Cardigan Castle – It’s Getting Worse!

I have just returned from a short break in Pembrokeshire. On the way down my wife and I stopped in Cardigan, and once there we were inevitably drawn to the castle. Now I may not have walked around with a calculator in my hand but I certainly came away wondering where twelve million pounds has been spent. While that may have been a mystery, what became very clear from my tour was that the history of the castle, and indeed the area’s history and culture, is relegated to a few posters, maps, models and videos that could not have cost much, and which will not be allowed to get in the way of the building’s prime focus from now on – as an upmarket conference / functions / weddings venue.

While in the castle I took the opportunity to enjoy the views, and among the sights to be seen from Rhys ap Gruffudd’s old pile were a couple of James Lynch’s establishments. He, you will recall, is a son-in-law to a long-standing trustee of the castle project, a local entrepreneur who appeared in the previous post. Here’s the view across the river to his holiday accommodation in a converted warehouse, and here’s the view of his pizza joint on the quay. Lynch also busies himself with glamping, weddings and associated businesses. As invariably happens when big city businessmen descend on ‘sleepy’ corners of Wales to re-invent tourism Jimbo has brought to Aberteifi high-skill, twenty-first century jobs, and the top-whack salaries that go with those jobs. (Sarcasm? Moi!)

But enough of James Lynch, as he awaits his opportunity in the wings. Let us focus instead on the leading players, those currently strutting the boards and hogging the limelight. Into this category come two women who are receiving much attention in the local media, Sue Lewis and Sandra Davies. All explained, on facing pages, in the most recent issue the Pembrokeshire Herald. (Click to enlarge on all images.)

*

First, page four gave us further details on the ‘suspension’ of director Cris Tomos. Reminding us how bizarre this whole saga is becoming by relating that he was ‘suspended’ from his post on the day that marked the climax of Gŵyl Fawr Aberteifi. The Herald continued:Castle director suspended Herald

“Although the introduction to the official (GFA) programme contained a couple of references welcoming the opening of the castle (home of the Eisteddfod), the event was staged in the town’s 1960s redbrick leisure centre, while the castle hosted a sports awards bash.”

The Eisteddfod programme contained scores of adverts and messages of support from all sorts of companies, businesses and local organisations, down to the local milkman – but nothing at all from the castle. So, instead of the first chairing of a bard in the castle since 1176, the ceremony took place in a council sports hall.”

If any proof was needed of how those running Cardigan castle had turned their backs on the building’s history and its significance in Welsh cultural history, then this episode provides the proof. For here we see the home of the eisteddfod tradition shunning completely the local eisteddfod!

*

The bulk of the facing page was taken up with Sue Lewis defending herself against recent criticism of the way she runs things . . . or I think that’s what she was doing. It all got a bit confusing, so judge for yourself. She seems to be suggesting that someone is trying to “discredit” her – by using her own words against her. She went on to threaten legal action, but the Herald had heard nothing from any legal representative before going to press. But if they had, who would have been paying, Mrs Lewis or the Cardigan Castle Trust, in other words, the public purse?Sue Lewis Herald

Mrs Lewis is looking more and more discredited, her position increasingly untenable for a number of reasons (dealt with below). But one worth adding here is the remarkable workings of serendipity attaching to her appointment as Facilities Manager.

Sue Lewis was made redundant from her post as editor of the Tivy-Side Advertiser just before Christmas. At that time she was a trustee, and one of a small group of trustees that removed three Welsh-speaking members of staff, including Rhian Medi, daughter of the late Archdruid, Dic Jones. Rhian Medi was the Education Officer. As a trustee, Sue Lewis sat on the panel that, we were led to believe, would appoint replacements. Not quite. It was decided that the Castle could manage without an Education Officer but definitely needed a Facilities Officer, and who better to fill that post than the recently redundant Sue Lewis herself! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could all sit in on the selection process and give ourselves jobs!

Another woman whose position has become untenable through her own prejudice-betraying utterances is Sandra Davies, the trustee treasurer. She refers to local group Cyfeillion Rhys ap Gruffudd as “bigots” and orders (an at the time unsuspended) Cris Tomos to have nothing to do with them.Cris Tomos speaks

How many times have we heard anyone who speaks up in defence of Wales and Welsh identity condemned as a ‘bigot’, a ‘racist’, or a ‘narrow-minded nationalist’, done so that their views can be disregarded and debate stifled? By comparison, the true racists, those who want to destroy Welsh identity and replace it with an intolerant Englishness, are allowed to portray themselves as generous and liberal! What an indictment of modern Wales, of our media, our political class, that this colonialist distortion has achieved such dominance, and that a woman holding a position of authority with an iconic Welsh building can so freely and proudly exhibit this vile attitude.

Sandra Davies must go, and she must go immediately. If she is not removed then the suspicions attaching to the motives and intentions of the funders and others involved will be finally confirmed.

*

From whichever perspective one chooses to look at Cardigan Castle it can only be perceived as a disaster.

To begin with, the public was told that among the project’s objectives was that it should attract ‘ . . .  visitors who are seeking leisure learning activities related to the Welsh language, culture, crafts, environment and horticulture and “using the Welsh language, and the cultural traditions of the Eisteddfodau, as a tool for tourism development and regeneration”’. This has not happened except in the most cursory and superficial manner.

Leaflet

Then there’s the commercial angle. In her ‘ENGLISH’ e-mails quoted in the Herald Sue Lewis justifies removing the Welsh dimension from the Castle project by arguing that herein lies the route to commercial success. (For ‘ENGLISH’ e-mails see panel above, ‘Cardigan Castle is “under siege”‘.) One well-placed source tells me that the Castle has seen just two conferences, one organised by the county council, the other by Tai Cantref, a local housing association with a lucrative sideline in the importation of riff-raff. The permanent wedding marquee has yet to hear a best man’s embarrassing jokes, or witness the tears of a bride’s mother, while the complex has seen not one paying guest.

Even the cafe, overlooking the High Street, the river, and the interior of the complex, was a loser as people had to pay to go into the castle before they could buy a drink or a meal! This has now been remedied by a new door allowing people to enter directly from the street . . . with bouncers dressed as medieval knights in Cross of St. George outfits ensuring nobody sneaks into the castle after their cappuccino. (OK, I made up the bit aCastle Green Housebout the bouncers, but who was responsible for the original design!)

Then, from so many quarters, I hear horror stories about the main contractor, Andrew Scott of Port Talbot. These involve shoddy workmanship, jobs not finished on time, cost over-runs and sheer incompetence. Into the last category falls the story of the lift ordered for Castle Green House that was the wrong size because someone had not taken the correct measurement! Did this really happen? While a comment to my previous post alleges that very expensive kitchen equipment and furnishings came from a certain supplier due to that firm enjoying a family connection to a trustee, even though the very same equipment could have been sourced far cheaper in Cardigan. Though another suggestion is that a member of the Leekes clan owns an expensive holiday home at Llangrannog, and is a neighbour and friend to a person or persons connected with the Castle.

Another criticism is the lack of joined-up thinking (if that’s what it is). Last month the ‘Welsh’ Government announced a £300,000 grant for Coleg Ceredigion to develop a Welsh language centre at its Cardigan campus. We’re entitled to know why the ‘Welsh’ Government is funding another project on a separate site when it should be in the castle and covered by that project’s £12m budget. Some suggest a devious game being played by the Heritage Lottery fund, who had no intention of allowing Cardigan Castle to be ‘too Welsh’. If so, then perhaps the other big funder, the ‘Welsh’ Government, is simply falling into line.

*

This post, and the previous one, are not arguments against commercialisation based on some simplistic notion that sites like Cardigan Castle do not need to generate income. I know from experience that funders demand business plans, and all manner of credible projections to convince them that a project will remain viable after the initial funding has run out. But I can’t believe that any funder, or bank, or investor, would be happy with the shambles in Aberteifi.

First, we have the clear departure from the original and expressed intention that the project would promote and nurture the Welsh language and the culture associated with that language. This has not happened. Sue Lewis’ amazing ‘ENGLISH’ e-mails, and Sandra Davies’ rant against Welsh “bigots” make this abundantly clear. All we have now is lip service being paid to the Castle’s history, its role in Welsh culture, and the sensibilities of the people who have always lived in the vicinity.

This rejection of all things Welsh was justified – by Sue Lewis – as being commercially sensible. Mrs Lewis’ judgement is not being vindicated. And I can’t help but wonder what experience a journalist like Sue Lewis has that qualifies her to be the Facilities Officer for a twelve million pounds project. But then, she does appear to have been self-appointed.

And what of the trustees . . . or rather, who are the current trustees? And why is there such a high turnover among them? Does anyone have a complete and up-to-date list of the trustees? Certainly the Charity Commission doesn’t, but the law says it should.

As things stand, this project is approaching meltdown. It has alienated most locals and failed to justify that behaviour with commercial success. Staff have been sacked for no good reason (unless being Welsh qualifies). And the whole shooting-match now appears to be under the control of two women who are always right, and for whom measured responses are anathema. With friends like these Cardigan Castle needs no enemies.

The regeneration of Cardigan Castle started off with a fund of local goodwill upon which to draw; that fund has been all but exhausted by a combination of incompetence and lack of oversight, with the second of those allowing – if not encouraging – the takeover of the project by a prejudiced, self-serving group. The Castle and what it stands for is now resented and regarded with suspicion by the local Welsh, as it was when the Castle was in English hands, imposing English ways on the Welsh population.

Given my ideological outlook I don’t often quote Karl Marx, but I can’t resist this: ‘History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce’. Cardigan Castle is most definitely a farce. A very expensive farce.

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Anne

I just signed this petition. Reinstate Cris Tomos as a Cardigan Castle Director – Are the board members fit to govern the castle? http://ipt.io/aibvw via @ipetitions

Wenda of the West

Gareth ‘Clettwr’ Lloyd is a County Councillor, Ceredigion County Council’s representative on the CADWGAN board of Trustees. Ceredigion County Council should know exactly what’s going on in the castle.
Brian Thomas ex director of environmental services and planning Ceredigion County Council, he has also been involved with the board of trustees from the beginning (another so called Welshman)

Wenda of the West

Oh! I forgot to mention Gareth ‘Clettwr’ also a Welsh Trustee

YBarddCwsc

Jac has his hands full investigating the numerous failings and illegalities of public bodies in Wales ?

(And, incidentally, you are performing a wonderful public service in shining the spotlight into these very murky corners).

So, I feel a bit hesitant in raising another matter — but the historian J.D. Davies has recently been blogging about the fate of manuscripts in the Carmarthenshire Record Office

http://jddavies.com/2015/07/06/carmarthenshire-archives-farce-or-greek-tragedy/

This seems to be more incompetence of the Council than deliberate corruption, but it is yet another example of how Welsh heritage & history is being thrown away.

Rhodri

Jac,

This is a topic worthy of debate. Would you care to E-mail me?

Carnabwth

No I don’t either see it happening the other side of Offa’s dyke. But that is to their credit. And that it’s allowed to happen here is to the shame of so called Welsh people such as those named by anon a few posts back. But I doubt they’ll ever view it that way.

Wenda of the West

This is not about the English Welsh relationship, it’s about the mess Cardigan Castle is in

Anonymous

Are we losing track a bit here, the Cardigan Castle farce is not about an English Welsh divide, most of the longest standing Trustees are supposedly Welsh – Jann Tucker, Sandra Davies, Richard Thomas and Hedydd Parry-Jones but don’t like any thing Welsh!!

The English people of Cardigan are equally disgusted with the way the castle is being run.

Colin

Well my apologies for my part in that anonymous. You are right in that the castle farce is not an English/Welsh divide but a complete and utter disregard for Welsh heritage along with what appears to be a huge misuse of money invested in that Welsh heritage. It does seem that the trustees get rid of anyone who seems hell bent on doing the right thing and not line their own pockets, or at least that’s my take on it. It seems to me that if there has been any wrong doing here that the police should be involved and anyone who looks like they have been involved in corruption should be investigated and help to account irrespective of their nationality.

Getting angry again but what would be the chances of some English castle with the historical importance akin to Cardigan/ Aberteifi being registered by some Saudi sheik and converted into a wedding venue for Moonies? Could that or would that be allowed to happen the other side of the dyke?

Hen

What people forget in stories like this is that half the public funds spent Wales are actually thanks to English tax payers like me, The latest story is that the new Brewit bridge was funded by the EU !!!

Say thanks to the English taxpayers everybody….even Welsh ones such as me.

dafis

So the “fact” that English tax payers are subsidising expenditures in Wales justifies any occasional fraud, corruption, embezzling or misappropriation commited by an Anglo while on Welsh soil – that’s a new one, but noted for future reference.

YBarddCwsc

An insightful post.

It shows, alas, that the relationship between the Welsh and the English has become as poisoned as that between the Aborigines and white Australia.

White Australia just views the abos as penniless, drunken, thieving, work-shy pests — getting everything free from the white man, and so unappreciative that they just use all their energy to moan and whine.

Not too different from the view of the Welsh by most English.

Wales needs to be independent for reasons of self-respect more than anything else.

So, thanks for the Pont Briwet, but I’d much rather we Welsh paid our own way.

Colin

Over sexed liars and thieves, how did the nursery rhyme go:

Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief;
Taffy came to my house and stole a leg of beef;
I went to Taffy’s house and Taffy was in bed;
So I picked up the Gerry pot and hit him on the head.

Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a thief;
Taffy came to my house and stole a piece of beef;
I went to Taffy’s house, Taffy wasn’t in;
I jumped upon his Sunday hat and poked it with a pin.

Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a sham;
Taffy came to my house and stole a piece of lamb;
I went to Taffy’s house, Taffy was away,
I stuffed his socks with sawdust and filled his shoes with clay.

Taffy was a Welshman, Taffy was a cheat,
Taffy came to my house, and stole a piece of meat;
I went to Taffy’s house, Taffy was not there,
I hung his coat and trousers to roast before a fire

Well they’ve got my respect, yes superior beings those English!

How much do they pay us for that water they take out of Llyn Celyn alone to resell in England?

Anyway back on topic and what a topic, if what Jac is telling us is true the whole lot could do with publishing in the Herald for starters or passing to a straight copper if you can find one. It beggars belief

Hen

I’m from Llay (if that’s still classed as Welsh?) but lived about 15 minutes away in west Cheshire for the last 30 odd years. We’re all the same people you know, same families, 1 head, 2 eyes, 2 ears……

YBarddCwsc

“ We’re all the same people you know, same families, 1 head, 2 eyes, 2 ears…… “

True. But, your original point was that you want the Welsh to be grateful.

You wrote: “Say thanks to the English taxpayers everybody”

We’re not grateful.

Just like the Aborigines are not grateful to White Australia. Just like the Native Peoples of Canada are not grateful to the Canadian Government for its generosity.

See if you can work out why.

Colin

Do you like reading Hen? Try this one http://www.ylolfa.com/dangos.php?ISBN=9780862436117 written by an Englishman by the way

Hen

You mean the Anglophobic Englishman who failed to take a seat that should have been as easy as taking candy from a baby but he insulted the sensitivities of ordinary people.

Well done Plaid, you’re far more extreme than Plaid and their problem is they look too extreme. I’m more in touch with the real Wales than you are.

Hen

Always happy to read and understand alternative opinion. I’m in my mid 60’s and spent half of my life in Wales just one side of the boundary and the other half on the other, My comments represent the perspective of a person in that assimilated region often overlooked in these discussions.

YBarddCwsc

“My comments represent the perspective of a person in that assimilated region often overlooked in these discussions.”

But, in what sense can this possibly be true ?

The English language is England’s single most successful export. It is truly astonishing how successful it has become. It has conquered the whole world. It has no competitors in science, engineering and business.

Anglo-, or perhaps more accurately Anglo-American, culture has similarly overwhelmed the whole world. Even successful cultures like say French cannot hope to compete on an equal footing (hence Quebec’s stringent language laws).

The assimilated region of Wales has grown and grown and grown, and now only puny, shrunken pockets of a native Welsh culture survive.

It is Game Over.

And still all this is not enough.

You honestly believe, having overwhelmed much of the cultures of over a quarter, maybe a half, maybe already three quarters of the world, that the perspectives of assimilated people are “often overlooked”.

Perhaps it is inevitable that the runtish remains of an indigenous Welsh culture will vanish. It certainly looks like it.

And as the last piece is burnt on the fire, Hen will still be saying “the perspectives of the assimilated are often overlooked”

dafis

Hen’s German equivalent was sentenced today, 70 years after he commited his crimes.His defence ? I was only obeying orders ! Hen’s defence most likely will be “I was only following the mob” – nuff said

Hen

That comment says more about the state of your mind than mine.

dafis

Anglophobic Englishman – you are selective ! Parker merely identified a type of migrant to Wales, at no time did he identify ALL English incomers as being of the kind he went on to describe. Some manage to integrate well and add value to their communities. Others, so often the subjects of these columns, are unable to resist the attraction of “colonial lifestyle” or economic exploitation. So get a grip and stop hating your own identity, you are beginning to sound like a right old Uncle Twm !.

Hen

“stop hating your own identity”

I have the same identity today I had as a boy growing up in the outskirts of Wrexham….Welsh and British.

(my mother was a Welsh speaker but had little use for it when she met my father….that’s life)

Hen

A Ruabon railwayman.

Anonymous

did he go off the rails ? or was his track dismantled by Beeching ( an Englishman)

YBarddCwsc

Plenty of people consider themselves Welsh and British.

I have no problem with that (although I happen to consider myself to be just Welsh).

What do I have a problem with?

I have a problem with people who believe that the Welsh have to give thanks for the Union (“Say thanks to the English taxpayers everybody”).

Like you, I am of Welsh heritage and actually an English taxpayer as well. But, I can clearly see that the way the present Union works is to enrich & aggrandise the South and East of England at the expense of Wales, Scotland (and much of the North of England as well).

I also have a problem with English speakers believing that they are marginalised (“My comments represent the perspective of a person in that assimilated region often overlooked in these discussions.”)

English speakers — whether in North America or Australia or in Europe or in the UK — are world-famous for not bothering to learn anyone else’s language (whether French or Italian or Spanish or Welsh or Irish) and being completely intolerant of everyone else’s culture (why don’t these damn Johnny Foreigners learn English?)

The English ask loudly and expect to get services in English whether they are in downtown Prague, Tuscany, Marbella, Llanfairfechan or Nouveau-Brunswick.

dafis

Hen, I was going to say “keep taking the pills ” but they are evidently not working so best get back in the coop where you will do least harm and will be less likely to run into a nasty Welsh speaking Fox.

You are displaying all the characteristics of a serious case of the Uncle Twms, got a seriously hostile attitude to the natives and a strong belief that the sun shines out of some Englishman’s ass. Adds up to a fun combo !

Colin

But it sounds as if you would rather be English than Welsh Hen (is that Hen as in feathery thing that clucks of Hen as in old?).

You obviously have never had to endure the extreme prejudice and disrespect toward the Welsh from the many of the English second home owners that I have for most of my life. The destruction of a local village community caused by escalating house prices way above the nation average because the wealthy English buy up every one that comes on the market at prices more than locals can afford. The lack of things like a decent corner shop or local butcher because the village is less than half empty for 75% of the year because the second home owners only come when the weather is nice and warm and you want me to say thank you to the bloody English for paying their taxes? You can go forth and multiply!

To be honest people like you make me sick to my stomach, I would rather have an English person live next door to me than you. Go on go and fly your st Georges cross and sing God save the queen, I’d rather you did that than call yourself Welsh!

Apologies to all (again) and no I’m not racist, just twatist

Hen

Hen is short for Henry…and you are a bigot.

There’s nothing any of you can preach to me about Wales, I was a 60’s radical who decided to grow up and get on in life instead of blaming others for everything I don’t like.

Colin

Yes when it comes to the likes of you I am a bigot make no bones about it! WTF did you expect posting a comment like “Say thanks to the English taxpayers everybody” on a Welsh nationalist blog?

Wenda of the West

apparently back in 2006 ish Jan Tucker stole/claimed a parcel of land from Aberporth Primary School, who was chair of the school governers – Sue Lewis, she did nothing to stop her and Mrs Tucker added a nice piece of land to her estate

dafis

And where is the local constabulary when crap like this is flying around ? Has a formal complaint been made ? Does it need a formal complaint before a senior officer, alerted by “intelligence”, gets off his/her shiny arse to take a look ? or is the local police chief also part of this network that seems to enjoy extensive priviledge at the expense of the public purse ? The Dyfed Powys Police Commissioner appears to be an enthusiastic enforcer of standards, so maybe now is the time for him to lean down from above and motivate his local troops. Can’t believe that the entire strength of the local plod squad has been bought off with free pizzas and discounted weddings !

Aberteifi till l die!! Bye Sue

Talk about coming back and bitting you in the arse Sue!! No one in west wales deserves as much hatred being delivered to them as much as Mrs Lewis has had in resent days/weeks. Her name is talk of the town. This is nothing to do with her being English, it’s to do with her turning Aberteifi in to the Warwick castle. I love the fact a reporter has phoned her up for her side of the story and she threatens illegal actions towards them and doesn’t answer question thrown at her. How’s it feel to be on the other end of the stick Sue? For all those false reports when you were editor at the teifiside, the years of bullshit story’s you published have come back to haunt you! Calmer is a bitch. Jac l hope your next blog will have the title Sue Lewis Has Fallen. Brilliant to finally see this women’s name tarnished over the papers and social media like she once did to many others over many years. Good night Sue

Anonymous

Hey Jack, thanks for the continued promotion, retainer cheque is in the post. might have to review my account though, too many factual errors: I am not the son in law of any trustee, the picture you show purporting to be my holiday accommodation is not. I have nothing to do with the castle, and most troubling perhaps for some of your followers, I am not English.

Journalist? Get a grip.

Colin

Anonymous I think it is Jac, no way can the real james lynch be that much of a coc oen. No way! I don’t know the man but surely to God he wouldn’t write that, or even like that.

fforestchief

It is indeed the ‘real’ james lynch. who knows why your system chose to post me as ‘anonymous’.

Colin

You just need to type your name into the text box (where it says “Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:”) and it will appear next to your post, if you leave it blank it will just show as anonymous

Colin

Either that or Jac’s blog software is smarter than it looks!!

fforestchief

Jac, these ‘stories’, are they more like voices that only you can hear?

I have no interest in the castle and so not bothered what anyone says about it. I do have an interest is said about me. Probably shouldn’t, but you’ll have gathered I’m a sensitive type. Now I know Jac that you find it difficult to embrace the new, but that computer thing in front of you, you can use it to visit the records of an agency called the land registry. There you can find out dates of transfer and other details about property transactions. Imagine! it would be like being a proper journalist, and one less voice in your head.
So there you will find that my decision to invest in cardigan riverside and start building a business dates back to 2001 and haven’t bought any properties since 2007. Predates what the voices tell you by about 7 years. Flattered as I was by you naming me a visionary, I didn’t feel I really deserved it. I now see that you were referring to my ability to see into the future, a quality I hadn’t recognized in myself. (tip: put a big bet on Scotland winning the rugby world cup this year).
We were getting on so well, y’know really connecting, then you spoil it by the playground threat ‘you should watch your back’ I know it was just the frustration, but it was a line crossed and (as much as I valued the free promotion) means I cant play the game here anymore.

So this is my last visit to Fantasy Island.

I would like to say its been a pleasure, but the virulent anti English, anti enterprise, and anti progressive comments you attract are just dreary and depressing.
This blog is a small puddle where you are happy to encourage the rancid ‘anti’ invective obscuring any legitimate and reasonable questions you or your contributors may have.

Happy to say that in the years I’ve been working and living in Cardigan, I have not experienced or observed the bitter prejudices displayed by some comments on this blog. Must be going to the wrong places.

Hwyl fawr am nawr

Your Celtic brother.

dafis

Like I said in my note of 09/07 :

“If you was looking for 12m worth of building works & renovations etc then you will be looking for ever !

As is always the case with these types of initiatives much of the dough will have been dispersed among the sundry services like surveyors, lawyers, accountants, heritage “specialists” and that’s just when the project is broadly legit ! When scammers get on board the capacity for “soaking away” funds increases geometrically, so if that is the case at Aberteifi then it’s likely that only a few bags of cement, some rock and a few tools were the sum total of the “direct” costs ! No doubt someone will come up with a set of accounts ( where a participant’s new extension or conservatory may have been skilfully tagged on )

We shall see ! “…………………………………..

Well you’ve walked the pitch and, surprise, surprise, not much evidence of £12 mill’s worth of effort ! Plenty of work here for a diligent auditor to stick his nose & pencil into. Given the pathetic attempts at self justification coming from some of the major “players” it would appear that their misdemeanours ( or even worse ) are being uncovered despite their high opinion of themselves !

Colin

This weekend I had to cut down a cherry tree in our garden that was starting to undermine the foundations of the english arshole next door’s garage (And he is an arsehole, even the english think so) who built it years after the tree had been there. Not being a lumberjack I first removed the branches with a small axe as I don’t own a suitable saw; then when they had been removed I turned my attention to the trunk. So I figured I would dig around the roots and just chop through them as they would have been smaller, so that’s what happened. Eventually it toppled but it was far too heavy for me to shift in one piece so I decided there was no other way other than to cut the trunk in half with my small axe. Chip, chip, chip and half an hour later the trunk was in two and the trunk was ready for disposal.

WTF is he on about you may ask! Well substitute my garden for Wales and the cherry tree for our heritage; chip, chip, chip a little bit at a time and all that will be left is the englishmans garage

dafis

You were too ready to accomodate the Anglo twat. When he built his shed you should have piped up – told him to stop interfereing with your tree’s roots and got some of the Green brigade out there to lecture to him ( in English ! )

Seriously though your analogy is spot on – I asked some dog walker last week for directions to a bloke’s house near Llandeilo and he looked at me like I was a Martian, real fear in his eyes looking at a 65 year old bloke speaking to him in Welsh. He regained his composure and assured me he was down there on holidays with his aunty, so I just quipped that he shouldn’t forget his way home !

Colin

Sadly if I didn’t the law as dictated by of colonial friends says I would have to pay for the damage caused by the tree

Colin

Sorry, got cut off mid flow at work.
It was in the days when I was a bit more tolerant and tried once or twice to accommodate incomers. The benefit of hindsight, now I wish I could turn back time, I would change an awful lot!! The same mistakes I made are being made all over Wales to tie in with Jac’s parting paragraph

Cymro Wladfa

This is incredible, incredibly embarrasing, this two shameful women must be sacked inmediatly, they ripped of and defrauded all the Welsh community, Welsh speakers or not.This is happening to much frequently in Wales, the danger of Scotland being independent has worsen the Colonial strategy of anglicize Wales, something that many Welsh resist to believe, and then deny. Time to get out of the confort zone. And fight peacefully for the country.

Brychan

A very valid point. You may be aware of the Rhondda Heritage Museum at Trehafod. It was a pit-head conversion of the Lewis Merthyr colliery, using the lamp room, winding house and capped shafts as a ‘heritage museum’. Part of this ‘tourist attraction’ was the construction of a new building on the site, called the “Rhondda Heritage Hotel”. Some years after opening the hotel was hived off to a private investor and it subsequently received substantial sums in Heritage Lottery Grant and European Development funds under the ‘heritage’ title. This was spent on upgrading the accommodation a few stars, refurbishment of an indoor swimming pool and associated sauna and an health suite. The discounted ‘local’ access and community health club was soon dropped, and it is now the only ‘quality’ establishment in the central valleys. It was blamed for putting ‘Bavistocks’ out of business and even the Miskin Manor complained about unfair public funding. It has nothing to do with the mining heritage of the village and the ‘museum’ from which it sprang, now a pile of scrap and the a listed winding gear which begs cash of the council for a paint job. The ‘language’ issue in Ceredigion is only one dimension to this issue. This is a type of rip off of public funds common throughout Wales.