proper we entered was a mistake. For it was the dog grounds where it was just mini Crufts. For a persom afraid of those domesticated wolves it would have been hell for me if I wasn't an atheist. Indeed if I wasn't an atheist the massive pair of Irish wolfhounds which suddenly came to my side appeared to be hounds from hell entered by the Son of Satan as best in breed....or else.

Avoiding one dog made me step back to find another one nuzzling my ankles. The leads seemed unable to restrain the beasts from eyeing me up as their latest meal. Enter one tent. Full of dogs. Enter a craft tent and I notice a writer selling her books. All the covers had a dog on them.

Eventually we moved on. And I must admit the show of glossed up unmucked vintage tractors did have a nostalgic feel.

If You Like Your Tractors Glossy

Though This Seemed More Keeping It Real

So to the vegetable tent where grown people (I'm assuming mainly men judging by the winners) proudly display their award winning big veggies in a socially acceptable "mine are bigger than yours" manner.

Despite what they say. Size Is Everything

There many stalls in the show. Some I understood (Jodphurs R Us) but a number I didn't. In reverse order.

At number 3: All the stalls selling cars. Do people really buy cars from these sales?

At number 2: (And this was very close) a coffin maker. I mean I can see the conversation.

"What did you do in the show today?"

"I bought a coffin. Spur of the moment thing".

But at number 1:

And the question is....why?

We went to the main local food section. I knew Farmers Markets were more expensive than their supermarket versions but was stunned by the cost of a jar of jam being three times the cost in LIDL's. Did think though that I was looking at a vision for us all post hard Brexit of queueing up for a limited but dearer range of foods.

Finally we went to see the show jumping. But to be honest the more I watched it the more it reminded me how much I've grown to dislike the idea of a sport where horses have to risk themselves jumping over fences for fun. Almost gave the horse that dismounted it's rider (who was fine) a round of applause.

It was, we all agreed, time to go.

As we drove off noticed a fat guy riding in full hunting gear with hounds around him. If impressions are any judge I hated him.

Glad I visited the show. Glad to say I won't be going again.

Until the next time.

Climate Change: Through The Medium Of A Post Pub Lunch Walk In Southerndown

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well yesterday the wife's birthday went well. We decided to drive along the countryside of the Vale of Glamorgan and find an isolated pub for lunch. That was the plan. But through a combination of missed turnings, packed car parks and a pub too close to the effects of the muck spreading season to enjoy breathing let alone food we eventually found ourselves in the small village of Southerndown. Not that far away from Bridgend.....where we used to live....yes I know.

Our meal was at the Three Golden Cups. Daughter and me has lasagne and chips. Wife had a chicken and leek pie with vegetables. We loved it. Once we finished though we felt that a post lunch walk was needed before we did anything else (that anything else turned out to be a quick trip to Lidls).

From where we had our meal the sea was close. In normal times we knew that it was prone to being extremely windy because of it (there's a golf course in the village - that must be fun in bad weather). But as it was still heatwave (a little cooler but that's just in comparison) week five these times in oh so many ways could not be described as normal.

Anyway we decided to have a walk from the pub to the cliff edge overlooking the beach.

So let's start with a view of the sea once you crossed the road from the pub.

Very Bright. Very Med looking

And there's this as we walked along

Really you can expect a shepherd walking along with his flock shortly

As we approached the sea it was the clearest blue.

Remember this is the South of Wales not the South of France

And for the most stunning picture I took of the day I give you this.

Breathe Deeply

The sign in Welsh incidentally is warning people to be careful of the cliff edge. And then gives people the number of the local Samaritans. Which obviously and sadly speaks for itself.

So then you will ask. Why have I bothered to write about a short walk on a hot day in a little village in South Wales? Am I being smug? Well look again at the pictures. They have something in common.

The grass is not the green, green grass of home.

The grass is drought yellow.

Here's one last picture.

Farmyard Animals Eating Off The Scraps Of Grass They Can Find

This is not the South of Texas folks. This is South Wales. If this continues it will get worse for us all.

Something is very, very wrong.

Until the next time.

The Insomniac Meanderings Post: Wife's Birthday Special Midweek Edition

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well, though it's too early in the morning, is the wife's birthday. She's asleep. As is daughter. Nothing to do until either of them wake up (or if I did do anything it would be likely I'd wake that I might wake them up). So here I am tapping away.

We are, both of us, not of an age to go out in the evenings normally. So the plan is for us (plus daughter) to have lunch in one of the pleasant pubs in the Vale of Glamorgan countryside. It is dull I'd admit but it is a plan. And let's face it Tuesdays is not the best day for your birthday to fall on.

Yesterday I wrote about the oncoming possibility of a dark hard Brexit making me seriously consider stockpiling food. I mentioned that if there were food shortages there might be civil unrest. Well let's be clearer about it. I see three possible sources of civil unrest. From the hungry, from the far right and from those angered that Brexit has not turned out to be what the Leave campaign promised. To those high profile Brexiteers I say this. Hire security guards. Because trust me you will be hated. I'm not advocating violence. But when you see the possibility of something happening you should not avoid mentioning it either.

Mind you I have a plan for Boris Johnson. Perhaps he should have straight swap with Iran for Nazarin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the journalist imprisoned there whose case he bungled. Win win I'd say. He wouldn't be missed.

By the way with regard to Boris Johnson and David Cameron shouldn't Eton apologise for their education of them given how rubbish to the United Kingdom they've turned out to be?

And according to an article in the Daily Mirror the world's Most Wanted could slip into Britain in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Economic turmoil, food shortages and criminal gangs. Brexit seems to get better and better and better!

For Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales the option of independence is there. Something not available for England. Which is why if a hard Brexit occurs England will be the country at most risk of takeover from the far right.

Listening to France Musique at the moment. Make that what you will Brexiteers. Yesterday whilst of the nation was watching Love Island I was listening to (amongst others) a song called "Reggae Cymraeg" on  Radio Cymru. Make that what you will.

This is the week of the Royal Welsh Show. A few weeks time it'll be the Eisteddford in Cardiff (I'll be going to that). Aside from the Welsh element what's the connection? That they will have a lot of coverage on the Welsh language channel S4C. Now I'm not saying they shouldn't have this coverage but that it illustrates again the need for S4C to have another channel. If you're not interested in agricultural shows (two thumbs pointed at this guy) there is no Welsh language alternative on TV. You have to go on demand instead.

Remember the posts I wrote about the dumping of radioactive mud from the Hinckley Point nuclear power station to Cardiff Bay? Well apparently the Welsh Labour government has offered to take in any nuclear waste from anywhere in the disunited kingdom. Leaving aside the implications of yet again Welsh Labour has allowed bad things to happen to Wales the first real question is Where will this waste go to? We should be told. And I tell you what. I'll be in any demonstration against it (for what my presence is worth).

Well wife's awake now....here we go..."Happy Birthday to you....Happy.." Well you know the tune.

Until the next time.

Will Alun Cairns And Andrew RT Davies Hold Onto Their 2015 Principles And Possibly Fight Against The Vale Of Glamorgan Council? Let's Discuss...

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I have before in this blog discussed the proposed introduction of car parking charges in the Vale Of Glamorgan area specifically Barry Town. I've argued that whilst there were other factors to be taken into consideration car parking charges was one factor in the urban tragedy that is Bridgend Town. As a consequence people went to the free out of town shopping facilities with the consequent damage to the town centre business.

Now however there is a proposal for a "parking strategy" that will be put to the Vale of Glamorgan council shortly prepared for them (at their request) by the firm Capita.

I won't go into detail of the proposals across the borough, that would only bore you, (and it would bore me) besides I'm hoping soon to chat about the town of Cowbridge. For now let's focus on Barry Town and nearby Penarth.

The recommendations from Capita are basically as follows. Charge for what was free but do it on a tiered basis. So the first two hours would be free, three hours £1,four hours £2,five hours £5/£4 (depending whether it's a Long or Short stay car park - something they propose to create) and all day £4 and £5 (depending again on Long or Short Stay).

So you ask what's wrong with that? Two hours free relatively cheap rates otherwise who could argue?

Well two thumbs pointed at this guy

Firstly and let's be clear here, those prices will go up. You know it and I know it. Once the principle of free parking is breached then there will nothing to stop the council raising it in the future.

Secondly even as they stand the fees will not encourage regular visits to either town centre. People will just go in, do what they have to do and leave as quickly as possible. It will not be instant, but businesses will start to suffer and some might go to the wall because of the loss of regular custom.

The Bridgend Town rot starts to set in.

Interestingly a similar proposal regarding car parking charges was made in 2015 and had some vocal detractors then. Let's start with blog villain, political glove puppet and wannabee Englishman and tall person Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns who said in his website “Council tax payers in Barry will find it hard to understand how charging up to £5 to park close to our high streets is going to help regenerate Barry"

And although it appeared from the page he wasn't against car park charging in principle (of course he wouldn't be he's Alun Cairns) he also said  "However they must do the right thing to support the people that live and work locally and work to encourage trade that builds a community rather than introduce unimaginative and ill-thought out charges.”

Here's the page. https://www.aluncairns.com/news/car-parking-charges-barry-cowbridge

He wasn't the only Conservative figure who was against this in 2015. Former Conservative leader in Wales and the Welsh answer to the question "Who ate all the pies?" Andrew RT Davies said the proposals were a

“tax on the high street” 

and

" If you charge prohibitively you drive shoppers to out of town shopping centres and it is the businesses on the high street that suffer as a consequence" 

That page is here. http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/10291008.Vale_of_Glamorgan_car_parking_charges__tax_on_the_high_street____AM/

So, to be clear, basically speaking I find myself agreeing with Andrew RT Davies and Alun Cairns!!!

I feel sick.

The thing is though in 2015 the Vale Of Glamorgan council was Labour run. Now it's a Conservative led Council with independent support. Vale voters and Vale businesses are entitled to know whether these high profile Conservative figures will stick to their principles or will they flip flop (in Mr Davies' case roll) their way out of them.

And if you have any doubts on what car parking charges can do Bridgend Town is about forty minutes drive away.

Until the next time

The Case For A Twenty Mile Per Hour Speed Limit In Sully And Beyond

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today....and that especially includes you, Vale of Glamorgan council.

Currently we're renting near Sully, a small village between Penarth and Barry Town. A pleasant place but if the signs I notice driving through are of any guide there are apparently two issues which have caused anger amongst the permanent residents. One are the proposed housing developments for the village. On this issue I'm currently on the fence. If only because I don't know what type of developments are being proposed.

But the other, whose sign I've only just seen today, is trying to persuade you to reduce the speed limit for vehicles that enter the village to twenty miles per hour. On this issue the answer should be obvious. On this you should agree with the people.

Now for the moment let's ignore the main road of the village (South Road) and concentrate on most of the other roads. Because those of us who've driven round the area know full well that there really is no reason to drive around there at thirty mph. These roads are generally relatively short, and a lot of them windy and thin.

It's important to remember that we're talking here about the roads that are in the village and not those that could go to the outside of it (such as Sully Road) so essentially the specific long stretch of road that we would need to speak about is South Road. Home to the convenience store, the library, the post office and the playing fields.

In seemingly empty traffic it's not impossible to reach thirty miles per hour on this road. Whilst there is a set of traffic lights there's not that many other things that I recall would curtail a person's speed behind the wheel along this road. Now if you're driving on the other side of the road to the convenience store and there's a delivery truck on that side it means that the lane the truck is parked in is blocked you won't see until the last minute the teenager suddenly running across the road. I am old enough to remember the ads that explained that you have more chance surviving being hit by a car doing twenty than doing thirty miles per hour.

So Vale Of Glamorgan Council how about reducing the speed limit in the village to twenty miles per hour? It's simple, cheap and effective...and you know full well that if you don't do it then it will take one child/teenager's death to change your mind. So how about doing it now?

And while you're at it (though I can't say I've done the research) I'm sure there are roads in Barry Town and Penarth that this could help as well.

You know it makes sense.

Until the next time.

Ramblings Before I Make A Call About A Car Accident....

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Well as I'm writing this it's 7:02am on a Saturday morning. Wife/daughter are asleep and outside it looks as if it's the forecast last of the hot days we've been having recently.

There goes summer folks...

At around eight thirty I have to make a call to the motor insurance people. To possibly make a claim. I cannot really comment about it at the moment. All I will say is that it's remarkably like the last claim I made about six months ago, including the fact that (acknowledged again by the other driver) it was not my fault.

Also if appearances are of any judge the mighty Kia Picanto seems unaffected. But as I learnt last time appearances can be deceptive. It will need looking into. Hence the reason for the call.

We were as a family off to the Grand Theatre Swansea from the Vale Of Glamorgan to see a production of Of Mice And Men. A journey that should have taken one hour took about two. And the exchanging of numbers etc with the other driver was only part of the reason why it took so long. Apparently, as the saying goes we were caught up in the "sheer weight of traffic".

Lucky us.

For me as a reader I didn't want to go even though it was my suggestion as I knew it meant that I couldn't really read the novel by John Steinbeck. It would be like watching a recording of a sporting event on the TV whilst knowing the result. However it is on my daughter's literature syllabus at school. So it seemed like a good idea.

I'll say this. Judging by the short time I was there unlike the journey where you could see completed or soon to be completed along the road to the city. There seems to be a decline in Swansea City centre. This is purely judging by the drunks acting up in the Tesco car park, the teenagers doing exactly the same thing along the main shopping area, and the closed down shops which seem to be more than last time (This is about 6:45pm yesterday evening....in daylight)

Now as I said all of this is from a relatively brief impression. I didn't really have the time or opportunity to look around properly. But if this impression is right then something is very,very wrong. I say this because having been to Cardiff City Centre a few weeks back the very same feeling came to me there as I saw the shops that were closed down and an increase in homeless people wandering around the streets. I might have to go to Cardiff City Centre next Sunday. If I can I'm going to make the time and wander round.

It's 7:41 now....

Apparently today (Saturday) is going to be the last of the string (and here I mean three) of hot days we have recently had. Hope everyone enjoyed their summer.

Well 8:10am ....time to prepare for that call. Until the next time.

The Continuing Rambling On An Early Sunday Morning British Summertime Post. Including Plaid Cymru,An Old Blog Villian And A New One

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

It is as I'm starting to tap this 6:17 on a Sunday morning. Not too bad you might think. Until I realise that today is the first day of British Summertime (seeing Spring would be nice) and so the clocks have moved forward by one hour. So essentially my brain is on 5:17.

It seems that now I've settled back to living in Wales the insomnia has returned....yippee.

Wife wants to spend today going round IKEA getting a chair for our daughter. IKEA on a Sunday....I'd rather not.

You know given that the first few months of this year were spent looking after my mother in Essex I've lost the sense of sense of time. Only now am I beginning to sense that it's nearly April.

Plaid Cymru have had a Spring conference and the headlines is that it's "lurched to the left" to attract more voters. Of course words have their power "lurch" describes a sudden and violent movement whilst driving when you suddenly realise you've gone the wrong way.

Personally I feel that as long as the perception is that the party is not trying to out Corbyn Corbyn there is nothing wrong with this. Any policies though have to be catered for Wales and the people living there. There is nothing objectionable about "Socialism With A Welsh Face".

Old blog villain Bridgend Labour council have raised their heads from the Porthcawl sand and have suddenly apparently realised that there are empty houses and shops in the borough. Particularly in Bridgend Town and are setting up "a taskforce" to find out why and deal with it.

Regular readers of this blog would not be surprised that such a situation in Bridgend exist. Particularly with regard to the town. Perhaps the Labour council don't realise the problem because they have helped cause it with the rates, the pedestrianism, the car parking charges and I could really go on.

It seems that part of their social housing solution is for people to live over shops. That's fair enough but in Bridgend Town there is a good chance that those shops will be empty. You know Bridgend Town could be the first place in Britain where the town centre might have more accommodation than it does shops. Now there's a thought. Welsh Labour....supporting the community.

From time to time the National Assembly of Wales forgets that it's a Labour run administration and tries to act Conservative. Last week it's proposed a merger of local authorities throughout the country. Presumably to get "efficiency savings". How very Tory.

Now personally I'm against it. Particularly because it would be very administratively difficult to control the large swathes of area involved (for example Bridgend/Rhondda Cynon Taff). With regard to the proposal to merge Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan council though there would be a particular problem because of new blog villain Cardiff Labour council.

As I chatted about earlier this week. The attitude towards the Vale of Glamorgan by Cardiff Labour Council has been very Captial City. What is clear is that Cardiff Labour looks down on it's neighbour (Barry Town being "A town without purpose" according to one councillor which was not the only example) and this will only create antagonism. Let me make a prediction. Any Cardiff/Vale merger is not going to work because if this.

As I'm writing this the Australian Formula One Grand Prix is on. Have lost interest in this sport for a long while now. Probably the remaining bit will die next year when it goes pay TV. Trust me that I wasn't interested enough to pay money in TV subscriptions on it. I suspect that next year that there will be many people like me who hold the same view. Formula One will become like cricket. Slowly withering away.

Anyway that's enough rambling for today.

Until the next time.

So Vale Of Glamorgan Council Are Considering Car Parking Charges For Barry Town....Are They Mad?...Look At Bridgend

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

If we are talking about towns and not cities then the differences between people visiting the town and going somewhere else can depend on just one decision, or a group of decisions which by themselves seem relatively minor but eventually can help lead the town into decline.

I've learnt that the Vale Of Glamorgan Council are considering introducing car parking charges throughout the borough. The biggest place that will be affected is Barry Town. As the title of this post shows, my first reaction on hearing this was to question the sanity of the councillors who were in favour of such an action.

But then I realised that I was in a unique position. Though now living in the Vale I've spent seventeen years of my life living in the Bridgend area. Perhaps what the council needs to stop it making this Brexit/Trump decision of insanity is a history lesson about Bridgend Town. And since this my blog I'll be the one to do it.

It's 1998. Bridgend Town seems thriving enough. Sure there's the big stores which are just a short walk away from the town but that really was it's only competition and it appeared to have endured that. But then Macarthur Glen Outlet stores opens outside the town. It offered many things. Crucially shops that are unavailable in the town and free parking.

But despite the clear advantages and indeed fairness to the many small retail businesses that helped the town thrive through the years,Bridgend Labour Council, displaying the arrogant incompetence that seemed to characterised it's recent time there refused to abolish car parking charges. Whilst there are other reasons for the decline in the town (and if you're interested Vale Of Glamorgan council search Bridgend Town on this blog and you'll see what it has become) it was that decision that I'd argue started the decline.

Many many years later. People could come into the town and park in the ASDA supermarket free for three hours.

But it was too late.....the damage was done.

What I'm going to show you, Vale Of Glamorgan Council, are pictures for the last time a few weeks back I went to Bridgend Town (I've posted and blogged about them before but I want you to see them) and ask yourself is this the future you see for Barry Town?

Bare in mind this is just a small portion of what I've written about the town again I say for a fuller picture look at all what I've written previously. So these are just examples.

There is in Nolton Street a small arcade which had small quirky shops. I remember a café, a knitting place and a toy and costume shop where I got a mouse costume for my daughter for the junior school Christmas panto.

Now apart from the two shops that go onto the street, every single shop in that arcade has closed down.



The Bridgend Indoor Market seems to be struggling with a vast amount of stalls empty.



And there are vast swathes of empty shops in the town centre. In the most extreme example there was a McDonald's which was closed for seventeen years and just left to rot. Only in the last few weeks has it been demolished.



And recently Argos has closed down. To be fair there is a larger out of town store about ten/fifteen minutes walk away but still. That's another major retailer that's left.



Now as I've said the above is a small picture of the state of Bridgend Town. And there are other factors in play here as well. But the imposition of a car park levy will make less people go to Barry Town, and instead go to the out of town stores in Barry or Cardiff Bay (where the car parking is free). The small independent shops will suffer first but major retailers will leave as well. Such is the ripple effect that charging will have.

My knowledge of Barry Town is recent Vale Of Glamorgan Council. And I know that it's not Venice. But I also know it's a happy vibrant place with a good mixture of independent shops and established retail outlets. Don't endanger it. The precedent of Bridgend Town is there for you.

Until the next time.