LANGLAND: Police bring in dispersal order at Langland Bay after anti-social behaviour reports

Police have put a dispersal order in place at Langland Bay after a rise in reports of anti-social behaviour.

The Section 35 order gives officers the power to move on anyone involved in anti-social behaviour in the area, which includes the popular beachside car park.

South Wales Police said the order would remain in place until 6pm on Friday, 26 June.

It covers Langland Bay Road, the car park, the seafront and the beach itself, as shown on a map released by the force.

A Section 35 dispersal order is a temporary power that lets officers direct people to leave a defined area, and not return within a set period, where anti-social behaviour is causing or likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The force said it had acted following increased reports of anti-social behaviour in the area.

Inspector Simon Trick said officers wanted people to be able to enjoy the coast during the hot spell, but to do so considerately.

“We want everyone to enjoy our beachfront areas in Swansea and the Gower during this hot weather, but they must be respectful of others around them,” he said.

“Our officers are working with nearby community leaders in order to identify local ASB problems which require solving.”

The order comes during a spell of record-breaking heat that has drawn large crowds to the coast across Swansea and Gower.

It is not the first time hot-weather crowds have brought trouble to the region’s beaches. At Easter, police dealt with disorder at Aberavon after a lifebuoy was set alight, while officers recently stepped up patrols at Briton Ferry over fears of a bank holiday gathering.

Anyone with information about anti-social behaviour in the area can contact South Wales Police.

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GOWER: Campsites could open without planning permission as new rules slip past council protections

Campsites could start appearing on parts of Gower without planning permission, after a change in the law slipped past the protections the council has relied on for nearly half a century.

The Welsh Government has introduced a new right that lets landowners use their land as a recreational campsite without applying for planning permission, within limits.

Across most of Wales, that allows camping for up to 60 days a year. In protected landscapes such as the Gower National Landscape, the cap is lower, at 28 days.

The change took effect on 1 June, and councillors will be told about its impact at a Cabinet meeting on Thursday.

The catch for the council is that the new right falls outside its existing protections for the area.

Since 1979, an Article 4 Direction covering the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has meant that camping and most caravanning needs a full planning application, rather than being allowed automatically.

But the new right, known as Class BA, is not covered by that 1979 direction. It means that, subject to the rules, recreational camping can now go ahead on Gower without the council signing it off first.

There are limits on where it can happen. Camping is excluded from sites of special scientific interest, special conservation areas, flood zones, scheduled monuments, listed building sites and land within 100 metres of someone’s home, among others.

Landowners must also apply to the council beforehand each year for a decision on toilet and wastewater facilities, waste disposal and how vehicles will reach the site.

A council report says those restrictions mean fewer sites will qualify than under the old, broader camping rules.

Officers are not recommending an immediate response. Instead, they want to monitor the impact over the next two years before deciding whether a new Article 4 Direction is needed.

The report, by development manager Ian Davies, says bringing in a new direction would need significant resources and a strong evidence base, balancing support for tourism against protecting the landscape.

It warns that acting without that evidence could leave the council open to legal challenge, and could see Welsh ministers step in and block any new direction.

Monitoring would track landscape and traffic impacts, pressure on utilities and any effect on residents, measured through the number of prior-approval applications and enforcement complaints.

If the evidence later shows a new direction is justified, a further report would go back to Cabinet.

Cabinet meets on Thursday, 25 June, when members are asked to note the changes and approve the monitoring plan.

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SWANSEA: Ironman 70.3 road closures announced as countdown begins for major triathlon

The popular Ironman festival of swimming, cycling, and running returns to the area on Sunday, July 12. Race organisers confirmed this year’s event has been sold out for months, with thousands of competitors and families expected to travel from across the UK to stay in local hotels.

Swansea Council has issued an early reminder about temporary travel arrangements to ensure the safety of both the public and athletes. Organisers have confirmed that emergency services access will be maintained at all times during the event.

A series of key routes will experience temporary closures at various times throughout the Sunday. Council teams and race organisers have stated they will work to re-open roads as soon as the last competitors have safely passed.

Most disruptions are confined to the Sunday, according to the official route map, though a temporary closure will take effect on Saturday on East Burrows Road and Somerset Place near the swim start. The main cycle and run routes on Sunday will impact traffic flowing through the city centre, out towards Mumbles, and across parts of the Gower peninsula.

Council officials confirmed that every home and business located directly along the race route will receive a letter through their door detailing the exact travel impacts for their immediate neighbourhood. Clearly signposted diversion routes will be established by the local authority to guide drivers around the closed sections.

Essential access for carers is being explicitly facilitated by organisers. Carers or those who rely on them are asked by the race team to contact them at [email protected] before July 10 to arrange access passes.

The massive sporting event is estimated by council figures to be worth £4.5 million to the local economy, providing a major summer windfall for regional hospitality, hotels, and restaurants.

Council officials noted that this year’s road closure plans are largely identical to previous years, with small tweaks made based on direct feedback from local residents.

Tracey McNutley, head of cultural services, parks, and cleansing at Swansea Council, said the triathlon has grown into one of the most popular events of its kind in the country. She acknowledged that while the economic benefits are significant, the necessary closures require preparation from locals.

“However, we understand that road closures can cause disruption, and we’d like to thank residents and businesses in advance for their patience and cooperation,” she said.

“We strongly encourage everyone to check the road closure information ahead of the event and plan their travel accordingly to minimise any inconvenience,” she added.

The local authority stated that advanced warning signs will be installed along the affected stretches of road over the coming weeks. Visitors and residents looking to head into the city centre on the weekend of the race are being encouraged by the council to use public transport where possible and allow extra time for journeys.

A dedicated resident and business hot-line has been set up by organisers for anyone needing to check specific access requirements. Locals can call the team on 03330 11 66 00 or email [email protected] for direct assistance.

City Centre Traffic Diversions

Drivers heading toward the city centre face significant changes along Oystermouth Road on Sunday under the published council plans. The major A4067 artery axes westbound travel entirely from 6:00am until 5:00pm, though eastbound traffic toward the city centre will run normally all day.

Central waterfront routes are hit over both days, starting with Somerset Place which shuts from 7:00am to 6:00pm on Saturday and re-closes from 4:00am to 6:00pm on Sunday. Nearby Burrows Place and Adelaide Street face a full Sunday lockdown between 4:00am and 8:00pm.

The early-morning race setup will also halt traffic on Kings Road between the Sail Bridge and Y Fforwm building car park from 4:00am until 10:00am, according to council schedules. Meanwhile, the Swansea Bay Cycle Path along the Prom will be completely off-limits to cyclists from Lilliput Lane to Swansea to clear the run course, though pedestrian beach access remains open.

Mumbles and Bishopston Restrictions

Travel through Mumbles and Bishopston will be restricted early on Sunday morning as the cycling leg gets underway. Mumbles Road locks down southbound toward Village Lane from 6:00am to 10:00am, while northbound traffic heading back into Swansea remains open.

A blanket closure hits Newton and Bishopston shortly after, locking down Plunch Lane, Higher Lane, Southward Lane, Caswell Road, Pyle Road, Bishopston Road, and Pennard Road from 6:30am until 10:30am.

Gower Peninsula Road Closures

The cycling route then cuts across the Gower peninsula, triggering a series of morning closures on key rural roads. The B4436 from Murton Green to Vennaway Lane closes fully from 6:30am, opening westbound toward Pennard at 12:30pm before a full reopening at 1:45pm.

Vennaway Lane itself shuts completely from 6:30am to 12:30pm, allowing only northbound traffic for an hour before opening fully at 1:30pm. Further west, Pennard Road through Kittle will block all traffic between 7:15am and 10:45am.

The main A4118 Gower artery faces a multi-hour closure from Parkmill, Penmaen, and Nicholaston through to Reynoldston from 7:00am until 12:30pm. Drivers using the eastbound route through Cilibion and Reynoldston will find it fully closed from 7:00am until 1:00pm.

As the race moves north, Tirmynydd Road through Three Crosses and Penuel shuts southbound from 7:30am to 12:00pm. The B4271 at Llethryd will also be fully closed to all vehicles between 7:30am and 1:00pm.

The final legs of the route will alter return travel into the city later in the afternoon. South Gower Road (A4118) closes southbound from Upper Killay to Vennaway Lane from 7:00am to 1:30pm, while Clyne Common and Fairwood Road shut eastbound only from Fairwood Road to Murton Green between 8:30am and 1:45pm.

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SWANSEA: City takes starring role as S4C and ITV team up for first time on new drama Santa Maria

A new television drama being filmed in and around Swansea will put the city on screens across the UK — in the first ever drama co-production between S4C and ITV.

Santa Maria, a six-part dark comedy-drama, will premiere in Welsh on S4C in early 2027 before being broadcast in English on ITV later the same year.

The series follows two families from very different sides of the tracks, whose lives become slowly entangled through the actions of Maria — a saintly but strung-out cleaner.

It was created and written by multi-award-winning screenwriter Siwan Jones, whose previous work includes Con Passionate, Alys and 35 Diwrnod.

Directing is Erin Richards, whose credits include Y Golau/The Light in the Hall: Still Waters and the American series Gotham.

Producers have described Swansea as an integral part of the story, with filming taking place in and around the city — and Mumbles also set for a starring role.

Cameras have been quietly rolling for almost a month — the production’s first slate, released with the announcement, is dated 11 May and marks scene one, take one of the shoot.

The all-star cast is packed with familiar Welsh television faces, including Y Gwyll/Hinterland stars Siân Reese-Williams and Richard Harrington, Hannah Daniel of Cleddau/The One That Got Away, Leisa Gwenllian, and Oliver John.

They are joined by Matthew Gravelle, who starred in the Port Talbot-set Steeltown Murders, and Swansea-born Melanie Walters — best known as Gwen in Gavin & Stacey.

The series is being made by Welsh independent production company Triongl, with support from Creative Wales, equity funding from S4C’s commercial content fund, and international distribution handled by Sphere Abacus.

S4C’s Head of Film and Drama, Gwenllian Gravelle, who commissioned the series, said it would capture the contrasts of life in the city.

“Santa Maria explores the striking contrasts of life in Swansea, where two very different worlds exist side by side,” she said.

“Set against the city and Mumbles’ iconic blue skies, this deliciously dark comedy-drama captures Swansea in all its diversity; vibrant, complex and unmistakably real.”

Darren Nartey, Head of Content Acquisitions at ITV, said the broadcaster was “very proud to be bringing this fascinating, quintessentially Welsh story to our audiences across ITV”.

Triongl’s executive producers Nora Ostler Spiteri, Alexander Spiteri and Gethin Scourfield said they had assembled a cast and crew to make a show that was “warm, funny and vibrant — a far cry from our usual Welsh noir”.

The Welsh Government said Creative Wales’ investment had helped create jobs and training opportunities in the Welsh screen sector.

Plaid Cymru’s Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, said: “As a new government we’re committed to strengthening the Welsh creative sectors. We welcome the fact Creative Wales’ investment in this production has helped create jobs for our talented workforce, valuable experience for trainees, and is expected to deliver around £5.7m in economic return for Wales.”

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GOWER: The former journalist who took on the lorries and machinery to save the family farm business

When Louisa Harry Thomas’s husband founded a new business on the family’s Gower farm, running lorries and heavy machinery was never meant to be her job.

A former journalist, she had married into farming rather than grown up in it.

But when ill health forced her husband to step back from the venture he had started, she found herself in charge of it all.

Five years on, that business — Gower Granary — now supplies customers across Wales and southern England, and employs the equivalent of more than six local people.

“Running men, lorries and heavy machinery was never part of my life plan,” Louisa said.

“But when circumstances change, you find strengths you didn’t know you had.”

The Rhossili farm first ventured into animal bedding in 2021, as the family looked for a way to keep going while traditional farming grew tougher.

Using straw left over from the family’s arable operation, they began producing sustainable bedding and forage for horses and other animals.

The straw is double de-dusted during milling, leaving it dust-free — better for horses, and for the people handling it, who can be prone to respiratory problems.

The venture got off the ground with start-up support from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

It was shortly after launch that Louisa’s husband, the farmer who founded it, was forced to step back because of his health.

Alongside caring for him and supporting her family, she kept the business going — and growing.

Past customers have included Folly Farm in Pembrokeshire, which has used the bedding for animals from sheep to guinea pigs, and the equine centre at Aberystwyth University.

Today the company supplies stockists, universities, visitor attractions and equestrian venues across Wales and southern England.

That growth has come against a difficult backdrop, with the business reporting rising costs for staff, raw materials and packaging, on top of the wider pressures squeezing rural firms.

“We’ve focused on serving our customers well, controlling what we can control and continuing to move forward,” Louisa said.

Sales, the business says, have continued to climb regardless.

There is an environmental thread running through it all. The products use locally sourced materials and recyclable packaging, and are designed to support animal welfare while cutting waste.

Even the leftovers find a use — waste from the bedding process is sold into the sustainable construction sector, where it goes into breathable building materials.

The Red Tractor approved farm also keeps a herd of Welsh Black cattle on its cliff land to support biodiversity, and grows herb-rich grass on a five-year rotation to leave nutrients in the soil.

Beyond its own staff, the business says it supports a wider network of local suppliers, contractors and tradespeople across the peninsula.

Louisa’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, with a place on the shortlist for an Inspiring Business Person of the Year award.

She is among the business owners backing UK Small Business Week, a national campaign running from 1 to 7 June to mark the part small firms play in their communities.

The campaign, run by the Entrepreneurs Circle, sees independent businesses across the country take part in local events and community activity.

For Louisa, the milestone is less about awards than about having kept going when stepping away would have been the easier choice.

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GOWER: Cave art found on the Gower coast confirmed as the oldest in Britain

A series of painted marks in a cave on the Gower coast has been confirmed as the oldest known cave art in Britain.

Researchers say the distinct stripes inside Bacon Hole cave, which overlooks the Bristol Channel, were created by human hands around 17,100 years ago.

The cave, cared for by the National Trust in Wales, has long been one of the country’s most significant “bone caves”, named for the ancient animal bones found there.

The painted panel itself was first noted in 1912, but for most of the 20th century it was written off as natural staining rather than the work of people.

New scientific analysis has now overturned that view, confirming the marks as genuine Palaeolithic cave painting.

The findings place Bacon Hole, already a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest, among the most important prehistoric sites in Europe.

The art was made using red iron oxide, a naturally occurring mineral also known as haematite.

An international team carried out the renewed investigation between 2022 and 2024, led by the First Art team from the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

Researchers from Swansea University were involved, alongside colleagues from Southampton, Liverpool and Nanjing Normal University in China.

The team used high-resolution digital photography, uranium-series dating and Raman spectroscopy to examine the age and make-up of the pigments.

All the painted surfaces in the cave were re-examined, confirming the pigment had been deliberately applied by human fingers in lines, dots and splashes.

Dr George Nash, an archaeologist at the University of Liverpool who led the research, said the discovery rewrote what was known about the lives of early Welsh ancestors.

He said the artwork predated all previously identified rock art sites in north-western Europe by at least 1,500 years, making it a find of international significance.

David Thomas, archaeologist for National Trust Cymru, said it was profoundly moving to imagine people standing in the cave more than 17,000 years ago and making their marks on the rock.

He said the trust was grateful to the research team for revealing a hidden chapter of the past on Gower.

The trust has installed a protective metal grille at the cave entrance to safeguard both the fragile archaeology and a rare population of roosting bats.

Because of the cave’s precarious position on the coastal cliffs, it is not safe for the public to visit.

The research was supported by the National Trust and the Bradshaw Foundation, and the full scientific report has now been published.

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"Archaeologists have used the latest scientific means to date the rock art, discovering that it was in fact created 17,100 years ago – making it the oldest example in Britain as well as north-western Europe."

#Mwmbwls #Mumbles #Gŵyr #Gower

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jun/01/striped-rock-dismissed-as-natural-reclassified-uk-oldest-cave-art-mumbles-south-wales

SWANSEA: Economic impact of tourism close to £700M in 2025

Last year the industry was worth almost £700m, an increase of 2% on the year before, with visitor days and overnight stays also on the increase.

These figures are supported by consistently strong annual hotel occupancy levels in Swansea in 2025 of 79%.

Tracey McNulty, Head of Cultural Services, Parks and Cleansing said:

‘The impact of tourism on Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower is continuing to improve year on year, with even more visitors opting for an overnight stay in the area.

“It’s supporting more than 5,500 jobs, with the total number of visitor days at 8.47m and the number of staying visitors increasing by 2.5% to 1.64m.”

Kate Bowen, General Manager of the Morgans Collection said:

‘The new STEAM report showing that tourism is worth almost £700m to Swansea is very positive for the whole Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower area. 

“At Morgan’s Hotel, we benefit from working closely with the Council’s Tourism Team on their high-profile destination marketing campaigns, as well as benefitting from the major event programme, by offering packages and offers all year round. 

“It’s great to see the growth in the number of staying visitors too and we work in partnership with other hotels in the area to ensure we refer bookings when we are full, to keep business in the area.”

Carly, Marketing & Advertising Manager, King Arthur Hotel, Reynoldston, added:

‘These newly released STEAM figures are very encouraging. 

“We have always worked closely with the Council’s Tourism Team, supporting their PR campaign, by hosting journalist and influencer visits, in partnership with other accommodation and activity providers, attractions, restaurants and cafes.

“We have been a Visit Swansea Bay Partner for many years and will continue to do as much as we can to support the local tourism industry and employment within this key sector.”

The Council’s Tourism Team continues to promote the destination with high profile and engaging marketing campaigns including Outdoor Media activity in key markets, TV advertising and PR. It works closely with local tourism businesses to host journalist and influencer visits as well as targeted digital campaigns with high quality video led content.

The successful Happy Place/Hwyl Campaign has generated over 11m video views since its launch in February 2025, with a new video released each week. The official destination website for the area, visitswanseabay.com, which receives over 180k page views every month, continues to provide a key platform for over 300 local tourism businesses, including accommodation, activity providers, attractions, cafes, bars, restaurants, pubs and events.

Swansea has a positive reputation for hosting high-profile annual events such as the Wales Airshow and Ironman 70.3 Swansea and they continue to draw in visitors from outside the area, with cultural events due to take centre stage in 2027 as Swansea becomes the only Welsh city to host the prestigious 10th British Art Show (BAS10). 

These collective factors complement the ongoing extensive and ambitious regeneration projects led by Swansea Council across Swansea and the wider Swansea Bay area, supporting employment and bringing additional revenue to  tourism and hospitality businesses.

[Lead image: Swansea Council]