Latest news with #Cardiff
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Tesco says sorry after running ‘meet the Lionesses' campaign... in Wales
Tesco has apologised for displaying a 'meet the Lionesses' advertising stand in a Cardiff store, which customers described as 'deeply offensive'. Wales's women's team will take part in their first ever major tournament at this summer's Euro 2025 and have been drawn in the same group as England. Shoppers in Cardiff were outraged by a Lucozade display that offered the chance for fans to meet the Lionesses, whom Wales play on July 13. Noel Mooney, the chief executive of the Football Association of Wales (FAW) was one of several people to share their anger on social media, posting on X: 'We are Cymru.' One shopper called on the supermarket to 'read the room' while another said: 'Must be lovely for our Welsh women footballers, walking in Tesco and seeing the England women's team. Disgraceful.' Tesco admitted the display had been put up by mistake and that it has since been removed. A spokesperson said: 'We're sorry this happened. We wish both the Welsh and English teams the best of luck in the upcoming Euros and know that many of our colleagues and customers will be proudly supporting their home nations throughout the tournament.' Players describe shirt row as 'extremely disappointing' It comes after Telegraph Sport reported that Welsh players were disappointed that fans were unable to personalise their away shirts for the Euros. The FAW unveiled a new away shirt earlier this year but supporters are unable to personalise the mint-green jersey – made by longstanding kit supplier Adidas – with a name and number, which has angered fans and members of the team. A current member of the Wales squad, who wished to remain anonymous, told Telegraph Sport: 'It's extremely disappointing that, as we prepare for the Euros, as we make history, we still can't get access to names on the back of our shirts. We've said for years, visibility is key and it is impossible for us to be in this history-making moment and actively choose against visibility.' In a statement, the FAW said: 'The Football Association of Wales want every fan to have the opportunity to personalise their Cymru shirt with the name and number that they desire. The FAW is in regular dialogue with Adidas and JD to find a resolution for personalisation on the WEC 2025 away shirt ahead of Euro 2025 this summer.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Red-faced Tesco forced to issue an apology after public backlash to this promo stand... but can YOU spot why Welsh shoppers were so angry?
Tesco have been forced to apologise after a promotional stand offering shoppers the chance to meet England's Lionesses was put on display at a Cardiff store. Customers were shocked to see the large Lucozade signage, emblazoned with two photos of the Lionesses in a team huddle, placed front and centre of the store's entrance at Western Avenue just weeks before Euro 2025. The stand featured a large archway and offered shoppers the chance to 'win and meet the Lionesses', as well as the opportunity to take home a Lionesses jersey. The UEFA Women's Euros will get underway on July 2 in Switzerland and England and Wales will face off against each other after being drawn in the same group. Outraged Welsh customers took to social media to voice their anger with the display. One shopper described it as 'deeply offensive' and urged Tesco to 'read the room'. 'I genuinely don't understand how this happens. Surely someone somewhere would have thought it was a bad idea,' they added. 'Do you have these up in Scotland too?' Another customer said it was 'disgraceful', saying: 'Must be lovely for our Welsh women footballers, walking in Tesco and seeing the England women's team.' The chief executive of the Football Association of Wales, Noel Mooney, also shared his frustration with the gaffe, saying: 'We are Cymru. Why is this in our capital?' Tesco confirmed that it has since removed the display from the store and has wished both the Welsh and England sides luck for the tournament. In a statement, they said the advertisement was 'incorrectly' put up. 'Many of our colleagues and customers will be supporting their home nations in the tournament,' the company added.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Children in Wales speak out about air pollution near their school
Children in Cardiff want to improve the air they breathe - especially near to their school. Environmental group, Friends of the Earth Cymru says that over 200 schools in Wales are in places where the air quality isn't meeting guidelines on air pollution set by the World Health Organization (WHO).More than half of those schools are in Cardiff, the group now wants the Welsh government to do more to tackle the problem. What do campaigners say? Friends of the Earth Cymru looked at information about harmful gases in the air collected by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). They say that the figures suggest that over 65,000 pupils in Wales may be breathing in air that isn't clean enough.A new law was passed last year to clean up the air in Wales, but Haf Elgar, director of the group, said it's just the start and more needs to be done. "This data proves that we've got a real crisis in air pollution in Wales, particularly in our cities. The list of 200 schools makes it obvious that we need to do more." Doctors agree that air pollution is a big problem. Dr Hilary Williams from the Royal College of Physicians said: "For people living with asthma, poor air quality directly affects their risk of hospital admission and impacts everyday activities."Clean air is a right, not a privilege and improving air quality must be treated as a core public health priority." What do children say? At one school in Cardiff, some children are aware of the problem and are trying to do their bit to help. Eleven-year-old Fatima is trying to get her family to stop using the car so much. "I usually tell my parents off for driving the car too much, and ask them to walk to school instead of drive. I live a bit far - but it's not too far - so I just walk."Another student, Seren, also 11, is helping by growing plants. "It would be better if we could all do something like plant more plants or make more cars on the road electric so they don't produce the fumes that go into the atmosphere," she 11, says she thinks about her friends who have asthma: "Children's bodies are still growing. They can get ill and it can affect their bodies," she said. What does the Welsh government say? The Welsh government has said that it is giving money to help councils make air cleaner through its Local Air Quality Management Support Fund. It is also planning to teach more people - especially children - about air pollution and how to council has said it welcomed the report from Friends of the Earth Cymru as "Cardiff is very much aware of the health concerns from poor air quality and its potential impact on our children".However, the council said its monitoring locations in the city are currently meeting existing laws on legal air quality and said that the schools it monitors recorded air pollution levels that are "significantly less" than the Friends of the Earth Cymru research suggested.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Oasis x Adidas drops in time for the band's reunion – these are the pieces to buy as stock sells out fast
Oasis fans have been waiting since 2009 for brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher to play together again. With the Live 25 tour kicking off on 4 July in Cardiff, the wait is nearly over. The Gallagher brothers have made no secret of their estrangement over the years, so the reunion tour is shaping up to be a huge event. Despite Oasis fever in full swing, Noel and Liam haven't even been pictured together since the announcement – until now. Building hype for the tour, a picture was posted on the Adidas Instagram with the Britpop duo sporting official merchandise from an exclusive collaboration. Inspired by styles that Oasis wore in the Nineties, the collection features everything from the iconic three-stripe T-shirts to matching tracksuits and jackets. Starting from £45, there are even bucket hats, Liam's headpiece of choice. Naturally, pieces are already selling out fast as fans curate their comeback tour wardrobe. Tickets for the Oasis comeback tour went on sale with unprecedented demand. If you were one of the lucky few who secured them, then lean into the Britpop revival by shopping the best styles from Adidas x Oasis. Adidas tour bucket hat: £45, Liam Gallagher was regularly seen sporting a bucket hat in the Nineties, and you channel his style with this Adidas take. Available in five finishes – navy, green, tan, black and blue – only the black and stone khaki colourways are still in stock. Made from cotton twill with a band around the crown, the curved brim is designed to keep the sun out of your eyes, but also scores you style points. This vintage-inspired tee features Adidas' iconic three-striped design, boasting a slim fit and faded finish. Crafted from soft and lightweight cotton, it features the Adidas and Oasis logos. Adidas' track tops were a signature of the Nineties. This one from the Oasis collaboration is inspired by the archive, with pale blue, burgundy, black and navy colourways available. The zip-up style features three stripes down the arms, a high neck, elasticated cuffs and the Adidas and Oasis logos. Another good choice for the Live 25 tour are the firebird tracksuit bottoms. With a straight leg cut, the bottoms feature three stripes down the leg, zip pockets and an elasticated waistband. The trefoil logo and Oasis logo make them a great piece of memorabilia. An Adidas core style, this long-sleeve T-shirt has been given an upgrade for the Oasis tour. Featuring a slim fit and a contrasted hem, the style is infused with a vintage feel. The cotton fabric is sure to be breathable and soft, too. Available in four finishes, choose from red/white, blue/navy blue, black/white and off-white/black.
Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The Oasis books you should read before the grand reunion
This is what bookworms might call 'havin' it large'. The brief was simple: to read and judge – so you don't have to – seven new books about Oasis ahead of the Manchester band's hotly-anticipated Live '25 reunion tour next month. That's almost 2,000 pages on the Gallagher brothers. A big commission? Some might say. Too much? Whatever. I'm mad for it, me. Mirroring the seven studio albums that Oasis recorded between 1994 and 2008, a few of these books are great, some are patchy, and all come at their mission from slightly different angles. One thing is clear from the volume of tomes being released: Liam and Noel's reunion is a Major Cultural Event, of which Britain's publishers want a bite. Never mind that singer Liam once said that books are 'for losers' while songwriter and guitarist Noel called authors 'f------ idiots'. By July 4, when the Britpop rabble-rousers perform in Cardiff for the first time in 16 years, Oasis-mania will be in full swing. So take off your parka, loosen those Gazelle trainers, sit back and – as Liam never said – curl up with one of these. Andy Bollen's Definitely Maybe: The Birth, Death and Resurrection of Oasis (Polygon, out now, ★★★☆☆) is a readable history hung on the fact that its author was at the May 1993 gig where Oasis were signed by Creation Records boss Alan McGee. An 'I was there' moment, for sure. But Bollen, who was a drummer before he became a writer, refreshingly admits that he found the concert, a sparsely-attended affair at Glasgow's King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, 'unspectacular'. It's gritty eyewitness stuff, and Bollen's valiant tracking down of seven other attendees – who give their accounts of the night, Rashomon-style – is to be applauded. But Bollen dedicates seven separate chapters to King Tut's. It's a lot. In a somewhat similar vein, And After All: A Fan History of Oasis (Gallery Books, out July 17, ★★★☆☆) by Melissa Locker tells the band's story through fans' accounts of around 55 concerts, running chronologically. Early concerts include the band's doomed show at Los Angeles's Whisky a Go Go in September 1994, which descended into chaos after bandmembers snorted crystal meth pre-show, thinking it was cocaine. An ultra-wired Liam threw a tambourine at older sibling Noel, who stormed off to San Francisco. On the other hand, it's cheering to see how many fans ended up going for a beer with Noel; one devotee even found themselves hanging out with Kate Moss, Jude Law and Sean Bean. The book creates a neat, exhaustive, bottom-up mosaic of a generation-defining band. The debut book by Merseyside-born PJ Harrison – Gallagher: The Fall & Rise of Oasis (Sphere, ★★★★☆) – charts the brothers' story through the prism of their post-Oasis solo careers. The band split up in 2009 after Liam threw a plum at Noel backstage in Paris, sparking a terminal fracas. After that, in brief, Noel's solo career started stormingly then wavered, while Liam's started waveringly before storming ahead. There's plenty of juicy detail about simmering brotherly resentment, though Harrison also suggests that Liam's latter-day solo success made Noel see him as more of an equal and 'moved the needle' on the eventual reunion. Of the imminent tour, Harrison provides three fascinating nuggets: one-time Oasis drummer Chris Sharrock allegedly turned down the reunion because the wages were 'derisory'; if these dates go smoothly, the band are holding big venues for more shows in 2026 followed by a final 'lap of honour' of major festivals (Glastonbury 2027?); and the publishing rights to Oasis's songs revert to Noel this year, meaning that on top of the £100 million tour booty that both brothers may receive, Noel could bag a 'Brucie Bonus' worth £250 million from selling on his freshly-popular songs to the highest bidder. And yet, for all that, it's hard to ignore the fact that Harrison's book is curiously structured, with chapters about the Gallaghers' childhood and the band's early days thrown in. You might call it a bit of an Oasis soup. Shame there's no roll with it. Journalist and musician John Robb gives us the broad historical sweep in the chunky Live Forever: The Rise, Fall and Resurrection of Oasis (Harper North ★★★★☆), a 424-page epic that's unauthorised but comes heartily-praised by both Noel and McGee. There can't be many other books about rock bands that contain the words 'In the 19th century, British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli said'. Robb was part of the Manchester scene, and he's particularly strong about Noel's musical incubation in the city's Acid House clubs (the Haçienda and the Kitchen in the Hulme Crescents housing estate), his friendship with The Smiths' Johnny Marr, and his job as roadie for 'Madchester' band Inspiral Carpets. Just like Robb's 2023 history of Goth music, The Art of Darkness, this book feels like an authoritative inside track by one of pop culture's grand inquisitors. Before I get to the best of the lot, let's pause to note, amid the wall-to-wonderwall of serious books, two decent humorous ones. The first is Oasis Talking S---e, a compendium of the Gallaghers' most outrageous quotes (Simon & Schuster, ★★★★☆, out June 24). It's easy to forget the daftly macho surreal genius of the brothers' take on life. Liam: 'I'm getting up earlier and earlier, man. I try and beat the alarm clock. The alarm goes off at six, and I try to get up at 5:59 just to do its head in.' And there's a revealing quote from Noel stating that rock groups should contractually be banned from ever reforming once they split up. 'There's nobody, absolutely nobody, who's better the second time around,' he once said. Hmm. Then there's The Secret Diaries of Liam and Noel Gallagher, a parody by Bruno Vincent, who wrote the Enid Blyton for Grown-Ups series (Century, ***). The book is based on the fun premise that a mysterious cache of papers was discovered in a skip in Burnage, where the brothers grew up. The 'diaries' are dry, droll and historically accurate. But when the Gallaghers are famously dry and droll themselves, how much parody is really needed? But the best new Oasis book of all is A Sound So Very Loud: The Inside Story of Every Song Oasis Recorded by music journalists Ted Kessler and Hamish MacBain (Macmillan, out July 3, ★★★★★). I had initial doubts when I noticed what seems to be a pretty obvious mimicking of Revolution in the Head, the scholarly 1994 book in which Ian MacDonald unpacked every Beatles song in painstaking detail. Oasis are not the Beatles, despite what they think – Paul McCartney once called them 'derivative' – and few will have been waiting to learn the provenance of Mucky Fingers, a filler track on Oasis's sixth album Don't Believe the Truth (2005). But Kessler and MacBain use the Gallaghers' songs as jumping-off points for head-spinning anecdotes, interspersed with accounts of the writers' dozens of personal dealings with Oasis. (Both first met Liam and Noel in 1994; Kessler was the last editor of now-defunct Q magazine.) Crucially, the authors' own clear love of the music comes with enough journalistic objectivity to balance the zing of rollicking storytelling with the ballast of serious scrutiny. The pair have written something special: a book of wit and verve about why Oasis matter. F------ idiots.
