Family-run shop marks milestone after three generations keep wheels turning

LIFEBOAT crews, farmers, schoolchildren, club cyclists and thousands of local families have all passed through the doors of Mike’s Bikes in Prendergast. Now the much-loved shop is celebrating its thirty-sixth birthday, marking more than three decades as one of Haverfordwest’s most recognisable independent businesses.

The distinctive blue-fronted building has become a local landmark for anyone travelling through Prendergast. But behind it is a story rooted in family, hard work and a passion for cycling that has carried the business through changing times.

The shop began as the dream of founder Mike, who took early retirement from the water board in the late 1980s to follow his lifelong love of bikes. He found what the family still describe as “the perfect location” in Prendergast, opening the doors for the first time on November 16, 1988.

As demand grew, Mike brought in his close friend Mark as a partner, expanding into the entire lower floor of the building. The pair quickly built a strong reputation for honest advice, repairs done properly, and an old-fashioned customer service that kept people coming back.

Mike retired in 2000, with Mark taking over as sole owner. Under his leadership, the business went from strength to strength, surviving the recession, competition from big retail chains, and the shift towards online sales.

In 2008 the next generation stepped in when Mark’s son Shaun joined as a trainee mechanic. Originally intending to stay only while searching for a carpentry job, he quickly found he “absolutely loved” the work and decided to remain. Shaun is now a director, working alongside his father to steer the business into its fourth decade.

Today Mike’s Bikes is one of the best-known cycling shops in the county, stocking everything from children’s first bikes to high-end road and mountain models, as well as offering servicing and repairs. For many Pembrokeshire families, it’s the first stop whenever a tyre bursts, a bike is outgrown, or a child needs their first two wheels.

The shop thanked its customers in a message posted ahead of the anniversary, saying: “We would like to say a massive thank you to each and every one of you that has supported us over the years. Here’s to another 36 years.”

With three generations connected to the business and countless memories tied to the shopfront on Prendergast, Mike’s Bikes remains a rare example of a true independent business still thriving in Haverfordwest — powered not by trends, but by loyalty, community and a deep love of cycling.

CYMDEITHAS YR IAITH has launched preparations to oppose Carmarthenshire County Council’s plans to close three rural Welsh-medium schools, following a contentious decision by the Cabinet on Monday (Nov 17).

The Cabinet agreed to publish a statutory notice to close Ysgol Llansteffan at the end of the 2025–26 academic year, while also approving a statutory consultation on proposals to close Ysgol Meidrim and Ysgol Y Fro, Llangyndeyrn. The move forms part of the council’s long-running Modernising Education Programme, under which a number of small rural schools have already faced review because of falling pupil numbers, surplus places and ongoing budget pressures.

Campaigners say the latest proposals could have serious consequences for rural communities, the sustainability of Welsh-medium education and the Welsh Government’s national Cymraeg 2050 language growth strategy. All three schools serve areas with strong Welsh-speaking populations, and parents have repeatedly argued that closures will force young children to travel further and weaken the cultural and social fabric of their villages.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has criticised the process followed by the council, highlighting comments made during Monday’s Cabinet meeting that the required Stage 0 discussions with the schools “did not happen properly”. Stage 0 is the statutory preliminary engagement that must be completed before councillors consider formal closure proposals.

Speaking on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith in Carmarthenshire, campaigner Ffred Ffransis said the Cabinet should not have proceeded.

He said: “The cabinet should not have voted for a consultation after admitting that the initial statutory stage of discussion with the schools, known as stage 0, did not happen properly. The council officers’ reports say clearly that a consultation or a statutory notification to close should not be authorised unless councillors were sure that it was the best option.

“The preparation work to ensure responses to the consultations and objections to the statutory notice to close, together with the three schools, will start straight away.”

Cymdeithas yr Iaith is now expected to coordinate its response with parents, governors and local groups across the county, setting the stage for a significant battle over the future of Welsh-medium schooling in rural Carmarthenshire.

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have welcomed a new announcement from Conservative Party Leader Kemi Badenoch outlining her proposals to safeguard the future of the UK’s farming industry.

During a press conference earlier today, Ms Badenoch pledged to scrap what the party describes as the “Family Farm Tax”, cut red tape, reduce bureaucracy, lower energy bills and step up efforts to tackle rural crime. She told supporters that the Conservatives “understand what farmers are going through” and would ensure their voices are heard.

Commenting on the announcement, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS, said Labour in both Westminster and Cardiff Bay had “made it clear they do not understand rural life.”

“Farmers are facing immense pressures from rising costs, uncertain markets and changes to agricultural policy,” he said.

“Labour’s family farm tax, their inability to deal with rural crime, high energy costs and unnecessary red tape could all be the final straw for many. Today’s announcement reiterates that the Conservatives are the only party standing with our farming communities.”

Mr Kurtz added that the Welsh Conservatives’ own plan for agriculture, combined with the pledges set out by Ms Badenoch, would help the sector “thrive”.

“Farming in Wales needs a friend,” he said, “and that friend is the Welsh Conservatives.”