A DECISION on whether to grant a license for Tenby’s Summer Spectacular events, which have been cancelled this year, is expected in a few days, councillors hearing claims the current arrangement is “a disaster waiting to happen”.

Tenby’s Summer Spectacular is held every year in August and the events have been a summer highlight in the resort for many years.

Tenby Round Table are the organisers of the Tenby harbour-based events which feature food, drink and live music entertainment, culminating in a popular fireworks display.

Late last month, Tenby Round Table said that the two spectaculars scheduled for this August were provisionally cancelled, pending a deadline of Friday, June 26, given to Pembrokeshire County Council.

The round table volunteers have said negotiations with Pembrokeshire County Council’s public realm department have failed to produce a clear, workable agreement on temporary restrictions for pedestrian access to the harbour and its beach during the event.

Without that, they say, they cannot legally or safely control crowd numbers.

The licence covers Tenby Harbour car park and extends to the top of Penniless Cove Hill, with a stage area, stalls, stands and a refreshment area including a bar selling soft and alcoholic drinks in cans. The sale of alcohol is authorised by way of a temporary event notice rather than as a licensable activity on the Premises Licence.

It is an open-air event with no fences or barriers and customers wishing to enter the licensed area can make a voluntary donation to the organisation, there no ticketing or charge for entry.

The July meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing sub-committee considered an application for a review of the premises licence for the Spectacular, submitted by Dyfed Powys Police, which said the current license is “no longer fit for purpose”.

At the meeting a representative for Dyfed-Powys Police, who invited the committee to revoke the current licence, said it was “a disaster waiting to happen” in its current format, the police expressing concerns about public safety and overcrowding, with a danger of “crowd surging” and limited escape routes at an event emergency services say should have a maximum capacity of 1,600 people in the harbour area rather than the estimated 3,000 attracted.

While stressing the police were not against the event, he said it “has evolved from a family event to a large-scale drinking environment”.

Concerns were raised by other emergency services; the ambulance service raising concerns about access, and the fire service raising concerns about public safety.

Members heard the event had become “a victim of its own success,” with ever greater crowds attracted.

Pembrokeshire County Council Lead Licensing Officer Geraint Griffiths said the current event was “very dangerous,” and an “incident waiting to happen,” any surge of the crowd being potentially devastating.

Tenby Round Table disputed some of the figures produced by the emergency services about incidents in previous years, saying they were not connected to the event.

The ‘Table members present stressed they had tried to address the issue of access to the licensed area: “This year’s event has been cancelled, it arose from the sheer volume of people visiting Tenby creating a question we have tried to get answered for the best part of a year; without a clear answer we couldn’t finish our licensing plan and couldn’t responsibly hold our events.”

Committee member Cllr Mark Carter suggested the event had become “too successful,” and may have “outgrown its current location,” the Round Table saying any move, while still keeping fireworks at the harbour would be logistically difficult.

Cllr Carter said access to the event from the nearby beach was “the elephant in the room,” hoping the organisers would present a robust scheme to deal with that issue.

Members were given four options about how to proceed with the licensing, including revoking it or amending it.

Chair Cllr Tim Evans closed the meeting saying the committee would deliberate, a decision expected to take a day-plus, with a decision in writing expected within five working days.

The 38-year-old died after a collision between a van and a bus near Llandeilo

THE FAMILY of a man who died following a collision on the A40 have paid tribute to him, saying they have been left “utterly heartbroken” by their sudden loss.

Ashley Wayne Keane, aged 38, was the driver of a van involved in the collision between Llandeilo and Nantgaredig at around 4.25pm on Friday, July 3.

Emergency services attended the scene, but Mr Keane sadly died following the collision.

In a statement released through Dyfed-Powys Police, his family said: “We are utterly heartbroken by the sudden and tragic loss of Ashley Wayne Keane.

“He will forever be in our hearts, and as his family, we kindly ask for privacy to grieve this devastating loss.”

Police have asked that the family’s request for privacy is respected.

WORLD RENOWNED drag icon, Dr Bev, has been announced as the closing act for the Pembrokeshire Pride Festival in September.

Dr Bev, whose full stage name is Dr Beverley Ballcrusher, is a well known drag artist from Cardiff. In a career that has lasted for over 30 years, she has become one of the highlights of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene.

In that time, she has toured across mainland Europe. Before coming to Pembrokeshire Pride Festival, Dr Bev will be performing at Sao Paulo Pride Festival, the world’s biggest Pride festival.

Dr Bev has also been a fierce advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and HIV awareness. Dr Bev’s performer, Rob Keetch, volunteered at Cardiff Body Positivity to offer advice to those dealing with HIV during the 1990s. Dr Bev began at an event designed to support one of Rob’s associates from this charity, drag queen Connie Condom.

Dr Bev went on to be the founder of Pride Cymru, Wales’ largest LGBTQ+ celebration, holding an annual big weekend in Cardiff. The parade and festival promotes awareness of LGBTQ+ people, part of Pride Cymru’s wider mission to promote acceptance in Wales.

Dr Bev is therefore a figure rooted deeply in Welsh Pride and LGBTQ+ celebration. Having her come to Pembrokeshire Pride Festival is a massive moment for Pride in Pembrokeshire, closing out the festival with one of Wales’ biggest LGBTQ+ icons.

The day will include family friendly entertainment and activities, with food vendors, community areas and performances.

On Dr Bev’s appearance, Rob Keetch said: ‘To go from São Paulo Pride to Dewslake Farm is exactly what Pride should be about: joy, visibility, connection and making sure LGBTQ+ people know they are seen and celebrated wherever they live.‘

Dr Bev will also be wearing her rainbow outfit worn at San Paulo Pride, giving fans an opportunity to see part of the world’s biggest pride festival.

Pembrokeshire Pride Festival will take place on 19th September at Dewslake Farm, near Lamphey. Tickets will be available from the 24th July.