A NEW Home Bargains store is set to open in Pembroke Dock, promising a welcome boost to local employment and retail offerings. The discount retailer will officially launch on Friday, 26 October, occupying the site formerly held by Wilko on Pier Road.

The arrival of Home Bargains is expected to generate over 50 new jobs, with the majority being filled by local residents. Job openings range from store managers to team members, cleaners, and team leaders, with vacancies having been advertised online.

The store will take over the premises that Wilko vacated last September, following 15 years of service in the town. Wilko’s closure was part of a nationwide shutdown of 400 stores, following the company’s entry into administration.

Plans for the site have been approved by Pembrokeshire County Council, with permission granted for external changes to the building. These include a new shopfront, the installation of goods doors, and various refurbishments. The addition of condensers has also been greenlit to support the store’s operations.

Home Bargains, owned by TJ Morris Limited, has rapidly grown into one of the largest privately-owned companies in the UK, now boasting over 550 stores nationwide. The company’s expansion plans aim to surpass 1,000 outlets in the near future.

The announcement has sparked excitement in the local community, with many residents looking forward to the store’s opening. One enthusiastic shopper remarked on social media, “Book the day off, we have plans!”

Local officials have also expressed support for the new development. A report prepared for planners stated that the proposal would “enhance the functionality of the site, without detracting from or preventing the development of identified retail zones within the town centre.”

A WELSH food distribution company has created over 70 new jobs and won over £1 million in contracts as a major expansion gathers pace.

Harlech Foodservice, which has bases in Criccieth, Chester, Carmarthen, Merthyr Tydfil and Telford, has gained 943 new independent customers and won 243 new contract customers across Wales and the border counties of England since April.

They range from individual shops and businesses to major local authority deals such as a contract to supply drinks and snacks to Shire Services, the catering and cleaning arm of Shropshire Council, while their move into South and West Wales has also borne fruit.

Harlech supply schools across Rhondda Cynon Taf and since that success have won contracts worth nearly £500,000 from their new depots in Carmarthen and Merthyr Tydfil.

They have signed up Football League clubs Tranmere Rovers and Bristol Rovers, Everybody Health and Leisure Centres who run 17 centres for Cheshire East Council, and Hickory’s Smokehouses who have 25 restaurants as far afield as Leeds, Lincoln and Gloucester.

In Shropshire opening a hub at Telford was key to the deal with Shire who don’t just supply schools, colleges and care homes throughout Shropshire but also across Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Cheshire and even North Wales.

The raft of new contracts have come after Harlech launched a £6 million expansion strategy and the company’s well ahead of schedule in meeting its target of creating 150 jobs over the next five years.

The plan was spurred by the company’s growth over the past three years which has seen sales increase from £32 million to a record turnover of around £50 million, with profit at an all-time high of more than £2 million.

Harlech Sales Director, Mark Lawton, said: “These new contracts enable us to demonstrate the range of products we can supply and the excellent service we provide across a huge area of the country.

“We now have a real presence throughout Wales and across the border into the North West from our base in Chester and into the Midlands from Telford and I know that opening these new bases has been key in signing these new deals.

“Shire provide meals for about 100 schools in Shropshire alone and the opening of the Telford depot in June was important in winning that contract.

“Cutting food miles and employing local people at local bases is a key factor in gaining contracts in the public sector and so is providing a flexible and efficient service and that’s something we pride ourselves on.

“We are flexible so we can provide our national account customers like local authorities with the best price along with consistency and quality of service while also working with them on social and community benefit and environmental factors.

“On the independent side we know what they want and we’ve been supplying them for over 50 years – we are a family-owned business ourselves. We’ve got their back so we lock their prices in and we don’t sneak them up.”

Earlier this year Harlech opened the new depot in Carmarthen and took over rivals Celtic Foodservice in Pembroke Dock in Pembrokeshire.

Managing Director David Cattrall said: “We have actively gone about disrupting the way foodservice companies have traditionally operated.

“We have rejected the common practice of having inflated prices and increasing ‘negotiated’ prices without notice.

“Instead we successfully launched our Trust Our Prices strategy last year with transparent and competitive pricing, backed up by excellent customer service.

“It means our customers can order up to 10pm for next day deliveries six days a week.

“The acquisition of Celtic Foodservices is another new and important milestone our drive to provide a first class service to new and existing customers in every single corner of Wales.”

The business was launched in 1972 by Shropshire couple Colin and Gill Foskett who took over a failing frozen food company and transformed it into a successful business.

The founders’ three children, Jonathan, Andrew and Laura, took over from their parents and still sit on the board and the third generation of the family are now making their way in the firm.

For more on Harlech Foodservice go to https://www.harlech.co.uk/

The Royal George pub has announced the closure of its kitchen until further notice, citing a significant decline in customers due to local construction works. The announcement, made yesterday, follows ongoing disruptions caused by the closure of the South Quay Car Park and the commencement of major building projects in the surrounding area.

In a statement, the pub’s proprietor Phil Lewis expressed deep regret over the decision, explaining that the impact of the construction on their food service has been profound. “After a great deal of thought and with reluctance, I have come to the decision to close our kitchen due to a significant decline in custom,” he said. The Landlord also noted that the disruption is expected to worsen as the construction project continues over the next 18 months.

The kitchen closure comes after a steady drop in food sales, which he attributed directly to the reduced footfall in the area. “Food sales have dramatically slumped and cannot sustain continued trading to the standards that Mandy and I have worked so hard to uphold,” he added.

Despite the kitchen closure, the Royal George will remain open for business. Phil has reassured patrons that bar services, including the sale of ales, wines, and spirits, will not be affected. “The pub will battle on!” he declared, thanking regular customers for their continued support over the years.

The pub hopes to resume kitchen services once the disruptions subside and some level of normality returns.