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Pembrokeshire beaches best in Wales with 17 Coast Awards

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County scoops highest number of accolades in national environmental honours

PEMBROKESHIRE has been officially named home to the best beaches in Wales, securing a record-breaking 17 Wales Coast Awards in 2025—more than any other part of the country.

The results, released today (Thursday) by environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, recognise coastal locations across Wales for exceptional environmental standards, excellent water quality, and a commitment to education and sustainability.

Out of the 49 beaches honoured across Wales, Pembrokeshire claimed 10 of the 21 Blue Flag Awards, including well-known locations such as Tenby South and North, Poppit Sands, Broad Haven (North), Newgale, Dale, Whitesands and Coppet Hall.

Saundersfoot and Tenby Castle beaches are also celebrating their 25th consecutive year holding Blue Flag status—an international mark of environmental quality administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). All of Pembrokeshire’s Blue Flag beaches have successfully retained their awards from last year.

In addition to its Blue Flag successes, Pembrokeshire also leads Wales in the number of Green Coast Awards, which are given to more remote, unspoilt beaches with high environmental standards. Of the 13 Green Coast Awards presented this year, seven went to Pembrokeshire beaches: Aberiddy, Freshwater East, Manorbier, Penally, Caerfai, Druidstone and West Angle Bay.

The Green Coast Award celebrates lesser-known, “hidden gem” beaches that offer natural beauty alongside excellent water quality and environmental care.

Keep Wales Tidy has managed the Wales Coast Awards for over 20 years. The awards play a vital role in protecting the Welsh marine environment and are internationally recognised as a symbol of quality. To qualify, beaches must meet rigorous criteria on water quality, public information, environmental education, safety, and site management.

In addition to the Blue Flag and Green Coast accolades, 15 beaches across Wales earned the Seaside Award—a UK-only honour that signifies clean, attractive, and well-managed stretches of coastline. This year’s Seaside Award winners include Aberystwyth South and North, New Quay Harbour, Aberavon in Neath Port Talbot, and Whitmore Bay and Jackson’s Bay in Barry Island.

Owen Derbyshire, Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy, praised Pembrokeshire’s outstanding performance.

“The Wales Coast Awards are a fantastic celebration of Wales’ beautiful and diverse coastline,” he said.
“They are testament to the huge effort of staff and volunteers at sites across Wales. Thank you to everyone who works so hard to protect and preserve our natural landscape in the face of increasingly challenging circumstances.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We are incredibly proud to once again receive the highest number of Wales Coast Awards.
Pembrokeshire is rightly recognised as being home to some of the world’s best beaches, but it takes hard work and year-round commitment to maintain these standards and secure prestigious awards like the Blue Flag and Green Coast.”

“We look forward to welcoming both residents and visitors to our outstanding beaches this summer.”

A full list of this year’s award-winning beaches is available on the Keep Wales Tidy website.

Community

Travel advice issued for Pembrokeshire’s Long Course Weekend

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Motorists and bus passengers across south Pembrokeshire are being advised to prepare for a series of road closures and transport changes as the Long Course Weekend returns to the region this weekend.

The popular endurance event, which draws thousands of athletes and spectators each year, will bring temporary disruptions to routes in and around Tenby on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th June as competitors take part in the Wales Sportive and Wales Marathon.

Saturday 28th June – Wales Sportive

On Saturday, the Wales Sportive cycle event will see several roads in the wider Tenby area closed or converted to one-way systems to ensure participant safety. While the A40, A477, and the A478 Narberth to Kilgetty routes remain unaffected and fully open, other roads will be subject to closures and diversions throughout the day.

Sunday 29th June – Wales Marathon

Further closures will be in place on Sunday during the Wales Marathon, affecting routes between Tenby and Pembroke. These will operate on a rolling basis between 9.30am and 4pm, with the aim of minimising disruption while maintaining safety for runners and spectators.

Up-to-date information on all road closures can be found on the event’s official website:
 https://community.lcwwales.com/road-closures

Special arrangements for carers and emergency access

Care professionals requiring access to clients in affected areas can obtain vehicle passes through their care organisation managers. More details are available at:
 https://community.lcwwales.com/road…/carers-information

In case of emergencies during the event, organisers can be contacted directly on 01437 765777.

Public transport disruptions

Local bus services will also be impacted by the weekend’s events, with changes in place on both Saturday and Sunday.

Friday 27th June

  • All services will operate as normal.

Saturday 28th June

  • 351 (Tenby-Kilgetty-Amroth-Pendine) – No service
  • 381 (Haverfordwest-Narberth-Kilgetty-Saundersfoot-Tenby) – No service
  • Tenby Coaster (Tenby-Saundersfoot) – No service
  • 349 (Haverfordwest-Neyland-Pembroke Dock-Pembroke-Tenby) – Will not serve Pembroke to Tenby until after 1pm
  • 356 (Milford Haven-Neyland-Pembroke Dock-Pembroke-Monkton) – No service to Pembroke Commons or Monkton until after 1pm
  • 387/388 (Coastal Cruiser) – Service will not operate until after 11am

Sunday 29th June

  • 387/388 (Coastal Cruiser) – No service
  • Tenby Coaster (Tenby-Saundersfoot) – Will operate via the A4218 (Broadwell Hayes) instead of Marsh Road and Heywood Lane

Residents and visitors are encouraged to plan their journeys in advance and allow extra time for travel where necessary.

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Community

Landmarc raises the flag at Castlemartin to mark the start of Armed Forces Week

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TO CELEBRATE Armed Forces Week 2025, Landmarc Support Services (Landmarc), together with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), is raising the Armed Forces Day flag at Castlemartin Training Area in Pembrokeshire, demonstrating their appreciation and support for service personnel.

The raising of the flag takes place each year at Defence Training Estate (DTE) sites across the UK and is witnessed by both Armed Forces personnel and civilians. This year, Landmarc and DIO are extending a special thank you to full-time serving and reservist troops, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers, veterans and their families, by proudly flying the official Armed Forces Day flag at military training establishments across the nation.

Working in partnership with DIO, Landmarc provides the support services that enable the Armed Forces to live, work, and train on the UK Defence Training Estate. As part of this ongoing commitment, Landmarc is extending its guaranteed interview scheme to military spouses, civil partners and long-term cohabiting partners who meet the basic role criteria to ensure fair treatment throughout the recruitment process.

The scheme reinforces Landmarc’s pledge to the Armed Forces Covenant, which was re-signed in 2024 following the company’s achievement of the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award.

Mark Neill, Managing Director at Landmarc, said: “Having supported the Armed Forces for more than two decades, we’re proud that over 25 per cent of our team comes from a military background. Expanding our guaranteed interview scheme to military spouses and partners is another important step in recognising the loyalty and service these individuals contribute to our country, while also reinforcing our ongoing commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.

“As a veteran myself, I know first-hand how important Armed Forces Week is for improving morale across our military communities, and we are proud to show our support during this special week.”

Brigadier Hatcher, DIO’s Head of Overseas and Training Region added: “Armed Forces Week is an opportunity to show our appreciation for the men and women of the Armed Forces community, providing a welcome morale boost to serving personnel, veterans, and their families.

“It’s fantastic to see the public, businesses, and fellow service members come together in support. Alongside our colleagues at Landmarc, we are proud to raise the flag at sites across the country to honour their contribution.

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Community

Scam email targeting Pembrokeshire residents claims unpaid council tax

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PEMBROKESHIRE residents are being warned to stay alert after reports of a scam email falsely claiming to be from the local authority.

The email, which carries the subject line “We’re writing to you about what seems to be an unprocessed council tax payment,” has been received by a number of residents in recent days.

It goes on to claim that the recipient has an outstanding balance on their Council Tax account and invites them to click a link to “check” the details. The message is signed off by a so-called “Local Taxation Authority”.

Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that the email is fraudulent and was not sent by the council.

“All genuine emails from Pembrokeshire County Council will come from an address ending in @pembrokeshire.gov.uk,” a spokesperson said. “We urge residents not to click on any links, open attachments, or provide any personal or financial information if they are unsure about an email’s authenticity.”

The council is advising anyone who receives the scam email to forward it to the National Cyber Security Centre at [email protected] for investigation.

The local authority reminded residents to always check the sender’s email address and contact the council directly through official channels if they have any concerns about council tax or other communications.

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