Newtown New Ways: BBC 5 Live Talks to Fashion – Enter Wales

On the 2nd March 2023 BBC 5 Live got members of the Fashion-Enter Ltd Welsh team out of bed bright and early as they recorded live from the Newtown factory. 

Radio presenter Sean Farrington interviewed CEO Jenny Holloway, Commercial Manager Eddie Bebb, along with several production workers to get a flavour of the industry. The ‘Wake Up to Money’ programme also asked leading questions about the up and coming Spring Budget and how the government can support the local industry and businesses like Fashion-Enter.

The 52-minute programme took place entirely at the Factory situated in Newtown’s iconic Royal Welsh Warehouse, also known as the Pryce Jones Building. Sean also discussed the rich textile heritage in the area and the segment included a pre-recorded piece from Anne Evans from Newtown’s local history group. She explained that Newtown’s textile history goes back almost 750-years and was the birth-place of mail order with Pryce Jones and David Davis providing those initial railway links. Newtown’s textile story continued with Laura Ashley moving to the area in the 1960’s providing high quality employment opportunities for several decades.

Sean discussed what the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, needs to implement to ensure business stability along with across the board concerns on rising interest rates and the the cost of living crisis.

The programme is available to listen to until 26th March, to listen tap here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001jk0h