A SANDWICH shop owner who successfully challenged a national park refusal of plans for a takeaway food kiosk in Tenby’s seaside harbour, has spoken of her excitement at now being able to move forward.

At the March 2025 development management committee, Ruby Goodrick was refused permission from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planners to turn the old RNLI lifeboat store, Penniless Cove, Tenby Harbour, into a takeaway cold food outlet, open 10am-10pm seven days a week.

The application came before committee members rather than an officer decision as Tenby Town Council objected, and was recommended for approval despite being a departure from the adopted development plan.

Since then, Ruby lodged a successful appeal with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), the Inspector’s report, granting permission, focussing on “whether the development would be an appropriate use within this location, the impact on the character and appearance of the area, and whether it would affect Tenby Conservation Area”.

It said that, although the site was just outside the town centre “I consider that a small scale cold food takeaway outlet in this location would not undermine the town centre of Tenby or its retail function and would not have any impact on its future viability and vitality,” adding: “To the contrary, the development would complement the role of the town centre by contributing to having a mix of uses within this edge of centre location, which is encouraged within Future Wales.”

Following her successful appeal, Ruby, who relatively recently reopened her mum’s old sandwich shop in the town’s South Parade said: “It’s been a long journey over the past three years, with plenty of ups and downs, so I’m really pleased and relieved that the appeal was successful in the end.

“As someone who is local to Tenby, it means so much to me to have reopened my mum’s old sandwich shop, Trulys Sandwich Shop, on South Parade seven months ago. To now have the opportunity to open another shop at Tenby Harbour is something I’m incredibly proud of.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support and encouragement along the way — it’s meant a lot to me and my family.

“I’m really excited to move forward with the new takeaway at Tenby Harbour and look forward to serving both locals and visitors and bringing something new to the harbour.”

THREE members of staff at FUW Insurance Services have been shortlisted for the prestigious Women in Insurance Awards 2026.

Among them is Pembrokeshire’s Nia Evans, who has been named as a finalist in the Young Insurance Woman of the Year category for small to medium firms.

The awards celebrate the achievements of women across the insurance industry, recognising excellence at all levels and highlighting organisations working to improve diversity and inclusion.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on October 13, 2026.

Nia joined FUW Insurance Services in August 2022 as an account handler and has since gained experience across several portfolios, including Gwent, Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire.

She has completed her Cert CII qualification and was selected as part of the first cohort at the FUW Insurance Services Academy in 2025.

Her nomination recognises her strong professional development, growing expertise and early impact within the business.

Meleri James has also been shortlisted for Claims Professional of the Year. She joined FUW Insurance Services in 2021 as an insurance claims handler before becoming Deputy Claims Manager in 2023.

A Dip CII Level 4 qualified professional, she was appointed Claims Manager in autumn 2025.

Karen Royles has been shortlisted for Insurance Woman of the Year in the small to medium firms category.

She joined the company in November 2015 on a six-month maternity cover contract and has since progressed through roles including Administration Manager and Group Operations Manager.

In 2025, she became the company’s first female director when she was appointed Operations Director.

FUW Insurance Services Ltd Chair, Ann Beynon OBE said: “On behalf of everyone at FUW Insurance Services, we’re thrilled that Nia, Meleri, and Karen have been recognised in the prestigious Women in Insurance Awards.

“Their nominations reflect not only their talent and hard work, but also the progress we’ve made as a business in supporting and developing our female staff within the business.

“The awards are an important way to celebrate the achievements of women in our industry and to promote diversity and inclusion.

“We are proud to support that, and even prouder to see our colleagues being recognised in this way. We wish them the very best of luck.”

New national agreement affects thousands across UK engineering sites

A NEW pay deal covering workers at the Valero refinery in Pembroke has been agreed following months of stalled negotiations and industrial unrest across the UK engineering construction sector.

The agreement, reached under the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI), will see workers receive a 4.5% pay rise, alongside increases to travel and lodging allowances.

The deal applies to around 8,000 workers nationwide, including those employed on major energy and industrial sites such as Valero in Pembrokeshire.

Talks between employers and unions broke down earlier this year, marking the first time in more than four decades that a pay settlement had to be imposed before being put to workers. The agreement has now been accepted by a narrow majority following a ballot of the workforce.

Pressure on key industry

The engineering construction sector plays a critical role in maintaining and upgrading major infrastructure, including oil refineries, power plants and chemical facilities.

Industry representatives say the deal reflects difficult economic conditions, including rising costs, global instability and a shortage of skilled workers.

The Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA), which represents more than 150 employers, said the agreement strikes a balance between fair pay and maintaining the competitiveness of UK projects.

ECIA Managing Director John Simpson said: “We wanted to make sure that operatives receive fair pay and are pleased the 4.5% increase has been accepted. Our focus now is on ensuring long-term stability for the sector.”

Unions accept narrow deal

Trade unions GMB and Unite confirmed the deal had been accepted, but only by a slim margin, highlighting ongoing concerns among workers about pay levels.

Union representatives have already called for talks on the 2027 agreement to begin without delay, signalling that tensions within the sector remain.

Workers have previously argued that pay increases have not kept pace with the rising cost of living, despite long-term gains in wages across the industry.

Local impact at Valero

The Valero refinery in Pembroke is one of several UK sites operating under the NAECI framework, which sets national terms and conditions for engineering construction workers.

The site is a major employer in Pembrokeshire and plays a key role in the Welsh economy, meaning the outcome of national pay negotiations has a direct impact on local jobs.

What happens next

With the 2026 deal now agreed, attention will turn to future negotiations and wider industry challenges, including recruitment, investment and maintaining stable industrial relations.

Both sides have indicated a willingness to return to the table, but the narrow vote suggests further disputes cannot be ruled out.