16 April 2012
Blaenau Gwent residents are set to play host to a unique royal visit this month as part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Her Majesty and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh will visit Ebbw Vale on Friday 27 April, as part of a UK-wide tour to celebrate 60 years as monarch of Great Britain. The royal couple’s first stop will be the General Offices in Ebbw Vale. The building will be temporarily closed to the public in the morning, while the Queen and Prince Philip tour the building to learn about the history of the area.
People will be able to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty as the royal party take a drive through the area, and Blaenau Gwent Council is urging residents from across Gwent to join the celebrations in Ebbw Vale and welcome Britain’s second longest-serving monarch.
Mayor of Blaenau Gwent, Councillor Mike Bartlett, said: “We are extremely proud and privileged to welcome Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh to Ebbw Vale on 27 April. This once-in-a-lifetime event will be our chance to show just some of what makes Blaenau Gwent so special, and for our communities to be part of history in the making.
“I hope people from all over Gwent come along to give our royal visitors a very warm welcome, and enjoy the town centre. It will be a fun event for the family, with the county borough’s schoolchildren lining the route and street entertainment for the crowds in the town centre.”
Residents of Blaenau Gwent can show their support for their community as the Queen and her entourage drive through Ebbw Vale. The royal convoy is expected to journey from the General Offices, past the civic centre onto the A4046, and then to the junction with Market Street. The convoy is expected around 11.30am to then go against the one-way order down Market Street and onto Bethcar Street and Armoury Terrace, where the public will be able to get the best view of the royal couple.
The royal party will then carry on to Church Street towards Christ Church, where they will join invited dignitaries and guests from across Gwent for a special service, before leaving Blaenau Gwent.
The Council will be working hard to minimise disruptions to traffic due to the high-security nature of the Royal visit, and details of any road closures will be publicised on the affected streets and on the Council’s website. Residents are asked to note that the General Offices and Christ Church will be temporarily closed to the public on the morning of the 27 April and for the duration of the royal visit.
The General Offices will re-open at 1pm to the public.
For more detailed information about the Queen’s royal visit to Blaenau Gwent and the best places to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty, as well as the latest information about road closures, please visit the Blaenau Gwent Council’s website:
www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/
