Business
Traditional town centre business model is ‘dead’, ex-minister warns
A FORMER minister warned the traditional business model for Welsh town centres is “dead”, dismissing “magic bullets” such as free parking and abolishing business rates.
Labour’s Lee Waters argued the economic reality of online and out-of-town shopping means a new purpose must be found for struggling high streets.
Mr Waters described town centre regeneration as a “gnarly, knotty problem”, with economics at its heart, during a debate in the Senedd on October 15.
Warning of an “unfair, unlevel playing field”, he told the Senedd: “The business model of the town centre that we all grew up with is dead.”
The former transport minister said the business model has been “enormously disrupted” by supermarkets, out-of-town shopping, online retail and the pandemic.

Mr Waters warned of little evidence to support free parking which would take revenue from councils and fail to address the 25% of people who do not have access to a car.
“The world as we knew it has gone,” he said. “And simply abolishing business rates or providing free car parking is not going to bring it back. It’s a far more complex tapestry we require… and I’m afraid our rather glib debate on these things is getting us nowhere.
“But the fix is much more complex and involves far more partners in a granular way.”
The Labour politician, who is standing down in May, said it is much cheaper for a business to build out of town than to redevelop a town centre property.
He also explained how housing trends have changed the social and economic fabric of town centres, leaving them to cater to a different demographic.
Calling for a long-term plan, including the public and private sectors, Mr Waters raised an example of “disjointed” government leading to a college in Bangor moving out of town.
The debate was tabled by Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher, who painted a similarly bleak picture of high streets with “vacant retail units, shuttered shopfronts and boarded-up windows”.

He warned government schemes were merely “plugging holes, not rebuilding foundations”, with Wales having the second highest rate of vacant shops in the UK.
The shadow economy secretary argued the real issue was “ownership”, calling for a community right to buy to tackle the problem of absentee landlords.
Plaid Cymru’s motion called for a comprehensive strategy for town-centre regeneration, preferential business rates, long-term funding and a law on “right to buy” powers.
South Wales East MS Delyth Jewell, the party’s deputy Senedd leader, said: “These buildings… tell the stories of our past…. It is a covenant with our past that is being corroded with these closures.”

The Conservatives’ Joel James warned Labour policies have driven businesses on high streets to extinction, with high business rates amounting to “economic punishment”.
He argued throwing money at regeneration projects is useless without first fixing the underlying business environment to ensure competition can thrive.
Mr James criticised the “anti-business, anti-growth” motion and its focus on local ownership, warning Plaid Cymru’s “financial fantasies” offer no hope for high-street businesses.
He told the Senedd the Conservatives would scrap rates for all small businesses and improve access to free car parking in town centres.

Labour backbencher Mike Hedges agreed with Plaid Cymru’s calls for a right to buy, saying: “The community right to buy is proven, popular and politically effective. We need to have it in Wales and… we need to have it now.”
Jayne Bryant, Wales’ local government secretary, pointed to £100m delivered through the transforming towns programme since 2022, with another £57m on the way.
Ms Bryant, whose responsibilities include regeneration, told the Senedd an empty property enforcement fund has been set up to help bring vacant buildings back into use.
She said the Welsh Government is providing £335m in rates relief this year, which includes £78m for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses.

Ms Bryant explained a “town centre first” principle has been embedded for planning decisions on where to locate public services such as colleges and health hubs.
The minister added that a commission – set up to explore local ownership models – is set to present its recommendations next month which will inform the introduction of a right to buy. Her goal, she said, is to bring “pride, purpose and prosperity back to the heart of our towns”.
At the end of the debate, Plaid Cymru’s original motion was voted down before ministers’ amended version – which supported the existing strategy – was narrowly passed, 24-23.
Business
Rosemarket Dawn Till Dusk golf club 18-hole plans lodged
A CALL to extend a long-established Pembrokeshire golf club, bringing it up to a full 18 holes, has been submitted to county planners.
In the application, Mr and Mrs Young, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, seek a change of use of land adjoining the Dawn Till Dusk Golf Club, Furze Hill Farm, Bastleford Road, Rosemarket, to form an extension to the existing golf course, along with landscaping and associated works.
A supporting statement through the agent says: “The application seeks full planning permission for the enlargement of the existing golf course to provide an additional six holes, to provide a total of 18 holes.
“The proposal would involve minor landscaping works to the fields and boundaries and the creation of a small number of ponds and bunkers. The extension would be located on land to the west of Furze Hill Farm and on the opposite side of the road to the existing golf course and clubhouse.
“An altered access to the land parcel is proposed as part of this application, which would provide an improved route for users crossing the public highway to avoid conflict with movements at the main entrance.
“The application site exceeds 1ha and therefore the proposal is considered major development necessitating a Pre-Application Consultation prior to formally submitting the planning application to the Local Planning Authority.”
It adds: “The existing golf course has operated in excess of 30 years and is popular with both visitors and locals. Club membership currently stands at approximately 350 and there is demand for enhancing the provisions of the course.
“The applicants’ sons have recently increased their involvement in the enterprise and in recent years wet winter months have necessitated the closure of the course, or parts of it, due to the ground becoming waterlogged, primarily due to the flat nature of the existing course.
“The extension would provide variation to the terrain, providing, dryer conditions, as well as the ability to alternate between the existing and proposed to maintain use, enhancing the viability of the enterprise.”
The application will be considered by Pembrokeshire County Council planners at a later date.
Business
Plans to rebuild arson hit building at farm with one of largest sheep flocks in Wales
A CALL to rebuild a fire-damaged Pembrokeshire farm building, as a family home to help manage one of the largest sheep flocks in Wales, has been submitted to the national park.
In the application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, D B Davies and Sons through agent Harries Planning Design Management, with a supporting statement by Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd, seek permission to renovate an existing fire-damaged dwelling, together with the conversion and extension of outbuildings to form an agricultural worker’s dwelling at Mynydd Du, Rosebush.
The supporting statement through Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd says Mynydd Du is part of a wider holding which includes Eisteddfa Fawr and land around the village of Brynberian, the farms approximately six km apart, with land under control of the applicant amounting to some 1,500 acres, with a further 3,000 acres of Preseli mountain common land also used; the land accommodating a 5,000-ewe flock with 10 suckler cows and followers.
It says DB Davies & Sons Unlimited, has five partners: the two Davies brothers, Berian and Ken; their wives; and Berian’s son, Dyfed.
Berian and Ken are in their late 70s, with most of the heavy work on the farm is undertaken by Dyfed.
Dyfed and his wife Megan are first language Welsh speakers, living some 10 km away in Nevern, while Berian and Ken, and their wives, live at Eisteddfa Fawr, Brynberian.
The dwelling at Mynydd Du, where most sheep are now wintered, is structurally sound and repairable but has been unoccupied since 1990, and was subject to arson circa 2013, the statement says.
It says Dyfed works full-time on the farm, alone with increasing frequency as the older business members are above retirement age, working “long hours out of necessity to undertake all the work associated with one of the largest flocks of sheep in Wales”.
“His working hours are extended further due to the fact that he lives remote (6kms) from the main block of land at Tyllosg, where Mynydd Du is situated in the centre of the farm. Travelling back and forth several times each day during lambing and other times during poor weather, to check on flock welfare is an arduous task and can be dangerous, particularly if driving when tired during inclement conditions.”
The statement adds: “The application seeks permission to repair the fire damaged dwelling at Mynydd Du and bring it back to serve a useful purpose to enable Dyfed to closely monitor the ewes, not only at lambing, but throughout the year when the flock is grazing on the adjacent common land.
“It will also enable Dyfed to be with his partner and young child on a more regular basis than simply at the end of a long day when he is away from their current home, tending the sheep at Mynydd Du.”
The application will be considered by park planners at a later date.
Business
Herald expands sales team as Milford Haven growth drives demand
THE PEMBROKEHIRE HERALD is launching a recruitment drive to bring in two new sales executives as the newspaper continues to grow its commercial operations across the county.
The move comes as the Herald strengthens its position as the leading independent news platform in West Wales, with increasing demand from local businesses looking to advertise both in print and online.
The expansion is being driven in part by the rapid growth of Milford Haven and the wider energy sector, with major investment in green energy projects, port activity and associated industries creating new opportunities for local businesses.
As the area continues to develop as a key energy hub, more companies are seeking to reach customers, partners and the wider community through trusted local media.
The successful candidates will work directly with Pembrokeshire businesses, helping them promote their services to a growing audience through the Herald’s expanding digital reach and established print readership.
Editor Tom Sinclair said the recruitment reflects both the changing local economy and the Herald’s increasing audience.
He said: “Milford Haven is expanding rapidly, particularly with new energy and green projects coming forward, and that’s creating real opportunities for local businesses.
“At the same time, our audience continues to grow across both our website and social media platforms, meaning we can now offer advertisers a much bigger and more effective platform than ever before.”
The new roles will focus on building relationships with local firms, developing advertising campaigns, and identifying new opportunities across sectors including tourism, retail, trades, energy and professional services.
The Herald has continued to invest in its digital platforms, including Herald.Wales, alongside its well-established print edition, offering advertisers a multi-platform approach to reaching customers.
The recruitment drive also comes at a time when many local businesses are looking for cost-effective ways to promote themselves amid ongoing economic pressures.
Mr Sinclair added: “Local advertising matters. When businesses advertise locally, that money stays in the local economy. It helps create jobs, supports families and helps communities grow alongside the businesses within them.”
The roles are expected to appeal to motivated, target-driven individuals with strong communication skills and an interest in media, sales or marketing.
Both positions are based in Pembrokeshire, with opportunities for training and career progression within the Herald’s growing media group.
Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to email [email protected] with a CV and covering letter before Tuesday (Apr 1, 2026).
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