Council in row with organisers of Eisteddfod
A SPAT has broken out between Llanelli Town Council and the National Eisteddfod over calls for town businesses to benefit from the festival.
Town council chiefs had urged festival organisers to ensure business people in Llanelli reaped the dividends from the major Welsh cultural event in 2014.
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Carl Lucas
But they were taken aback by a letter from festival organiser Hywel Wyn Edwards, which declared that there would be a meeting next October inviting businesses to hear of the possibilities of offering their services.
"This happened over the last three or four Eisteddfods and we will certainly want to operate in the same way in Carmarthenshire — remembering that this is the Carmarthenshire Eisteddfod — in 2014," said Mr Edwards.
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Town council leader Carl Lucas said: "My reaction to the letter myself was — fine, if that's how you want it to be, if you want it to be the Carmarthenshire Eisteddfod when they come to us for the financial support — they want our support we will take note that it's a Carmarthenshire Eisteddfod."
Councillor Mike Burns said: "We are a small council, but there are 70-odd town and community councils in Carmarthenshire, so a 70th of the budget goes to them if they persist in this and don't help local businesses."
Councillor Jan Williams said: "While I'm absolutely delighted that the Eisteddfod will be coming to Llanelli and will be sited where the last one was, I'm a little bit horrified at the tone of this particular letter.
"It seems that it's something we are not supposed to make any comments about, that we are to receive the Eisteddfod — wonderful — here it comes, warts and all."
Speaking directly to town mayor Winston Lemon, who raised concerns about local businesses missing out when the last Eisteddfod was in Llanelli in 2000, Ms Williams said: "I think most of the people in this room agreed with you that people were transported down to the Eisteddfod and transported away.
"They didn't spend much time in Llanelli."
Comments
by Neathboy234
Sunday, December 09 2012, 9:47PM
“It should always be the town or city that holds the Eisteddfod, quite strange to say otherwise.”
by Tipsyb
Sunday, December 09 2012, 6:57PM
“Lets hope more effort and organisation is made than there was in the Christmas lights to accommodate wheelchair users”
by Tipsyb
Sunday, December 09 2012, 6:56PM
“K”
by Neathboy234
Saturday, December 08 2012, 11:13PM
“BTW that wasn't a swear word. It's what we do when we tip S L A G off steel lol lol”
by Neathboy234
Saturday, December 08 2012, 11:12PM
“Jiffy makes it even worse when they are English incomers moving to Wales and ****ging our culture off. And surprise, surprise these are often the same people who don't want people moving to the UK because they don't adapt to our culture.”
by Jiffy
Saturday, December 08 2012, 11:04PM
“Is the Eisteddfod going the same way as the Olympics? Any mention/celebration of the event in Llanelli and the heavy mob will be round to rip it all down!”
by Neathboy234
Saturday, December 08 2012, 12:43PM
“Anyone who has ever been to the eisteddfod will know al of the action takes place on the maes, not in the nearby town. If you want to make any money then you have to get a spot on the maes. I can only imagine that anyone who thinks otherwise has never been to an eisteddfod. And i've been to many over the years, both Genedlaethol and Urdd which i loved attending as a boy representing my village where i grew up.
One memory i have when i was about 14/15 was 7 a side rugby at the Urdd, we lost all 3 games which came as a bit of a shock to all of us. Looking back all these years later it was even more shocking as there was 2 boys on my side who grew up to be full internationals and another who got a B cap. I must have been me and the others boys to blame lol”
by Carnabwth
Saturday, December 08 2012, 11:47AM
“Lets embrace the occasion. Ammanford lost out as there were two campaigns. A campaign for and a campaign against. A businessman in Llandybie offered a perfect location as level as a mill pond. Sadly there was a minority group that objected and sadly a wasted opportunity and effort fell by the wayside. Lets not allow a repeat of that.”
by maxmin
Saturday, December 08 2012, 10:36AM
“Absolutely right, in fact people were shipped in from all over Wales to service the last junket, some local business's were even threatened with withdrawal of licenses if they tried to provide services.”