Entertainment

Free time reimagined as Pembrokeshire moves toward online leisure

Published

8 months ago

October 16, 2025

In an age when digital convenience has begun to creep into every corner of our lives, many traditional viewers, readers, and hobbyists in the county of Pembrokeshire are finding their spare hours changed and challenged by new online options. Now, there are streamed film nights, virtual workshops, interactive gaming platforms, and creative classes for people to explore. The growing integration of broadband infrastructure, mobile apps, and on-demand culture now means that leisure does not depend entirely on where people are anymore. Now, it depends on how they choose to connect.

One of the most striking aspects of this change is how diverse online leisure has become. Beyond streaming and online education, even digital entertainment that was once considered niche, such as Bitcoin gambling sites, has found appeal across global audiences. These decentralised platforms allow users to deposit and withdraw funds instantly, often with lower transaction fees and enhanced privacy. They demonstrate how blockchain technology can make online play faster, borderless, and more secure. The innovation behind these systems shows us the wider trend toward user-centred, tech-driven leisure.

Across Pembrokeshire, that same transformation is evident in the more conventional spaces, too. Reliable connectivity now underpins a great deal of new digital opportunities. It is this connectivity that opens the door to streaming, live classes, and remote participation in community events. And this is not just for residents in towns, but also those in rural hamlets that were once held back by patchy coverage.

Pembrokeshire Leisure, operated by the county council, has become a local case study in how services can adapt. Its Pembs Leisure app lets users check timetables, book fitness sessions, and receive push alerts. Through its “Virtual Classes” programme, residents can stream yoga, strength training, and cardio sessions from home for roughly £5.50 per month. Instead of replacing in-person sessions, these options now complement them and give flexibility to commuters, carers, and others whose schedules limit time at physical leisure centres.

Even major events are moving online. Festivals, talks, history walks, and environmental sessions often include livestreams, interactive Q&As, or digital archives. Because of this, those unable to travel can still take part. For a county as geographically dispersed as Pembrokeshire, this digital layer adds reach without taking away from the local character of community gatherings.

The region’s natural and cultural assets are especially optimised to work with what commentators call “phygital” leisure, which are experiences that merge the physical and the digital. The 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path, for instance, now features apps and online guides that offer augmented-reality interpretation, wildlife identification, and GPS-based navigation. These tools enhance, rather than replace, outdoor exploration. This is because it helps visitors engage more deeply with the area’s geology, flora, and maritime heritage.

This shift, however, is not without its challenges. Digital exclusion still affects certain demographics, particularly older adults or households without adequate devices. While libraries and community centres do offer digital-skills support, gaps are still evident. Likewise, online activities must compete with the lure of outdoor life that defines Pembrokeshire, from surfing in Newgale to kayaking in the Milford Haven Waterway. Creating the right balance between screen-based and open-air recreation is a vital element to consider for the county’s evolving identity when it comes to its leisure activities.

Yet the potential benefits are indeed clear. Online platforms make participation far more flexible. They reduce travel needs and also allow smaller organisations to reach wider audiences without the need for expensive venues. Hybrid delivery also strengthens resilience when faced with occurrences like weather disruptions or mobility issues. For younger residents, digital platforms can help to connect Pembrokeshire’s rural communities with global creative, educational, and entertainment ecosystems. This can all be achieved without eroding the area’s distinct sense of place.

Pembrokeshire’s embrace of leisure in an online capacity is more about expanding upon choices than it is about replacing traditions. The above are just a few examples of how local people are integrating technology into how they rest, learn and socialise. The county’s forward-looking approach is grounded in strong broadband, inclusive programmes, and an impressively creative use of digital media. It is this approach that ensures that free time in Pembrokeshire can be both modern and meaningful, wherever you happen to find yourself.

Entertainment

Pembrokeshire soprano to perform at International Eisteddfod

Published

2 days ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST music teacher and soprano soloist Clare Harrison is set to perform at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen next month.

Clare will sing under the baton of Sir Karl Jenkins on Tuesday, July 7, as part of the World Choir, an auditioned international chorus of singers, for the long-awaited Welsh premiere of his work One World.

She will also perform in a new commission, Greeting the Dawn, by Sam Buttler, and in Peace Child with Wrexham-based chorus NEW Voices.

Clare combines a busy teaching schedule with regular solo performances across Wales and the borders.

Her next Pembrokeshire appearance will be as soloist with Tenby Male Choir at St Mary’s Church, Tenby, on Thursday, July 16.

Caption:

Clare Harrison: The Haverfordwest soprano will perform at the International Eisteddfod in Llangollen.

Entertainment

Harbour Fest to bring music, food and maritime magic to Milford Waterfront

Published

3 days ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Free family festival will celebrate Milford Haven’s seafaring history and coastal community

MILFORD WATERFRONT will burst into life on Saturday, June 27, as the first Harbour Fest sails into town for a day of music, food, family fun and maritime celebration.

The free event will run from 10:00am to 6:00pm at Mackerel Quay and across the waterfront, bringing together local traders, live entertainment, coastal organisations and independent businesses for a packed day beside the water.

Organisers say the festival will celebrate everything that makes Milford Haven special, from its seafaring history and working harbour to its growing reputation as a destination for food, shopping, culture and family days out.

Visitors will be able to browse stalls from local makers and producers, enjoy street food and live performances, and explore a Marine Zone featuring organisations involved in sea safety, marine conservation and coastal life.

The Marine Zone will include Seagrass Network Cymru / Project Seagrass, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Dyfed-Powys Police, NCI Wooltack Point, Rudders Marine Training, RNLI Milford Haven and RNLI Angle Lifeboat.

RNLI Angle Lifeboat is expected to be based on the Mackerel Stage, while the Sea Cadets will be giving rope-tying displays at Milford Haven Museum, where craft activities will also be taking place.

Live entertainment will run throughout the day, with performances from Tom & Abz, Will Scott, Ryan Bristow, Milford Haven Town Band, Kyle Kirkhouse and ShantyJacs Sea Shanties.

Businesses across the waterfront are also joining in. All Pets Vet Care will hold a family-friendly open day with a bouncy castle, treasure hunts, quizzes, craft activities and behind-the-scenes tours. Aurora Artisan Crafts will host vocal performances, Biffy’s Bar & Restaurant will feature solo acoustic music from Laurence Lewis, and Martha’s Vineyard will offer seafood street food with live music from Ryan Bristow and Steve Bartram.

At Tŷ Milford Waterfront’s outdoor plaza there will be face painting, children’s activities, pop-up artists and an afternoon DJ set, while Phoenix Bowl and Pirate Pete’s Adventure Play will have inflatables and glitter tattoos outside.

The Waterfront Gallery will host introduction to felt-making workshops with textile artist Carole Fletcher, giving participants the chance to create a woollen felt flower pin brooch or phone/glasses case. The workshops start at 10:30am, 1:00pm and 3:30pm and cost £5 per person.

A wide range of traders will also be attending, including 5th Flock Spirits Co, Cinnamon Grove Distillery, Cwm Deri Wines & Liqueurs, Ferncraft, Get Loaded, J.J. Pottery, Major Nuts, Orange Garden Design, Pembrokeshire Chilli Farm, Pembrokeshire Gold, Pembrokeshire Lottery, Plumstone Welshcakes and SlateArtSJ.

With music drifting across the marina, food stalls lining the waterfront and lifeboats, sea safety teams and coastal groups adding a strong maritime flavour, Harbour Fest is expected to bring a lively summer atmosphere to one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known waterside destinations.

Organisers say the event is suitable for families, friends and visitors of all ages, with plenty to see and do throughout the day.

Photo caption: Harbour Fest will take place at Milford Waterfront on Saturday, June 27 (Pic: Milford Waterfront).

Entertainment

Filming begins on new Welsh BBC comedy starring Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs

Published

3 days ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A HEARTWARMING new Welsh BBC comedy co-written by Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs has started filming in South Wales.

Better Later, a six-part series for BBC iPlayer, BBC One and BBC One Wales, will explore the unexpected joys of an unlikely friendship.

The comedy stars Jones and Speirs as two people who meet at a knee trauma clinic. Retired teacher Clive, played by Speirs, is 60, widowed and facing a new chapter in life. Shelley Anne, played by Jones, is a 55-year-old environmental health officer going through a bitter divorce.

The series is being filmed in and around South Wales, including the Brecon Beacons, and is set in the fictional village of Brynfach.

Ruth Jones said: “In a funny way this show has been 35 years in the making, which is when I first met Steve. It’s not that we’re slow writers, it’s just that we’ve been up to other things. It’s fantastic to be back in front of the camera with him again.”

Steve Speirs said: “Our first time acting together for quite a long time. Ruth makes me laugh more than anyone and I’m a terrible giggler. This could be a long shoot.”

Better Later has been commissioned by BBC Cymru Wales and BBC Comedy and is being made by Tidy Productions in association with BBC Studios Comedy, with support from Creative Wales.

The series was commissioned by Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning at BBC Cymru Wales, and Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC. The commissioning editors are Emma Lawson and Paul Forde.

Executive producers are Sarah Fraser for Tidy Productions and Josh Cole for BBC Studios Comedy. The producer is Owen Bell and the director is Simon Massey.

Transmission details will be announced in due course.