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Wales Online
a day ago
- Business
- Wales Online
The incredible deli hidden in Cardiff city centre with holiday in the Med vibes
The incredible deli hidden in Cardiff city centre with holiday in the Med vibes If you want to embrace the joy of southern Italian food, long lunches and a friendly atmosphere then look no further Gloria Serena Arcerito, originally from Sicily is the owner of Khione (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) If you've not tried out Khione Sicilian Delicatessen in Duke Street Arcade in Cardiff, you're definitely missing a trick. Italy is my ultimate favourite destination to travel to, partly because of their different attitudes to food and they have the cutest little shops which are way more fun to browse in and pick up your daily essentials than the standard UK supermarket. But as I found out recently, you don't actually have to travel to Italy to soak up the glory of Italian food culture. Khione first started out running at the market in Pontcanna before opening up in Canton and they have now been operating in the city centre for over six months. Owned by Gloria Serena Arcerito, who is originally from Sicily, she started working on the business and idea during lockdown with the intention of bringing the experience of traditional Sicilian cuisine to Cardiff. All of the products at Khione are all carefully selected and shipped directly from Sicily itself. They're also produced by small businesses and farmers who believe in upholding the traditional family recipes many generations of Sicilians have grown up with. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here Gloria Serena Arcerito, who moved from Sicily seven years ago and has built up a thriving Italian business in the centre of Cardiff (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) Gloria moved to the UK seven years ago, and lived with a family in Wales where she learned to speak English. Article continues below 'It was hard at the beginning', she explained. 'I decided to do a full immersion so the family was a Welsh-English family. 'So the lady, Jenny, who's my friend and who owned the house, wanted to learn Italian so we taught each other. We created a community and they helped me start the business because they gave me space which I could use for storage. 'During Covid I also used to work at the City Arms - just because I still wanted to learn and be a part of it all.' Before meeting Gloria and speaking to her properly I tried out the food the night before to get a sense of how the business flows of a typical day and I fell in love with the atmosphere, décor - as well as the amazing flavours straight away. Olives, bread, lemonade and a pizza slice from Khione (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) I arrived just before they were set to close at 6pm and as it was a hot summer's afternoon and went for olives and bread which was totally perfect, and a great, light evening snack. Inside, the vibe is warm and welcoming, and the space invites you to experience a slice of Italian culture in a mix of ways. Downstairs is where the shop sits, where you can stock up on proper Italian food. The décor and layout definitely makes you feel like you've been transported to a Sicilian village rather than the arcades of Cardiff, and when you're browsing through the different products and ingredients - I'd say you feel much more inspired to get creative in the kitchen than picking up food from a chain store, so it acts as a simple reminder of how nice it is to support small businesses. You can look out onto the arcades from some of the seats (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) But if you thought that Khione was just a shop then think again. You can also order from their wide-ranging menu and be served food upstairs, where they have one of the loveliest, homiest dining spaces I've come across in the city - or you can dine on the seating located outside the deli. The olives were zesty, with loads of flavour and it was genuinely the best bread I'd eaten since stopping at a deli I haven't stopped thinking about in Ventimaglia, in Italy itself. My partner got a small slice of pizza which was in his words 'a delectable choice for a quick bite and actually very filling', and we both opted for bottles of lemonade which were lovely, and tasted gorgeously organic. Also on the menu is a selection of Italian favourites including Pinsa Romana, Tiramisu', Honey and pecorino cheese, full size pizzas and much much more. Upstairs in Khione Considering how food is central to her identity and culture, and what it means to her to bring something she is so passionate about to Cardiff, Gloria said: 'My Dad had a company producing preserves, so my dad and the rest of my family are very into food. 'I used to help my mum when she was cooking and making desserts and I would help make cakes or tiramisu. So I just learned by watching. 'It's nice to cook for the family, and eat together as a family. For example at lunch time we'd always try and wait for each other, of course that's not always possible. There are some gorgeous corners inside the deli which create plenty of room for warmth and connection if you're eating there with friends or family (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) 'Nowadays it's not always easy if you work all day but if you have a break in the day to get everyone together and talk about what's going on it's a way to release stress and reset for the other half of the day. 'There is maybe a bit less of that in life day to day. Even in the north of Italy, people work all day, finish earlier but there is no break. 'In the south, people are still taking a little break, one hour or two is a way to reset.' But could these values be picked up by people in Cardiff? Gloria has also found that because of the way the business runs in Cardiff, it might already be encouraging people to slow down a little. She explained: 'Some people who are coming in do seem to be staying a little longer than just for a quick lunch. One of Gloria's goals for the business is to provide a range of authentic Italian food to people in Cardiff and build more connection with what they are eating (Image: Bethany Gavaghan ) 'We do serve pizza and paninis to take away. Maybe the fact it is a shop it's slightly confusing, and not just somewhere you go to eat. People are surprised that you can come in and especially go upstairs, where there are completely different vibes. 'The idea is if you want to come here and have a nice lunch, or take home and prepare a dinner if you have a special event, or even daily with the tomato sauce - someone else took care of the food for you, so you can have a nice meal, quicker.' Article continues below
Wales Online
12-06-2025
- Wales Online
Surge in Welsh house names in Abersoch and Llanberis and what's driving it
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Tourism is helping to drive a 'Cymrufication' of place names, a major study has found. The trend was observed in two holiday hotspots in Gwynedd and it appears to be accelerating. In the two villages, Abersoch and Llanberis, higher-the-average numbers of holiday homes have Welsh names on platforms like Not only are Welsh place names considered increasingly 'fashionable', they are seen as helping to promote the area to tourists. One person in Abersoch told the study that the area's 'Welshness' was an 'added bonus' for attracting tourists or in appealing to those with second homes in the area. A similar but less acute trend was seen in Llanberis but the outcomes sometimes differed, with a higher number of mixed Welsh-English names. The findings were reported in a study commissioned by the Welsh Government into how property, street, and business names are changing across Wales. Despite high-profile switches of traditional Welsh properties to English names, the research found a clear shift towards using Welsh language place names over the past decade. Local authorities received three times more applications for Welsh language street names than English language names between 2018-2023. Most changes to property names are in the same language. However, when the language does change, properies are at least three more likely to be renamed from English to Welsh than the other way round. People report that Welsh house names give them 'a sense of pride, place or nostalgia'. For the study, seven locations were selected for in-depth scrutiny, including Abersoch and Llanberis. Others included Connah's Quay in Flintshire, Llanidloes in Powys and Narberth in Pembrokeshire. These were compared against data from other places in Wales, including Wrexham, Llangollen, Llandegla and Denbigh. (Image: Welsh Government) In Connah's Quary, most properties are numbered rather than named, though some do have 'alias names' - names given to homes in addition to house numbers. Often these alias names reflected rural areas outside the post-industrial town. In contrast Abersoch has very few numbered-only properties (7.8%) with a higher prevalence of named properties (71.1% of the 332 surveyed properties) compared to other localities. Where residents in Abersoch do have numbered properties, they like to give it a name – there's a higher prevalence of alias naming here compared to other places. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now The overall preference of named properties could reflect the village's settlement pattern, it being a smaller coastal community with a mix of older housing stock and houses built in small batches. In contrast, Llanberis has a large number of numbered properties and most its Welsh language names were alias names. Here, Airbnbs have expanded rapidly in recent years and the resulting friction has led to the village being dubbed the "next Abersoch". In Llanberis, the study detected particular concerns over the impacts of tourism amid a perception than more properties were being given English names. This perception is based on the historic threat to local topographic names, especially online, said the study. Examples cited included the 'Steps of Cirith Ungol' in place of Llwybr Llwynog, and 'Looning the Tube Level' for Ponc Penrhydd, used by climbers at Dinorwig Quarry. (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live) In both Abersoch and Llanberis, businesses and holiday lets were seen to be driving the adoption of Welsh names, often by switching from English. It's thought their names were often chosen to appeal to tourists. In Llanberis, one business owner said a Welsh language name was an important part of their distinctive tourism 'brand'. The study noted: 'Other non-Welsh-speaking business owners (in Llanberis) had adopted Welsh language business names to 'belong' and to create a distinctive Welsh language sense of place for the community and for tourists.' This trend was supported by data from where the majority (63.2%) of named properties listed in Wales have an English language name – much higher than the all-Wales average (50.4%). (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live) It's believed that accommodation providers appeal to tourists by offering properties with words like 'View', 'Cottage' and 'Sea'. In Abersoch, however, the opposite was true, with 72.4 % of its holiday properties listed having Welsh language names on This is in a village where 57% of residents are Welsh speakers. Overall, holiday accommodation in Abersoch was found to almost four times more Welsh names (42 properties) than English names (11 properties). (Image: Welsh Government) Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford said: 'Place names help tell the story of who we are as a nation, and this new research helps us understand our linguistic landscape. "I'm encouraged to see more people embracing Welsh property names, regardless of their background.' Gwynedd reclaiming Welsh language names To further delve into property name trends in Gwynedd, 10 other localities were assessed. These were: Aberdyfi Blaenau Ffestiniog Dolgellau Morfa Bychan Morfa Nefyn Nefyn Porthmadog Trawsfynydd Tywyn Y Felinheli Between 2009-2024, Dolgellau was found to have had the highest number (23) of property name changes, while Trawsfynydd had the fewest number (four). Across the county, changes from an English to a Welsh name were around 10 times greater than the other way round. This was much higher than anywhere else in Wales and was particulaly noticeable with business names. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Data from Cyngor Gwynedd suggest these switches peaked in 2020-21. Although no explanation was give, this activity is thought to be linked to the staycation boom that occurred during the Covid pandemic. (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live) One council's Street Naming and Numbering officer told the study: 'In recent times, with Covid, we've seen an increase in staycations and being a tourist area, we had a lot of changes of use into B&Bs or Airbnbs and conversion of outbuildings to holiday lets and that kind of thing.' The visitor economy has long dictated place naming in Wales and the legacy of Victorian tourism can still be felt: the study cited Happy Valley in Meirionnydd and Grey Mare's Tail waterfall in Conwy county – there's also a Happy Valley in Llandudno. The Welsh Place-Name Society told the study that these names are 'not without interest, nor are they invalid, but are they names that we would wish to promote in today's world?' Find planning applications in your area
North Wales Live
12-06-2025
- Business
- North Wales Live
Surge in Welsh house names in Abersoch and Llanberis and what's driving it
Tourism is helping to drive a 'Cymrufication' of place names, a major study has found. The trend was observed in two holiday hotspots in Gwynedd and it appears to be accelerating. In the two villages, Abersoch and Llanberis, higher-the-average numbers of holiday homes have Welsh names on platforms like Not only are Welsh place names considered increasingly 'fashionable', they are seen as helping to promote the area to tourists. One person in Abersoch told the study that the area's 'Welshness' was an 'added bonus' for attracting tourists or in appealing to those with second homes in the area. A similar but less acute trend was seen in Llanberis but the outcomes sometimes differed, with a higher number of mixed Welsh-English names. The findings were reported in a study commissioned by the Welsh Government into how property, street, and business names are changing across Wales. Despite high-profile switches of traditional Welsh properties to English names, the research found a clear shift towards using Welsh language place names over the past decade. Local authorities received three times more applications for Welsh language street names than English language names between 2018-2023. Most changes to property names are in the same language. However, when the language does change, properies are at least three more likely to be renamed from English to Welsh than the other way round. People report that Welsh house names give them 'a sense of pride, place or nostalgia'. For the study, seven locations were selected for in-depth scrutiny, including Abersoch and Llanberis. Others included Connah's Quay in Flintshire, Llanidloes in Powys and Narberth in Pembrokeshire. These were compared against data from other places in Wales, including Wrexham, Llangollen, Llandegla and Denbigh. In Connah's Quary, most properties are numbered rather than named, though some do have 'alias names' - names given to homes in addition to house numbers. Often these alias names reflected rural areas outside the post-industrial town. In contrast Abersoch has very few numbered-only properties (7.8%) with a higher prevalence of named properties (71.1% of the 332 surveyed properties) compared to other localities. Where residents in Abersoch do have numbered properties, they like to give it a name – there's a higher prevalence of alias naming here compared to other places. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now The overall preference of named properties could reflect the village's settlement pattern, it being a smaller coastal community with a mix of older housing stock and houses built in small batches. In contrast, Llanberis has a large number of numbered properties and most its Welsh language names were alias names. Here, Airbnbs have expanded rapidly in recent years and the resulting friction has led to the village being dubbed the "next Abersoch". In Llanberis, the study detected particular concerns over the impacts of tourism amid a perception than more properties were being given English names. This perception is based on the historic threat to local topographic names, especially online, said the study. Examples cited included the 'Steps of Cirith Ungol' in place of Llwybr Llwynog, and 'Looning the Tube Level' for Ponc Penrhydd, used by climbers at Dinorwig Quarry. In both Abersoch and Llanberis, businesses and holiday lets were seen to be driving the adoption of Welsh names, often by switching from English. It's thought their names were often chosen to appeal to tourists. In Llanberis, one business owner said a Welsh language name was an important part of their distinctive tourism 'brand'. The study noted: 'Other non-Welsh-speaking business owners (in Llanberis) had adopted Welsh language business names to 'belong' and to create a distinctive Welsh language sense of place for the community and for tourists.' This trend was supported by data from where the majority (63.2%) of named properties listed in Wales have an English language name – much higher than the all-Wales average (50.4%). It's believed that accommodation providers appeal to tourists by offering properties with words like 'View', 'Cottage' and 'Sea'. In Abersoch, however, the opposite was true, with 72.4 % of its holiday properties listed having Welsh language names on This is in a village where 57% of residents are Welsh speakers. Overall, holiday accommodation in Abersoch was found to almost four times more Welsh names (42 properties) than English names (11 properties). Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford said: 'Place names help tell the story of who we are as a nation, and this new research helps us understand our linguistic landscape. "I'm encouraged to see more people embracing Welsh property names, regardless of their background.' Gwynedd reclaiming Welsh language names To further delve into property name trends in Gwynedd, 10 other localities were assessed. These were: Aberdyfi Blaenau Ffestiniog Dolgellau Morfa Bychan Morfa Nefyn Nefyn Porthmadog Trawsfynydd Tywyn Y Felinheli Between 2009-2024, Dolgellau was found to have had the highest number (23) of property name changes, while Trawsfynydd had the fewest number (four). Across the county, changes from an English to a Welsh name were around 10 times greater than the other way round. This was much higher than anywhere else in Wales and was particulaly noticeable with business names. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Data from Cyngor Gwynedd suggest these switches peaked in 2020-21. Although no explanation was give, this activity is thought to be linked to the staycation boom that occurred during the Covid pandemic. One council's Street Naming and Numbering officer told the study: 'In recent times, with Covid, we've seen an increase in staycations and being a tourist area, we had a lot of changes of use into B&Bs or Airbnbs and conversion of outbuildings to holiday lets and that kind of thing.' The visitor economy has long dictated place naming in Wales and the legacy of Victorian tourism can still be felt: the study cited Happy Valley in Meirionnydd and Grey Mare's Tail waterfall in Conwy county – there's also a Happy Valley in Llandudno. The Welsh Place-Name Society told the study that these names are 'not without interest, nor are they invalid, but are they names that we would wish to promote in today's world?'
Leader Live
20-05-2025
- General
- Leader Live
'Joyful' Glyn Ceiriog pre-school in danger of closing
Cylch Meithrin in Glyn Ceiriog is in danger of closure as it faces a £5,000 funding gap going into the summer. The Welsh-English pre-school is a large part of the local community and is 'integral' to the primary education in the Ceiriog valley. Cylch Meithrin is sited at Ysgol Cynddelw and provides not only a pre-school but also the after-school club and boasts a small forest area so a lot of time is spent outside. It is feared the closure would have huge knock-on effect locally and children who use Cylch told of the importance of the pre-school in their lives. Orla Young, 8, is a member of the after-school club and said: 'I like playing and the opportunity to make new friends. "It's fun, joyful, and the staff really care about the children that come." According to Katie Marcham, Chair of the Glyn Ceiriog Cylch Meithrin Committee, the pre-school's close relationship with Ysgol Cynddelw allows toddlers 'to step seamlessly from early years education into primary school without it feeling like they're changing setting at all'. 'Losing Cylch would mean parents having to take their children out of the Ceiriog Valley in order to access early education and many may not be able to do so, meaning they miss out altogether,' said Ms Marcham. MORE NEWS 'Not only that, but fewer children would spend their early entitlement at the school, and those using the after-school club may have to be educated elsewhere; not only would all of this lose Ysgol Cynddelw valuable funding, but for those children may mean being schooled away from their local area. Anyone wishing to donate to help save Cylch Meithrin can do so via: Ms Marcham explained that the funding issues had been caused by rising administrative costs which were now under control and that if they could raise the money the funding would be secured permanently. 'We have worked to get costs down in recent months but we still have funding issues. We have worked out if it wasn't for the summer holidays coming up we could just keep going and it would be fine. "But we have six weeks there with no income and we still have to pay staff 'We are just hoping to get some donations to see us through and pick up in September and go from strength to strength."
