Dragon’s Tail: From the streets of Cardiff

Wales may well be known for its passionate patriotism, but it seems there is always at least one exception to the rule – even in the capital city.

With the national festival of St David’s Day almost upon us, you could been forgiven for thinking employees at St David’s Hall – the national concert hall – would have a vague understanding and maybe even a little knowledge about what was going on this weekend. Well, you would be wrong.

One man rang St David’s Hall to book tickets for the St David’s Day concert, only to be asked by the booking clerk: “And what day is that on?”

 

On a slightly more political note, Dragon’s Tail has learned how a residents’ meeting came to a standstill this week as tempers reached boiling point.

Don Taylor, chairman of the RREEL Action group and Ross Saunders, leader of the Socialist Party Wales, locked horns as they argued how best to tackle Cardiff County Council over fears a superschool will be built on Rumney Recreation ground.

Stunned members looked on as the pair battled it out for half an hour.

Mr Taylor said: “The Socialists are just trying to jump on the bandwagon of our campaign. We are nothing to do with the school’s issue, we are only concerned with the protection of our park land.”

Mr Saunders said: “We are just trying to highlight that for us to make an impact we have to join together and fight the cause as one, it is a shame [Don] can’t see that.”

Dragon’s Tail is glad to inform you the two appeared to have made up during a raffle later in the evening.

 

One of Cardiff’s most popular restaurants realised they had made a rather large blunder when they discovered they had forgotten to order in any leeks two days before St David’s Day.

The Italian restaurant, Positano on Church Street, had to nip out to Cardiff Market to stock up on the traditional Welsh vegetable in order to make their leek and potato soup or face the disappointment of their customers.

Fortunately, Steve Fowler, 52, who runs a fruit and veg stall in the market came to the rescue and provided the restaurant with all the leeks they could possible need. The only problem is now this particular section of his stall is looking somewhat depleted.

He told Dragon’s Tail: “I ordered twice as many as I usually do to meet the demand of everyone’s celebrations, but I think I’ll have some disappointed customers after the restaurant took most of my stock.

“People need different sizes for different recipes and I haven’t got much of a range now. It’s like a car showroom with only one car on show. My regulars won’t be happy.”

 

Dragon’s Tail is a little concerned one Government department is proving an easy target for thieves after Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West disclosed the figures for missing equipment in his department.

Mr Brennan, parliamentary under-secretary for the Department of Children, Schools and Families revealed two mobile phones, eight laptops and five Blackberry devices had been reported either lost, stolen or missing.

The information was given on behalf of the Secretary of State for the department in reply to a question on the overall departmental equipment situation since 2001 from Liberal Democrat MP, Sarah Teather.

But tax-payers need not fear. They can rest assured the situation is improving. In 2004/05 six mobile phones, 37 laptops, three desktop computers and three other technology gadgets went missing.

 

According to relationship councillor Dr Sheri Jacobson, more woman than ever before are expected to propose today. But Times columnist Steve Beale is warning men to stay away from Wales if they fear the worst.

The advice is for those men wanting to aviod the big question and it comes as Lake Vyrnwy Hotel is offering a special package today.

If the man says “yes” it will give the couple a bottle of grand cru. But if he says “no”, hotel staff will escort him from the premises and present the woman with a cuddly Welsh dragon, a box of tissues and some chocolates.

Then again, maybe there’s not too much to fear. Since there isn’t actually a ‘v’ in the Welsh alphabet, it can always be argued the hotel isn’t really Welsh.

(Published: Friday 7 March 2008, Cardiff Evening News)