12k projects to attract visitors to Llanidloes and Talgarth are completed

7 October 2024

Projects costing a total of £12,000 for new signs at Llanidloes and Talgarth have been completed thanks to grant funding secured by Powys County Council.

Four new gateway signs on the approaches to Llanidloes have been installed at a cost of £7,000 to 'welcome' visitors, while three town maps and information boards have been installed in Talgarth at a cost of £5,000.

The Talgarth signs highlight local history and walking opportunities at Pengenffordd, Hay and Brecon Railway, and Talgarth Woodlands.

The work was made possible thanks to the 80% grant funding secured by the county council's Economy and Climate Service from Welsh Government, as part of its Brilliant Basics scheme. Llanidloes Town Council and Talgarth Walkers Are Welcome Group provided the additional funding.

"Tourism is very important to the Powys economy so, we want to do everything we can to protect the assets we have and make our beautiful county a more attractive place to visit," said Councillor David Selby, Powys County Council's Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys. "I hope more people will now be encouraged to stop and explore Llanidloes and Talgarth."

The improvements have been managed by Llanidloes Town Council and Talgarth Walkers Are Welcome Group.

Llanidloes Town Councillor Andrew Morel, responsible for the delivery of this grant funded project, said: ''It is great to have bolder welcome to/croeso i Llanidloes signs that better reflect our town's heritage and identity. Thank you to all those in the community that helped contribute to the design and wording.

"Hopefully these signs, provided by this grant, will yield benefits in more people accessing our local businesses and facilities.''

Havard Prosser, Chair of Talgarth Walkers Are Welcome Group added: "We have welcomed the funding to let visitors know about the attractions of Talgarth and its surroundings."

The Welsh Government's Brilliant Basics scheme has seen £5 million allocated to small-scale tourism infrastructure improvements across Wales for 2023-25.

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy with responsibility for tourism, Rebecca Evans, said: "By investing in small-scale improvements through our Brilliant Basics scheme, we're ensuring places like Llanidloes and Talgarth are better able to showcase their unique heritage and natural beauty whilst positively impacting the quality of a visitor's experience.

"Supporting locals and visitors alike to explore all that Wales has to offer is crucial to our economy and tourism industry, and the small but impactful changes like those through Brilliant Basics can be game-changing."

Powys County Council was successful in securing £300,000 of the £5 million, which is being spent on 10 projects covering better access, car parks, trails, electric vehicle charging points, signage and interpretation, and toilet upgrades at various locations.

Visit Llanidloes: https://www.llanidloes.com/visit/

Talgarth Walkers Are Welcome Group and the Talgarth Walking Festival: https://www.talgarthwalkingfestival.org/about-us

PICTURE: One of the new signs welcoming visitors to Llanidloes.