AN OPTICIANS in Haverfordwest is proving that the traditional Saturday job is far from dead, offering young people practical experience, transferable skills and a genuine pathway into long-term careers.

With figures suggesting almost one in eight people aged 16–24 are not in education, employment or training, the decline of weekend work has increasingly been cited as a barrier to young people becoming workplace-ready. But the locally owned and run Specsavers Haverfordwest is bucking that trend by actively recruiting and supporting young staff.

The store currently employs Kyle Ashbourne, 16, who has worked weekends as a trainee optical assistant since November while studying at college. The role provides hands-on experience in customer service and retail, alongside an introduction to the technology and processes involved in eye examinations and the wider optical profession.

Speaking about his experience, Mr Ashbourne said: “Working at Specsavers alongside my studies has been a great experience. I’ve developed my confidence and communication skills and learnt a lot about customer care and the optical industry. The flexibility of weekend work really helps me balance my job with college, and I feel supported to develop my skills for the future.”

Weekend roles at the store typically involve welcoming customers, supporting appointments and learning how the practice operates day to day. For many young people, it is their first experience of the workplace, helping them build confidence and develop skills that extend well beyond retail.

Specsavers Haverfordwest store director Andy Britton said weekend positions can play a crucial role in opening doors. He said: “A Saturday role is an ideal way for young people to gain early insight into the profession while picking up valuable, real-world experience in a supportive environment.

“It’s not just about earning money. It’s about building confidence, learning how to work as part of a team and developing strong communication and customer service skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Many of our colleagues started in weekend roles and have gone on to enjoy long and rewarding careers with us, which we’re proud to support.”

Specsavers offers a range of career routes, from retail and customer service to clinical roles in optics, with ongoing training and development opportunities designed to help staff progress.

For more information, or to book an eye examination or hearing check, call Specsavers Haverfordwest on 01437 767788 or visit the store’s website.

Industry leaders warn of closures and job losses as pressure mounts on ministers to pass on funding

PUBS across Wales are facing a widening financial gap with England after the UK Government announced increased business rates support south of the border, prompting renewed calls for the Senedd to intervene to protect a sector described as a social lifeline for communities.

The warning came from the Welsh Beer & Pub Association (WBPA) following the Chancellor’s announcement of enhanced business rates relief for pubs in England — a move the industry says will deepen an already significant disparity between the two nations.

The WBPA said that while Welsh pubs benefited from Covid-era support, more recent measures have failed to keep pace with England, leaving many operators struggling to cope with rising costs and higher rates bills.

A spokesperson for the association said the exclusion of pubs from newer retail-focused relief schemes is already having a damaging impact across Wales.

“Without further action, many pubs will struggle to keep their doors open,” the spokesperson said, warning of further closures, job losses and the erosion of vital community spaces.

Growing concern among Welsh businesses

Concerns over business rates have also been echoed directly by Welsh businesses themselves, with more than 100 companies attending a recent meeting organised by Sam Kurtz MS to discuss the impact of revaluation and the future of business rates support in Wales.

The meeting brought together pubs, hospitality operators, tourism businesses and other small firms, many of whom warned they were facing sharp increases in their rates bills and feared the changes could make their businesses unviable.

Mr Kurtz told the Senedd that business owners were “worried, frustrated and angry,” with some reporting potential increases running into tens of thousands of pounds.

He said the strength of feeling at the meeting showed the scale of concern across the Welsh economy and urged ministers to act before irreversible damage is done to local businesses and high streets.

Political pressure inside the Senedd

The issue has been raised repeatedly in the Senedd in the run-up to this week’s budget debates, with opposition members warning that Welsh pubs are being placed at a competitive disadvantage compared with those in England.

Conservative MSs have highlighted the risks to tourism and hospitality in rural and coastal areas, while Plaid Cymru has pressed ministers to confirm whether any additional funding flowing to Wales as a result of UK Government decisions will be passed directly to support community pubs.

During recent plenary sessions, the First Minister acknowledged the importance of pubs to Welsh communities but defended the Welsh Government’s record, pointing to more than £1bn spent on business rates support for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses since 2020.

Ministers have said they are still assessing the full details of the UK Government’s announcement and its financial implications for Wales before setting out a response.

Budget reforms and industry warnings

The debate comes against the backdrop of wider changes to the non-domestic rates system in Wales as part of the Welsh Government’s final budget plans.

While ministers argue that reforms such as adjusted multipliers and transitional relief will help smooth the impact of revaluation, hospitality groups say pubs are not receiving the targeted protection they need.

Industry bodies warn that Welsh pubs were already facing significantly higher business rates bills than counterparts in England, and that the latest English relief package will now widen that gap further.

The WBPA said the Senedd will receive additional funding as a result of the UK Government’s decision and urged ministers to ensure it is passed on in full — and enhanced — to protect pubs, jobs and local economies.

A test of priorities

The association said the issue now represents a clear test of priorities for the Welsh Government.

“Pubs are central to Wales’s social and economic fabric,” the spokesperson said. “If this funding is not passed on, we risk losing businesses that communities rely on and livelihoods that cannot easily be replaced.”

With budget decisions imminent, pressure is mounting on ministers to match — or exceed — the support being offered in England, as the future of many Welsh pubs hangs in the balance.

LOCAL Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz has called on LINK to hold a face-to-face meeting in Pembroke Dock to discuss the forthcoming review of the decision that the town does not qualify for a Banking Hub.

With the 12-month review window now approaching, Mr Kurtz says it is vital that LINK hears directly from residents, businesses and community groups who have been affected by the loss of the town’s final bank branch.

Pembroke Dock has been without any in-person banking services since the closure of its last bank, a situation campaigners say has had a significant impact on older residents, vulnerable people and small businesses who rely on face-to-face support and access to cash.

Under LINK’s current rules, once an assessment has been carried out, a further review cannot normally take place for 12 months unless there has been a significant change in local cash access provision. That review period is now nearing its end, allowing a formal reassessment request to be made.

Mr Kurtz has been leading efforts over the past year to build the case for a Banking Hub, including writing to the Financial Conduct Authority and HM Treasury on the national framework governing access to cash, and raising concerns with the Welsh Government and the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales.

More than 1,500 residents and businesses have now signed a petition backing the call for a Banking Hub, a level of support Mr Kurtz says demonstrates the strength of feeling locally.

“Pembroke Dock has lost its last bank, and that has changed everyday life for many people,” Samuel Kurtz said. “Not everyone can bank online or travel to Carmarthen when there’s a problem. A face-to-face meeting in the community would allow LINK to hear first-hand how this decision is affecting real people.”

He added that holding the meeting locally would help ensure transparency and build confidence in the review process.

“This is about giving the community a fair hearing. If LINK is going to reassess its decision, it should do so with a clear understanding of local needs, and that means listening directly to those impacted. The last review was undertaken as a desk-based exercise and I’m asking LINK to come and visit to see for themselves the geography of South Pembrokeshire and understand that it is the wider community, and not just Pembroke Dock, that would use this facility.” he said.

Samuel Kurtz has written to LINK formally requesting that representatives attend a community meeting in Pembroke Dock ahead of the review.

Campaigners say they will continue to gather evidence and community support in the run-up to the reassessment and remain confident that Pembroke Dock meets the criteria and intent of the Banking Hub scheme. More information and the online petition are available at www.samuelkurtz.wales.