Rhuthun/Ruthin’s turned itself into a festival town. For one week, it can put aside the arguments for and against Tesco. The atmosphere or awyrgylch is palpable as you walk around. I found myself humming the National Anthem as I wondered around on Friday (and for any English readers, this is *not* “God Save the Queen”). Yes, the ‘Steddfod’s here and the eyes of Wales will be focused on our little town of 5,000 as, during the coming week, an expected 100,000 visitors descend.
This is one of the few Eisteddfodau so close to a town centre, so let’s hope the economic benefit stretches beyond the Maes. With Tesco still over two months away, we can’t help but wonder whether it’s missed a trick by opening so late.
However, Tesco hasn’t lost the opportunity to be one of the event sponsors.
Preparations continue apace. Anyone visiting the Maes will conclude that the place won’t be open on time on Monday (of course, it will, it just seemed that way yesterday). Many local highway verges are now cut and a man with a tractor has been cutting back some of the creep from the verge to the road. It’s been a month since the council resurfaced the footpaths from the Maes to the town.
This morning, the council’s finished the bunting in the town centre. This adds to that on houses and at businesses, along main roads and near the Maes. Eisteddfod roadsigns appeared this week. And the “Croeso/Welcome” banners, reported at £6,000 but reusable, have been up for two weeks.
The council’s embargoed roadworks throughout the town, from noon yesterday. This affects the work on the roadside at Tesco's but will not hide the site, which so near to the Urdd gives a 1970s-half-finished-Spanish-holiday-resort image to the town.
This is one of the few Eisteddfodau so close to a town centre, so let’s hope the economic benefit stretches beyond the Maes. With Tesco still over two months away, we can’t help but wonder whether it’s missed a trick by opening so late.
However, Tesco hasn’t lost the opportunity to be one of the event sponsors.
Preparations continue apace. Anyone visiting the Maes will conclude that the place won’t be open on time on Monday (of course, it will, it just seemed that way yesterday). Many local highway verges are now cut and a man with a tractor has been cutting back some of the creep from the verge to the road. It’s been a month since the council resurfaced the footpaths from the Maes to the town.
This morning, the council’s finished the bunting in the town centre. This adds to that on houses and at businesses, along main roads and near the Maes. Eisteddfod roadsigns appeared this week. And the “Croeso/Welcome” banners, reported at £6,000 but reusable, have been up for two weeks.
The council’s embargoed roadworks throughout the town, from noon yesterday. This affects the work on the roadside at Tesco's but will not hide the site, which so near to the Urdd gives a 1970s-half-finished-Spanish-holiday-resort image to the town.