Has local MP bitten off more than he can chew with visit to Domino’s?

Published

5 months ago

November 25, 2024

Local MP Henry Tufnell may have bitten off more than he can chew after posting pictures of himself serving pizza at the Haverfordwest branch of Domino’s.

The Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire donned the Domino’s baseball cap and apron to dish out the pepperonis in a bid to see how local businesses are thriving.

But what Tufnell may have overlooked is the fact that in November 2024, Domino’s had a market cap of a whopping $15.65 billion USD, which makes it the world’s 1,195th most valuable company by market capitalization.

It trades from over 1,300 outlets in the UK and over 20,500 worldwide.

“I had a fantastic visit to Domino’s in Haverfordwest last week!” the MP enthused in his social media post.

“A big thank you to [the Domino’s staff] for taking the time to show me around and share the incredible work they do.

“It’s inspiring to see local businesses thriving and providing great service to our community’.”

The local community however, believes that Tufnell’s actions may have turned a blind eye to independent businesses – including farmers – who are desperately struggling to keep their heads above water.

“This strikes me as tone deaf,” commented Andy Richardson. “Henry Tufnell has a huge constituency of farmers who are worried sick about the inheritance tax changes which he, as a member of a landowning family, should understand. He also has small, independent, local, non-franchised businesses which are already under the cosh and are now being hit by the Employers’ NIC increases.”

And Donna Humphrey called on the MP to cast his eye across other social sectors instead of multi-international bigwigs like Domino’s.

“If visiting a franchise is a priority for you, rather than local charities, independent businesses, hospitals, education and farming , that says it all,” she said.

“There are so many other pressing issues such as homelessness, food banks, mental health services, accessing GPS, community care, impact of the budget on charities…but sadly you choose pizza.”

Henry Tufnell’s post has also raised the hackles of local, independently-owned pizzeria owners, including world champion chef Giovanni Recchia who runs Gio Recchia Pizzeria in Pembroke with his business partner, Denise Phillips.

“He should have supported all those local businesses which are operating from their communities here in Pembrokeshire,” Denise told The Pembrokeshire Herald.

“So many people are trying their hardest to keep their heads above water. Surely it’s these that should be shown the support and recognition from their MP?

“We are doing everything we can to support our community, and all our staff are local. If Henry Tufnell had chosen to walk through our door, we would have been more than happy to welcome him.”

Giovanni Recchia is recognised as one of the world’s finest pizza chefs after clinching the World Champion Chef title in the championships Rimini, Italy, in 2023.

Domino’s Pizza Group plc said: “We are the UK’s leading pizza brand.”

“The Domino’s business is built on the entrepreneurial drive and operational expertise of our franchise partners.

“We choose our franchise partners carefully for their commitment and entrepreneurial approach.

“Franchise partners sign a Standard Franchise Agreement (SFA) for each store. We work closely with them to choose the right locations. We then enter into the head leases, which we sub-let to the franchisee.

“We charge our franchise partners a royalty fee of their sales, some of which we pass on to Domino’s Pizza International Franchising Inc. as a royalty cost.

“We invest in our digital customer facing platforms, which makes ordering easier, drives higher loyalty, frequency of purchase and increased order values.”

Henry Tufnell MP commented on Monday evening.

He said: “Domino’s locally is owned by a franchisee who owns a store in Haverfordwest, Neyland and Tenby.

“Domino’s owns a franchise model where individual franchisees own Domino’s stores under the large Domino’s Pizza Brand.

“This empowers entrepreneurs to manage their own business.

“The owner of these franchises employs local people in all year round employment and any business that supports workers and helps with high street decline is a positive step in the right direction.”

News

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – Final Table 2024/25

Published

3 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Herald Sport

All matches complete as season concludes

THE 2024/25 season of the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – known as The Friendly League – has now officially concluded, with all clubs completing their outstanding fixtures.

The past few weeks saw the following catch-up matches played:

Carew 8–2 Llanteg
St Johns 8–2 Cosheston
Hundleton 8–2 Reynalton
Reynalton 9–1 Lamphey
Cosheston 10–0 Kilgetty
East Williamston 9–1 Kilgetty

Final League Table (2024/25 Season)

Position	Club	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	S/D	Points
1	East Williamston	20	18	0	2	313	158
2	St Johns	20	14	0	6	111	122
=3	Carew	20	11	1	8	105	111
=3	Cosheston	20	12	0	8	77	111
5	Reynalton	20	11	0	9	28	104
6	Hundleton	20	9	0	11	74	97
7	Llanteg	20	7	1	12	-71	92
8	St Twynnells	20	8	1	11	-97	89
9	Badgers	20	6	1	13	-22	82
=10	Lamphey	20	6	0	14	-179	67
=10	Kilgetty	20	6	0	14	-262	67

Congratulations to East Williamston, who finish the season as clear champions with an impressive 158 points and a shot difference of +313.

News

Search continues for man overboard from UK yacht in Irish Sea

Published

7 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A MAJOR search and rescue operation is under way in the Irish Sea after a man went overboard from a UK-registered yacht late on Saturday night (Apr 19).

The vessel, which was sailing from Brighton to Swansea via Falmouth, sent a 999 call to the Irish Coast Guard at approximately 10:55pm. The distress call was made by another person on board the yacht, who reported the man missing around 16 nautical miles south of Dunmore East, County Waterford.

The incident initially led to some confusion about the vessel’s position, but authorities later confirmed the yacht was off the coast of Ceann Heilbhic, near Dunmore East, rather than near Swansea.

The Irish Coast Guard launched an immediate multi-agency search operation, with extensive resources deployed overnight and into Sunday morning.

Rescue helicopters R117 from Waterford and R116 from Dublin were scrambled alongside a fixed-wing aircraft from HM Coastguard in the UK. RNLI lifeboats from Dunmore East, Kilmore Quay, and Ballycotton were also launched to join the search.

Weather conditions in the area have been described as calm, which is aiding the ongoing efforts.

The individual who raised the alarm has since been brought safely ashore. However, there has been no confirmed sighting of the missing man, whose identity has not yet been released.

A spokesperson for the Irish Coast Guard confirmed that the Dublin-based Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre is continuing to lead the operation and is coordinating all available assets.

As of Sunday afternoon (Apr 20), the man had not been located and the search remains active.

The Herald understands that further updates will be issued as the situation develops.

Business

Calls for urgent sale of Oakwood site amid trespasser fears

Published

7 hours ago

April 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

CONCERNS have been raised about trespassers entering the closed Oakwood theme park, prompting calls for a swift sale of the site.

The once-popular attraction near Narberth has become a hotspot for urban explorers and thrill-seekers, with social media videos emerging of people wandering around the abandoned rides and infrastructure.

Since Oakwood shut its gates last month, following a decision by Spanish owners Aspro Parks to cease operations due to falling visitor numbers, locals have raised concerns about safety and the risk of vandalism.

Sam Kurtz MS, who represents Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said a speedy sale was now vital to prevent further deterioration and potential criminal activity.

“The longer it remains empty, the greater the risk of problems – from trespassing to the site falling into disrepair,” said Mr Kurtz. “There’s also a real risk to health and safety if people are entering unsupervised.”

Mr Kurtz called on Aspro to actively work with the Welsh Government, local businesses, and other stakeholders to secure a new future for the site.

“This is a valuable asset,” he said. “There’s been a lot of interest from businesses already, and I urge Aspro to engage with us so we can get the ball rolling.”

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed they have received multiple reports of trespassing and possible criminal offences at the site since its closure.

The BBC have reported that Economics expert Professor Calvin Jones, of Cardiff University, was less optimistic about Oakwood’s chances of reopening as a theme park.

“If the existing operator – who’s invested tens of millions – can’t make it viable, it’s unlikely a new operator would be able to,” he said.

Instead, Prof Jones suggested the land might lend itself better to other recreational activities, such as adventure tourism, mountain biking, or zipline attractions, depending on what planning authorities allow.

“Ultimately, the future use of the site will come down to planning permission,” he said. “It may become something entirely different.”

Bluestone National Park Resort, which neighbours Oakwood and employs around 700 people, declined to comment on whether it would consider buying the land. Prof Jones noted that Bluestone has historically expanded cautiously and would likely only consider purchasing the site if the price was low.

The Welsh Government said that it “continues to engage” with Aspro Parks and recognised the former theme park’s importance to the local economy.

A spokesperson said: “We are hopeful a buyer will come forward to ensure this site can continue contributing to tourism in the area.”

Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed it has not yet held any discussions with Aspro.