Retirement Notice

Will and Liz North, owners of EPL Designs in Cardigan, are retiring and closing the EPL Designs shop on Friday, 24th October 2014. They have operated their embroidery and printing business in Cardigan since 2005 and have served many local businesses, clubs and schools since then. Will and Liz have made many friends along the way and would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported EPL over the years. Before closing there will be a Sale of all Stock Items – all at 50% off at least. So, pop in and grab a bargain while stocks last. Normal make-to-order business will continue up until Monday 12th October after which, no new orders will be taken. Will and Liz have tried for more than a year to sell the business as a going concern, without success. Finally, Will and Liz would like to say a special thank you to the Cardigan Traders, Cardigan Chamber of Commerce, Antur Teifi and Cardigan Councillors who have helped them and many others to make Cardigan a brilliant Town to run a business.

Ken Davies Butchers New Shop

Ken Davies a'i Fab, Butchers in Crymych have moved 50m down the road to London House. The new shop is a purpose-built facility with all the butchery functions and facilities under one roof and with much more room, allowing for growth of the business. Building work by Phil Evans & Sons has been carried out to a very high standard. Ken Davies, Ben, Johnny, Callum, Dilwyn and Dafydd have all worked extremely hard over the weekend to move the business for the opening on Monday, 17th August. The picture shows the new shop front with signage by EPL Designs.

Cadwgan Fun Run

The Cadwgan Fun Run took place today in Cardigan and 107 runners competed over a 3 mile course. The event, sponsored by EPL Designs www.epldesigns.com and Teifi Sports www.teifisports.co.uk started from Prince Charles Quay and took the runners around the Wildlife Park www.welshwildlife.org and back again to the Quay finish line. The winner (in fancy dress) was Rhys Harries in a time of 17 minutes and 58 seconds. All runners were presented with a comemorative medal from Cardigan's Mayor, Catrin Miles.

Penparc FC Under 13s Year of Success

The Penparc FC Under 13s - sponsored by EPL Designs - have had a fantastically successful season. The squad, trained and managed by Dai Williams (see team photo) have achieved the following Awards:-
1. Winners of the South Ceredigion Junior Football League.
2. Winners of the South Ceredigion Junior Football League Cup.
3. Winners of the Aberaeron 7 Aside Tournament.
4. Winners of the Felinfach 7 Aside Tournament.
5. Runners Up in the Tesco Cup.
Individual Team Awards are:-
Most Improved Player - Joint winners - Ben Cox and Gwern Phillips
Top Goal Scorer - Ewan Jones
Players Player - Lewis Adkins
Player of the Year - Mathew Jones.
Well done to everyone at the Football Club and good luck for next season.

Some Good News...... a little-mentioned feature of the recent budget was the fact that the Small Business Rate Relief Holiday has been extended by one year. So this means that business premises with a rateable value of less than £6,000 will have another year of free rates from October 2011. This is good news for Cardigan Traders and other small businesses all over the UK.

In other news, some local businesses may be surprised to find that they are no longer listed the latest BT Phone Book. If you pay your BT Phone Line Rental to BT then get a free line entry in the BT Phone Book. However, if you have moved to another service provider for your line rental, you no longer get a free line in the BT Phone Book,... something the alternative providers neglect to mention when you switch.

The new BT Phone Book is designed to fit through a household letterbox. It looks a lot smaller than the previous book. In fact I weighed both the old and the new books and the new book is over 30% less in weight. It's a sign of the times, I think, that indicates that businesses will be less reliant on the traditional paper directories and move towards the internet and on-line directories.

The Yellow Pages is also changing format to one that will fit through a letterbox. It will be interesting to see how much smaller this will become also.

Who's Best in Cardigan?

I was incensed by a recent 'News' article in the Tivy Side Advertiser, see link
http://www.tivysideadvertiser.co.uk/news/8874017.Best_loved_businesses/
The article was reporting on the result of a survey of local business customers to find the 'Best Loved Business' in Cardigan and Teifi Valley. Initially I was mystified by this because, as a local business owner, I had not heard of any such survey being carried out and was upset that I had missed out on an opportunity to be part of such a survey. Reading further through the article it became clear that the survey was not open to all businesses in Cardigan and Teifi Valley at all. It became obvious that the survey only involved clients of 'TheBestOf' Cardigan - a 'Paid-for' directory of local businesses. So, the whole article is, in reality, an advertising feature for 'TheBestOf' and their clients. I believe the Tivy Side Advertiser should have made it clear that the article was an advertisement - not News.

I feel quite strongly that this reporting has mis-represented the majority of brilliant Cardigan businesses that do a fantastic job for their customers. These businesses had no opportunity to enter into such a survey. I must add that I do not suggest that the businesses mentioned in the article are not good also,.. I know they do a great job for their customers too.

My argument is that the best of anything relating to Cardigan businesses should be open to all and the Tivy Side Advertiser should make this clear and add a note on the website article saying it was a survey of 'TheBestOf' clients only.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is now responsible for internet website standards and all website claims need to fair and accurate. I feel that a directory that claims to list The Best Of businesses may need to substantiate their listings in a more fair and accurate way.

We all know how web directories work and how most sell their lists to others - that's how they make more revenue. However, there are more cost effective ways of promoting your business locally using free directories such as westwalesindex.co.uk or freeindex.co.uk or hotfrog.co.uk or, Google Maps / Places. With these free directories, customers can write reviews without needing to be members and agreeing to 'TheBestOf' terms and conditions.

So, come on Tivy Side lets be fair to all the brilliant Cardigan Traders and Businesses and make sure what you publish is actually real news and not a disguised advertisement.

As for the inferences espoused by 'TheBestOf' Directories - what is the ASA complaint procedure,... oh I think this is Step 1 - http://www.asa.org.uk/Complaints/How-to-complain/Online-Form/Step1.aspx

EPL Designs 6th Birthday

EPL Designs 6th Birthday

EPL Designs is celebrating its 6th Birthday by giving away 500 Cotton Shopping Bags. Every customer who spends £40 or more will receive a free bag – see photo. The idea is to help prepare shoppers for the change in legislation that will force retailers to charge a minimum of 5p for every plastic bag in October this year.
Will and Liz would like to say a big thank you to all their customers and look forward to being of service in the years to come.