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A former Swansea corner shop which had been shut off from the outside world for decades and hadn’t served customers for years sold at auction.

The dilapidated time warp shop and living accommodation, 17 Wern Road, Ystalyfera, Swansea revealed for the first time in years when inspected prior to sale, listed for  £26,000 sold for £50,500.

Sean Roper,  of Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions who sold the property, said: “Although the former shop hadn’t been open for very many years and was in a very poor condition it seems there were a number of people who could spot its potential.

“After some strong bidding from eight individuals and after 95 bids it eventually sold  for almost twice the guide price. Included in the price is the contents of the former shop which includes things like some really old cans of food and jars which would have sold in the shop years ago.

“The garden seems as though it is trying to invade downstairs.  Plants have come in through broken windows and have taken up residence in the actual bath.

“It really is a place which is lost in time. There are the tattered remains of the last century material curtains and even a really old-fashioned style ladies brolley and mac hanging on a peg as if left there by a previous owner after a shower.

“The property will now require a complete renovation and modernisation. The versatile building would be ideal for a number of uses including retail with live over accommodation or conversion to residential, such as one larger family dwelling, or as two flats, subject to necessary planning consents.

“It’s a real time warp gem which seems to have has quietly faded away over time as the rest of the world rushed ahead on its merry way.”

“Where the  property is situated allows ideal access to link roads to the M4 motorway and Swansea and also to the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Black mountains. The local areas are well served with a good range of shops, and local amenities.”

The former corner shop is among almost eighty properties listed by Paul Fosh Auctions in its February online sale which generated a total of £4.4m sales.

A disused Victorian railway signal on a station platform on the English Riviera sold at auction.

The imposing Grade II listed, three floor, rectangular brick and glass fronted signal box, is at busy Great Western Railways Torre Station, Torquay.

The unique property, which dates back to when the railway station opened in 1848,  listed with a guide price of £54,000 plus was sold by Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions for £65,750.

Sean Roper, of Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “We had a great deal of interest from rail enthusiasts and also from local people for the former signal box which attracted a total of 41 bids from five individual bidders at the online auction.

The top floor of the property is equipped with all its now, non-functioning rows of ancient signal levers and handles and a signalman’s armchair. The  signal room has a cast iron,  pot-bellied, coal fed stove dating from the age of steam, wood paneling and high ceilings and is flooded with light from the panoramic windows.

The station is still in use. Planning permission for conversion of the signal box into a holiday home has previously been obtained for the property but this has now lapsed.

Sean said: “I’d say the property would be just perfect for the avid train spotter or perhaps a holiday home owner who wants to be able to  go on a weekend away and simply step from the train and be at home. The signal box is within walking distance of Torquay’s beach and attractions. It really is a wonderful opportunity for those who prefer something a little bit different.”

The accommodation comprises three floors. Previous plans envisaged creating a  snug ground floor living area, first floor bedroom with en suite and the third floor, having an open plan dining room and kitchen. Initial work has already started converting the building.

Torre railway station, which has two platforms in use, is a suburban station on the Riviera Line in Torquay, Devon. The railway station is 219 miles from London Paddington.

The station is managed by Great Western Railway but is not staffed. The railway station with its ornate main buildings and intricate designed passenger footbridge was designated a world heritage site in January 1975.

The former signal box was among 78 lots listed at Paul Fosh Auctions February online sale which generated a total of £4.4m in sales.

Newport East AM John Griffiths is in training to compete in this year’s virtual Admiral City of Newport Half Marathon.

Athlete and keen runner John has taken part in the Newport Half, staged in support of Newport-based St David’s Hospice Care, each year since its inception in 2013.

Encouraging others to follow his lead this year in the virtual event John, during a recent training run in the city,  said: “I’m looking forward to taking part again this year albeit virtually. It’s not going to be all the runners together in one place this year. Everyone will be doing the Newport Half in their own way across a range o dates.

“It’s a tribute to the ingenuity and determination of St David’s Hospice Care to stage this Half Marathon even with all the difficulties we currently face.

“It’s a great cause. The hospice does so much good work for so many people here in Newport and beyond and I hope as many people as possible this year will take part. I look forward to it and I hope as many others will do as well.”

Mr Griffiths said he hoped people would be motivated to take part and support the hospice  as: “it’s more important than  ever given the current health crisis.”‘

St David’s Hospice Care Chief Executive Emma Saysell said: “John is a superb supporter of the hospice not just by taking part in the Newport Half each year but in all sorts of ways. We’re hoping people will listen to what he is saying about supporting the run and take part in the event this year.”

St David’s Hospice Care is encouraging runners to sign up and take part in the virtual 13.1mile Admiral City of Newport Half Marathon on their own route anytime between February 26 to March 6.

A new development just released by the organisers as a result of more people wanting to get involved is that participants can now enter as a team, or multi-effort entries per runner.

You can find out more by visiting the website

http://cityofnewporthalfmarathon.com/take-part/

Included in the registration fee are an event T-shirt, bespoke event medal and leader board.

To register visit cityofnewporthalfmarathon.com

Robin Hall, managing director of Newport-based financial planners Kymin, says money saved during recent months as a result of the pandemic restrictions should not rest idle but instead could best be put to work…

One paradox of the corona virus pandemic is that even as businesses have shut down and jobs have disappeared some British households have been saving more money than they usually do due to lower spending.

AN INVESTOR could be making all the right moves if they snap up a Newport city centre building which is the home to an award-winning dance studio.

Fully-let Alexandra House has a dance studio on the ground floor and the two upper floors have been converted to six, ultra-modern, penthouse apartments.

The pristine property at 1 Caerleon Road, Newport, is being sold by Paul Fosh Auctions with a guide price of £408,000-plus.

Sean Roper, who is choreographing the sale for the Newport-based auction business, said: “The property could be an ideal investment as, fully let, it generates income from the word go. The ground floor occupiers are a highly-regarded dance studio who have recently signed a new five year lease and each of the six self-contained apartments are also let.

“This is a sympathetic, high class and stylish very recent upgrade of an iconic building opposite Newport Cenotaph and within walking distance of the city centre.

“The total annual income generated from the fully let property is currently £45,780.

“Each of the apartments enjoys all new services with individual smart meters, new kitchens, with fridge/freezer & washer/dryer, bathrooms, flooring and decoration throughout. The property has a proven track record of good occupancy levels and the ground floor dance studio is let to a well-established tenant.

“The property is ideally situated in Newport city centre and there are excellent road links to the M4 motorway. The property benefits from new UPVC double glazing throughout and each of the flats has electric heating and water, heat extraction/ventilation, broadband connection and intercom door-entry.”

The property is among more than 70 lots which will be offered for sale by Paul Fosh Auctions in its online sale from Tuesday, February 2, starting at midday and ending from 5pm on Thursday, February 4.

Brickfab, a leading manufacturer of prefabricated products for the UK House Building industry, is building itself a greener future.

The innovative business, based in Pontypool, which employs sixty people designs, manufactures and supplies prefabricated arches, brick specials, chimneys, GRP canopies and panels to the major house builders throughout the UK.

Brickfab Managing Director, Nigel Watkins, says the firm recognises the role it must play in reducing its carbon footprint by putting the environment at the forefront of its business. It has added to its green credentials by installing 170 solar panels at its factory in Pontypool.

Mr Watkins said: “We take a proactive approach to dealing with all matters relating to Brickfab’s environmental impact. To that end and to reduce our carbon footprint even further, we have installed a total of 170, 290v solar modules which will give us an installed capacity of 49kWP. We expect to make savings of 25 tonnes of CO2e per year. It helps everyone at Brickfab to have a greater awareness of the importance of looking after the planet and climate.”

The business expects to recover the costs of installing the solar panels over the next few years through the energy produced by the equipment.  Brickfab received an interest free loan from The Carbon Trust for the installation which had made the project financially viable. The system was installed by Hereford-based Caplor Energy.

The installation comes in the wake of Brickfab’s other green initiatives which include the use of cutting-edge delivery vehicles to help reduce fuel use, streaming and segregation of factory waste with significantly less going to land fill and the recycling of plastic and cardboard.

Mr Watkins said: “We have a focus on reducing energy use across the business and working towards ISO 14001 environmental standard. We could well see further solar panels installed on our other factories, in the future.”

Brickfab, a leading manufacturer of prefabricated products for the UK House Building industry, is building itself a greener future.

The innovative business, based in Pontypool, which employs sixty people designs, manufactures and supplies prefabricated arches, brick specials, chimneys, GRP canopies and panels to the major house builders throughout the UK.

Brickfab Managing Director, Nigel Watkins, says the firm recognises the role it must play in reducing its carbon footprint by putting the environment at the forefront of its business. It has added to its green credentials by installing 170 solar panels at its factory in Pontypool.

Mr Watkins said: “We take a proactive approach to dealing with all matters relating to Brickfab’s environmental impact. To that end and to reduce our carbon footprint even further, we have installed a total of 170, 290v solar modules which will give us an installed capacity of 49kWP. We expect to make savings of 25 tonnes of CO2e per year. It helps everyone at Brickfab to have a greater awareness of the importance of looking after the planet and climate.”

The business expects to recover the costs of installing the solar panels over the next few years through the energy produced by the equipment.  Brickfab received an interest free loan from The Carbon Trust for the installation which had made the project financially viable. The system was installed by Hereford-based Caplor Energy.

The installation comes in the wake of Brickfab’s other green initiatives which include the use of cutting-edge delivery vehicles to help reduce fuel use, streaming and segregation of factory waste with significantly less going to land fill and the recycling of plastic and cardboard.

Mr Watkins said: “We have a focus on reducing energy use across the business and working towards ISO 14001 environmental standard. We could well see further solar panels installed on our other factories, in the future.”

There’s no sinking feeling for St David’s Hospice Care as long term supporter Monmouth-based Mandarin Stone has made a sizeable donation.

Mandarin Stone have donated £5000 to Newport’s St David’s Hospice Care. The company are sponsors of the annual Rotary Club of Monmouth Raft Race which supports St David’s Hospice Care and other local good causes from the funds raised each year.

For nearly a decade, Mandarin Stone have supported the Monmouth Raft Race by being sponsors and also entering a themed raft into the River Wye race. The first Mandarin Stone themed entry was ‘Cavepersons’ in 2013.

The 2020 race had to be cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, as were all other major fundraising events for the hospice.

Alma Small, Managing Director of Mandarin Stone, said: “Unfortunately we were not able to sponsor the annual Monmouth Raft Race this year, as we have done since 2013, due to the understandable cancellation of this popular event.

“This event is a very well-loved, local ‘day out’ each September and a critical fundraising event for St David’s Hospice Care. We understand the invaluable work that St David’s Hospice provides in our local Community and so felt it important that we support them.”

Other themes for Mandarin Stone’s past year’s entries include Superheroes, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Mimes.

Alma said: “The monies raised helps to fund the continued work of their dedicated nurses and the running of hospice services which is provided free to all patients and families. This provides vital palliative care to people facing life limiting illnesses as well as providing support to their families at a very difficult time, even more so during the current pandemic.

“Mandarin Stone are pleased to donate to this charity again, especially this year as support from their other fundraising has been curtailed by the pandemic.”

The past year and covid-19 pandemic have served to be the hardest period St David’s Hospice Care has faced in its 42-year history.

Kris Broome, of St David’s Hospice Care, said: “Mandarin Stone have been great supporters of the hospice for years and we thank them again for this wonderful donation. This year has been the most difficult we’ve ever had, but donations like this show us that the support is still there, which is reassuring to know. Our Charity shops may have closed during the lockdowns with our fundraising events cancelled but our nurses continue to visit people in their own homes so obviously funding as always is an absolute priority for us.”