News
New statue should be erected next year

(Left to right) Cllr Rose and Keith Blackburn: With Gracie, Cllr Linda Asman, Stuart Asman, Peter Thomas (Chairman of PCT), Pembroke Mayor Cllr Pauline Waters, Tony Thomas (President of PCT) and Roy Smith
PEMBROKE should have its statue of Henry VII erected by the end of 2017 according the Project Leader Cllr Linda Asman.
“We are well on target and I am more than happy with the campaign so far” she said. “In fact it has exceeded my expectations. I am confident that our statue will in situ next year”
Mrs Asman was commenting as she accepted another gift of £250 for the ambitious scheme.
“Pembroke Town Council would like to express its thanks to Pembroke Civic Trust for the kind donation of £250 to the Henry VII Statue fund appeal” she added.
Chairman of Pembroke Civic Trust, Peter Thomas said “I am pleased and proud to be able to make a donation to the Henry VII statue fund, which will eventually provide long overdue recognition to the town’s most famous son and the father of the Tudor dynasty. The statue is due to be sited on the Mill Bridge and will provide residents and visitors alike with a reminder that Pembroke produced the only Welshman to sit on the English throne and as the first of the Tudor dynasty was the forbear of probably the most internationally known periods of British history. With his victory at Bosworth and subsequent marriage to Elizabeth of York he ended the Wars of the Roses and brought stability to a troubled land. It is fitting that the town of his birth will now have a statue of Henry to celebrate a local lad who made good.”
Linda Asman added “I am delighted at the response of the local community to the statue appeal. We still have a substantial amount to raise but thanks to generosity of both individuals and local organisations, we are well on the way to achieving our goal. The prospect of a statue of King Henry VII standing on the Mill Bridge has certainly caught the public imagination and it will happen because people have responded to the appeal.”
She continued “On Saturday April 30, Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society will be holding a fundraising event at Pembroke Town Hall. There will be a coffee morning commencing 10am and Angela Jones will be giving a talk on ‘Tenby Tudor Merchant’s House – a Survivor in Time’ at 10.30am. While entry is free, we hope you will buy coffee, cake and a raffle ticket as all money raised will go to the statue appeal”
Anyone wishing to contribute to the statue appeal should contact the Henry VII Statue Fund, Pembroke Town Clerk, Pembroke Town Council, Main Street, Pembroke. Telephone: 01646 683092.
Community
Stix Noodle Bar in Haverfordwest rewards visitors who park and shop local
A POPULAR restaurant is taking on one of the town centre’s biggest frustrations with a new initiative designed to ease parking stress and encourage more visitors into the heart of the community.
Stix Noodle Bar has announced a new scheme offering customers money off their bill when they show proof of paid parking in the town.
Under the initiative, diners who present an active parking ticket or parking app booking will receive the equivalent cost of one hour’s parking deducted from their meal bill.
The business says the idea was created in response to ongoing concerns about local parking pressures, while also supporting neighbouring independent traders and encouraging more people to spend time in the town centre.
In a statement released alongside the launch, the restaurant said: “Tired of Haverfordwest’s parking stress? So are we. That’s why we’re doing something about it.”
The team behind the noodle bar is encouraging visitors to “park up, come in, eat well, then go explore some of the brilliant businesses right on our doorstep,” adding that “Haverfordwest is worth stopping for.”
The scheme has already received support from local representatives, including Reform Councillor, Scott Thorley, who praised the move as a practical way to support the town centre economy.
“This is an excellent idea,” he said. “Tackling parking stress while boosting local businesses and footfall in Haverfordwest — this is exactly the practical support our town centre needs.”
Community
Pembrokeshire named UK’s most photographed coastal national park
County’s coastline places sixth in UK-wide photo study
PEMBROKESHIRE has been named the most photographed coastal national park in the UK, according to new data from photo curation app Popsa.
The study, which analysed metadata from millions of customer photos uploaded in 2025, ranked Pembrokeshire Coast National Park sixth overall out of the UK’s 15 national parks.
It was the highest-ranked coastal park in the list, ahead of destinations including the Cairngorms, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, the Yorkshire Dales and Dartmoor.
Popsa gave Pembrokeshire a Photo Index Score of 28, representing 5.76% of all UK national park photography included in the study.
The company said the county’s 186-mile coastline, with its limestone arches, sea stacks, beaches and hidden coves, offered “photographic variety that few parks can match”.
Barafundle Bay was highlighted as one of the most photographed locations, particularly at low tide, while Skomer Island was noted for its puffin colonies, which attract photographers between April and July.
Wales performed strongly overall, with all three national parks appearing in the UK top ten. Eryri, formerly Snowdonia, ranked fifth, Pembrokeshire sixth, and Bannau Brycheiniog, formerly the Brecon Beacons, tenth.
Together, the three Welsh parks accounted for 16.46% of all UK national park photography in the study.
The Lake District topped the list, followed by the South Downs, the Peak District and the New Forest.
Popsa CEO Liam Houghton said: “Wales has three genuinely world-class national parks and this data shows they are clearly on photographers’ radar.
“But there’s a real gap between the quality of the landscapes and the volume of photos being taken there compared to the English parks.”
The findings suggest Pembrokeshire remains one of the UK’s standout destinations for landscape, wildlife and coastal photography, while also underlining the continued importance of the national park to the county’s tourism economy.
Crime
Pembroke woman accused of scrap fraud to appear in court
Defendant accused of dishonestly selling vehicle for scrap in Haverfordwest
A PEMBROKE woman is due to appear before magistrates charged with fraud after allegedly selling a vehicle for scrap in Haverfordwest.
Natalie Morris, aged 42, of Corston Lodge, Axton Hill, is accused of fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act 2006.
The allegation relates to an incident said to have taken place in Haverfordwest on Tuesday (Aug 9), 2022, in which Morris allegedly dishonestly made a false representation by selling a silver Toyota Corolla, registration CU52 XBR, for scrap.
The court heard the alleged offence was carried out with the intention of making a financial gain of £313.
The case was listed before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Monday (May 18), where a previously issued warrant was withdrawn.
No plea was entered and the matter was adjourned.
Morris is now due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court at 10:00am on Tuesday (May 26) for a plea hearing, where she will be asked to enter a guilty or not guilty plea.
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