News

Who owns Slebech Park?

Published

9 years ago

September 22, 2015

IT RECEIVED over £1m in public funding, but the ownership of the upmarket Slebech Park Hotel is shrouded in mystery , The Herald can reveal.

In 2003/2004 the local authority approved European Regeneration and Development Funding of £1,026,410 for the creation of a 38- bed residential conference centre, specifically designed to provide a premium level of accommodation and state of the art conferencing facilities. Further funding for the project was obtained from both the Welsh Tourist Board and the Welsh Government.

It was claimed the whole project would cost £6m, but later assessments of the investment placed the figure at nearer £4m, meaning that one quarter of the cost was borne by the public purse.

The prestigious hotel sank into administration in November 2011 and was placed on the market the following spring for £1.95m.

At the time, the hotel’s owner, Mr Geoffrey Phillipps, said that he hoped to buy the hotel back from the administrators.

In August 2013, it was announced that the hotel had been bought out of administration.

The investment was claimed to have protected the jobs of 20 full time staff employed at the venue while it was hoped the investment would create another 45 extra jobs over the next three years.

However, The Herald has discovered that the hotel and a portion of neighbouring land is owned by a company registered outside the UK for tax purposes.

Traverse Developments Ltd is shown as completing its purchase of Slebech Park in September 2013 for the sum of £1,826,615. The company is registered in the British Virgin Islands.

The data has come to light following a series of articles in Private Eye magazine. Having linked thousands of land title registries to specific addresses and used the Freedom of Information Act, researchers managed to track all leasehold and freehold interests acquired by offshore companies between 2005 and 2014 and have placed that information online.

Property investment and development companies routinely use offshore corporate vehicles to own major buildings to achieve capital gains tax and stamp duty advantages.

And Slebech Park is by no means the only slice of land in the county to have a Caribbean connection.

In Milford Haven, a significant tranche of waterfront land on the opposite bank from the Blackbridge development site is owned by another BVI registered company.

Duncliffe Finances Ltd are shown as having purchased the land in 2008 for a stated price of £1.2m.

BVI companies are heralded on one incorporation site as ‘exempt from tax, suitable for virtually any international business activity, has a flexible organizational structure, is not burdened by excessive reporting and record-keeping requirements, and maintains strict confidentiality provisions’.

Confidentiality is one of the key features of the BVI Business Company as details of the company beneficial owners, directors and shareholders are NOT part of public record. Register of Members, Register of Directors and all Minutes and Resolutions by the Company are kept only at the offices of the Registered Agent in complete confidentiality.

It seems, therefore, that the benefit of over £1m of public money is being felt most keenly by shadowy shareholders of a secretive corporation based thousands of miles away whose main purpose is to avoid tax. For the avoidance of doubt, no assertion is made as to the involvement of the previous owners of Slebech Park in such a corporation.

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

15 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

22 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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

Published

23 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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.