News
Restaurant licence for Chequers
MEMBERS of the Licensing Sub Committee have approved an application for a new licence for the former nightclub known as Chequers.
The applicant, Nicola Berry, is in the process of moving to Penally and hopes to turn the premises into a tea room and restaurant.
Members from Penally Community Council also attended the meeting on Thursday February 25, to raise their concerns about the project.
Applicant Nicola Berry said: “I’m looking to open a family friendly tea room/ restaurant in the former nightclub known as Chequers. The sale of alcohol will finish at 11pm. We have no intention of increasing that time limit. I am in the process of moving to Penally so I will be in the vicinity and this makes it more personal for me. I will be there every day.”
Carol Clemson, Vice-chair of Penally Community Council said: “The community of Penally are understandably concerned about the granting of this licence. Police at a previous meeting have said that there would be no chance of another licence for this premises. This new application asks for a licence to 11pm and if it is granted we at Penally Community Council would pray that this should not be extended. This building has not been used for some time and is derelict and we would hope that all refurbishments meet the required standard. The road (A4139) includes a nearby bridge and a roundabout and any increase in traffic will be an added danger. There is no street light and customers leaving the site are likely to use the Penally Village road. Past experience shows that this created enormous disturbance and disruption to the village. The application also proposes a children’s play area and we would expect this to be supervised by qualified people and for it to meet the required standards.”
Cllr Reg Owen asked if Nicola Berry had any previous experience of running a club and she responded saying that she used to run an indoor playgroup on the Isle of Wight.
Nicola Berry added that the car park and walkway would be extended with lighting being added.
After deliberating on whether or not to grant the licence Cllr Wynne Evans said: “Based on the evidence before the committee, we grant the application as it has been made.”
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
Crime
Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm
THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.
Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.
Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.
The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.
A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.
“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.
“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.
“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”
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Ed
September 1, 2015 at 11:40 am
It’s good to see this place retained as a venue and I hope it can become a welcome hub of music with its moderate licence. Architecturally it’s one of the best venues in West Wales and as such I’m glad it’s now open again to some degree. Anyone interested in the reasons for it’s closure as a nightclub in 1997 should read the book Dafydd & Goliath by Dafydd Gittins, the former co-licensee of the club. What is fact is that there was actually so little evidence of the so-called “Dark Days” at the club that his convictions with regard to the club and the alleged incidents there were entirely overturned by appeal judges who described the authorities as having “at best exaggerated and at worst lied” in order to close the club and prosecute him. One has to wonder why other individuals over the years have met such opposition in using the building since the ruling by appeal judges, given the isolated location of the building, when plenty of pubs within Tenby town itself play music late into the night.