News
Jail for meat cleaver wielding takeaway chef
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A TAKEAWAY worker who wielded a meat cleaver at a civil enforcement officer was sent to custody for 24 weeks on Tuesday. Zhi Hua Zhao, aged 56, of Newcastle Emlyn, had pleaded not guilty to a charge of using threatening and abusive words at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on July 29. However at his trial on Tuesday, Magistrates found him guilty.
Prosecuting, Vaughan Pritchard Jones said: “On the date in question, Nicholas James, a civil enforcement officer, had gone to the Red Cow restaurant in Adpar to collect a fine that Mr Zhao owed. Mr James identified himself but at first there was some confusion on Zhao’s part and he told Mr James that the person he was looking for was not in the restaurant and told him to come back on another day.
He was in fact the man he was looking for and he was trying to avoid making the payment. He made it clear that that he wasn’t going to leave until he had the money and Zhao became more agitated. He turned the lights off and went to close the door. Mr James turned them back on again but Zhao turned the lights off again and locked the door. Zhao shouted at him to get out, Mr James replied ‘How can I get out when you’ve locked the door’? He became more agitated and Zhao then disappeared into the kitchen area.
He came back holding a meat cleaver. He was holding it parallel to the ground but he then raised his arm so the blade was pointing upwards. He then said ‘this will make you leave’ and he continued to tell the man to leave. At that stage the enforcement offi cer said he would call 999 and the defendant seemed to calm down. Some customers then entered the store but as a result of hearing him on the phone to the police they left.
Mr James has then gone to leave the restaurant but at this point Zhao pushed him out of the door. He spoke to the gentleman again with a colleague a few days later and payment was made. There were no problems at the second attempt.” Defending, Mike Kelleher said: “It is strange that the bailiff would not have cards in another language to help someone understand why he was there.
He produced paperwork that came from Northampton, if you had a penalty from a Carmarthen court it would seem a bit strange to see a letter from Northampton. Mr Zhao can also not read English. This could have been sorted out in a better way. I have explained to you how he reacted, he couldn’t understand what was going on, he may not have known of the powers that a bailiff possesses. It is not a threatening move to turn the lights off and it is our case that he locked the door but then unlocked it straight away.
This was an unfortunate incident, he was confused and the whole situation has been blown out of proportion simply because Mr Zhao did not understand.” The Magistrates deliberated and after some time they found that Mr James was an honest, straightforward and credible witness. They added that the case was found proven beyond reasonable doubt and found Zhao guilty. On sentencing the Magistrates heard how Zhao has a previous conviction for a very similar offence. The Chairman of the bench said: “We feel that the only appropriate sentence in this case is an immediate custodial sentence. We have taken into account the seriousness of the offence and Mr Zhao’s antecedent history and send you into custody for a period of 24 weeks.”
Business
New creative space aims to help revitalise Haverfordwest town centre
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A FRESH initiative is bringing a creative spark to Haverfordwest’s high street, with the opening of a new shared studio space designed to support local artists and breathe life into empty shops.
Breakout Gallery, led by Arthur Brooker, officially opened its doors to the public on Friday, February 14, offering both a workspace and a platform for artists to showcase their work.
Arthur, who has been running Breakout Gallery for nearly a decade, has shifted the focus of the business in response to changing times.
“We initially specialised in selling artwork on commission,” Arthur explained. “But after COVID and the cost-of-living crisis, we needed to rethink our approach. Now, our main goal is to help regenerate Haverfordwest by transforming vacant retail spaces into hubs of creativity.”
The gallery has been redesigned to include individual studio units, allowing artists to rent space to create and exhibit their work.
Beyond the studio, Breakout Gallery is well known for its street exhibitions, which add a vibrant touch to local festivals and events. The team also rents out event decorations and manages a space at Westival.
Arthur is now setting his sights on further expansion. “There’s so much potential in Haverfordwest,” he said. “We’re already exploring another premises to offer even more creative space. It’s all about revitalising the town, one shop at a time.”
In addition to providing studio space, the gallery hosts exhibitions and events, with the next major showcase, Heartbreak Hotel by Harriet Davis, set to open on Friday, February 28. Life drawing and oil painting classes are also being introduced to further engage the local artistic community.
A former director at Haverhub, Arthur is passionate about bringing more artists into the fold and ensuring that Haverfordwest becomes a thriving creative hub.
Farming
Farmers angered by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s pop-up campsite ban
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FARMERS and landowners in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park have expressed their frustration over plans to ban pop-up campsites, warning it could devastate their livelihoods.
In December 2024, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority announced it would remove permitted development rights (PDR), which currently allow landowners to run campsites for 28 days a year without additional planning permissions. The move, enacted under Article 4 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995, aims to protect the character of the area.
However, affected landowners argue the decision will negatively impact their ability to generate income, with some saying it could force them to leave the National Park altogether.
‘Devastating impact’
David Williams, who operates Clifftops Camping at Druidston, said the loss of his campsite’s income could force him to reconsider his way of life.
“I’m a professional photographer focusing on surfing, but there’s not much money in it,” said Mr Williams. “I’m also a computer programmer, but local businesses don’t have big budgets. The campsite provides vital income—losing it would be devastating. I might have to go back to full-time employment or even move. There’s not a lot of work for a programmer in Pembrokeshire.”
Mr Williams, who has lived in the National Park for 30 years, said the decision was a reaction to the unusually high tourist numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The summers of 2020 and 2021 were exceptionally busy because of travel restrictions,” he said. “But the last two summers have been normal, and Pembrokeshire has been quieter than it’s been in a decade. It feels like an overreaction.”
‘No issues, no complaints’
Another campsite operator, who wished to remain anonymous, echoed concerns that the ban would restrict the ability of small farms to diversify.
“I live on a small farm that doesn’t make a lot of money. The 28-day rule allowed us to set up a campsite without taking on too much risk,” they said. “We’ve been busy, which proves there is demand, and we’ve had no issues, no complaints from locals, and no problems with the council.
“I don’t understand what they’re trying to achieve by taking this away. At a time when we’re facing a cost-of-living crisis, they are shutting down a way for people to earn a second income.”
‘Draconian and out of step’
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Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com, described the move as a “kick in the teeth” for farmers and landowners struggling to make ends meet.
Pitchup.com successfully campaigned to extend permitted development for campsites in England from 28 days to 60 days last year and has since lobbied the Welsh Government for similar changes. Mr Yates argued that expanding PDR could boost the Welsh rural economy by bringing in thousands of extra tourists.
“At a time when governments are recognising the positive impact of pop-up campsites and changing regulations accordingly, this move by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority is both draconian and completely out of step,” he said.
“The new PDR regime in England has addressed many of the objections raised by introducing measures such as council notifications and excluding the most sensitive areas like SSSIs. The Welsh Government is now consulting on extending PDR, and if it follows England’s lead, this Article 4 decision would be unnecessary.”
Mr Yates added that with farming becoming increasingly difficult, particularly in Wales, farmers are being encouraged to diversify their income streams.
“Moves like this undermine confidence, take away choice, and leave those struggling to make ends meet feeling angry and alienated,” he said. “This is a devastating blow, and I urge Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority to reverse this decision.”
The ban is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. A public consultation is open until February 21, allowing people to have their say on the issue.
More information on the consultation can be found here.
News
Plaid politicians criticise final settlement for Ceredigion
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Elin Jones MS and Ben Lake MP call for further support
PLAID CYMRU politicians have slammed the latest budget settlement for Ceredigion, arguing that the Welsh Government’s funding formula unfairly penalises rural communities.
The county has received a funding increase of 3.6% for 2025/26, ranking 15th out of 22 local authorities in Wales. This represents the lowest increase per head of population in the country. By comparison, councils such as Newport and Cardiff received increases of 5.6% and 5.3% respectively.
The Welsh Government’s settlement has left Ceredigion County Council facing a budget shortfall of £7.4m to £7.5m, forcing it to consider cuts to services or significant council tax rises to balance the books. The council is currently modelling a potential 9.7% to 9.9% council tax increase to address the funding gap.
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Elin Jones MS said: “This is a minuscule uplift for Ceredigion Council and will give the council very little flexibility to ease its budgetary pressures. By having a lower than average uplift from Welsh Government, the effect of this will be felt by important local services and the council taxpayers in Ceredigion. If the funding floor had matched the average increase of 4.3%, as had been hoped, then the pressure on services and taxpayers in Ceredigion would have been much eased.”
Ben Lake MP added: “It is disappointing once again that rural councils are being disproportionately underfunded by the Labour Welsh Government. There seems to be an inherent bias in the funding formula against rural areas and this needs to be investigated and rectified. Council taxpayers in rural areas are having to pay more than their fair share and this is increasingly unsustainable.”
Funding concerns and service pressures
The council’s budget report warns of continued financial difficulties, with cost pressures expected to reach £11.8m in the next financial year. These include a £4m burden due to National Insurance increases, £2.4m to cover pay rises for social care workers under the Real Living Wage policy, and an additional £2m for out-of-county children’s placements.
While a 10.5% increase in capital funding from the Welsh Government will provide an additional £612,000 for infrastructure projects, the council states that overall funding remains lower in real terms than it was 15 years ago.
Ceredigion has also suffered a significant cut in its allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which has been slashed by 43% from £8.8m to £5m. The council warns this will impact local economic development projects.
Calls for a fairer funding model
Both local Plaid Cymru politicians and Ceredigion County Council leaders are urging the Welsh Government to implement a funding floor of at least 4.3% in the final budget settlement. The council argues that the current system disadvantages rural areas like Ceredigion, where service delivery costs are higher due to a sparse population and greater travel distances.
The council’s financial resilience report warns that without changes to the funding formula, future budgets will remain unsustainable, with increasing pressure on council taxpayers to make up for shortfalls.
Elin Jones MS and Ben Lake MP have vowed to continue lobbying for a fairer deal for Ceredigion, highlighting the disproportionate burden placed on rural communities compared to urban areas.
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