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Pembrokeshire put on fashion map

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Photos by Chris Floyd

Photos by Chris Floyd

LAST WEEK Esquire fashion magazine sent their style director to Pembrokeshire to see if he could find clothes he would sport on the streets of London, in the counties local shops.

Style director for the magazine, Teo van den Broeke came to “The nation’s least densely populated region with £200 and a simple instruction: go shopping.” The task brief out laid.

Teo set out to see if he could prove that it is possible for a young man to dress with style and finesse wherever they live in the UK, so to do this he chose to start in St Davids: “I was to spend a day in the middle of nowhere, scouring local shops for wearable, affordable and, yes, even fashionable clothing that I would willingly bring back to London and absorb into my everyday wardrobe.”

Starting in the nations smallest city, he visited a charity shop to find his first piece of clothing: “The charity shop is run by a pair of charming ladies, Grace Davies and Mary Trott. They told me that they’d recently dressed a 16-year-old local boy for a “do” for 50 pence.”

“In that spirit, I snapped up a chunky teal fishmerman’s jumper for the bargain price of four pounds.”

Motivated by the first purchase he continued, and asked Oliver Blakiston, the young manager of St Davids’ Cross Hotel,where he shops: “I never buy clothes from St Davids, ever. If I’m going away, or if I’m going to Cardiff, I go shopping there. If I need anything proper, I go to the bigger shops in Haverfordwest,”

Taking on board part of what Oliver said, Teo then took a trip to Haverfordwest where he met with Matthew Locke from Mathews Menswear where he was told that youngsters looking to get the latest trends of clothing have to shop further afield to get them.

He delved deeper into the Men’s outfitters and found a number of pieces he liked, but most out of budget he said: “With prices starting around £200 a pair they were beyond my budget, but still prove that Haverfordwest is by no means a dead loss in the style stakes.”

Visiting The Pines, further along the road, Teo spoke with store owner Kayleigh Rogers who he said: “shed some light on the way local men dress.”

She said: “It’s funny, when you go out you can tell who the younger lads are, because they’re the ones who get suited and booted. They want to dress like the Essex boys they see on TV,” she laughs. “But as guys get older they slowly morph back into the Pembrokeshire way and just wear scabby jeans and T-shirts out. My friend Adam is the only person I know who is into designer clothes, but he can only get that stuff in London. He even went up to Edinburgh to buy a coat last week. That’s how far you need to go for good stuff.”

After talking with these shop owners and not finding anything he himself would wear, he then headed back towards St Davids and stopped at Solva where he visited the wool mill, he explained: “Set on the edge of a tiny stream and enveloped by overgrown pine trees, the mill looked like the kind of place where your grandma would have bought clothes back in the day,”

He continued: “with walls made of wood, and woollen jumpers, scarves and blankets piled up to the (dangerously low) ceiling.”

At the wool mill he found a knitted wool tie, which he described as: “a snip at £14”, he also said that the tie: “wouldn’t have looked out of place on the shelves of Drake’s in Mayfair.

At the same mill Chris Floyd, Esquire photographer bought a knitted fisherman’s jumper for £40.

So he carried on: “With a more positive head on my wool-clad neck, I headed back to Haverfordwest on a lead that there was an army surplus store somewhere in town that I’d missed first time around.”

At Brewer Army Surplus on Bridge Street he found a number of pieces he liked and explained his thoughts when he began to search: “I felt what was left of the £200 start to burn a hole in my pocket.”

At Brewers he bought a cropped navy-blue RAF bomber jacket for £18, a ribbed, midnight blue jumper with elbow patches for £20, a pair of bleached denim Lee jeans which he described as costing less than a lunch from Whole Foods in London at only £14.

And finally he purchased an M65 jacket for £30 which he went on to explain: “the nip in the waist and density of fabric made me think of something I tried on in Saint Laurent a few years ago (though that jacket came in at around £800)”.

He compared many of the things he found to be similar to those in fashion shows he had recently attended, and said that despite a few panicked hours searching he thinks it is more than possible to dress well, even if you live in the back end of beyond.”

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Crime

Haverfordwest retailer accused of Bounce Back Loan fraud

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A HAVERFORDWEST businessman has been accused of committing fraud by making false representations to multiple banks in applications for Government-backed Bounce Back Loans.

Zahid Afzal, 36, of Albert Street, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (Feb 6), where he pleaded not guilty to three charges of fraud by false representation.

The court heard that Afzal, listed on Companies House as a director of Phone Bits Ltd and Phones Onn Ltd, allegedly made false statements to secure loans intended to support businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Phone Bits phone accessory and repair shop in Haverfordwest

Prosecutors claim that on May 12, 2020, he falsely stated to Barclays Bank that the application for a Bounce Back Loan was Phone Bits Ltd’s only application. It is further alleged that he made similar false claims to Starling Bank on July 23, 2020, and to Metro Bank on November 22, 2020, in relation to Phones Onn Ltd.

The alleged misrepresentations included inflating the company’s turnover to £200,000 and falsely claiming the loans would be used solely for business purposes.

Afzal’s case has been sent to Swansea Crown Court for trial, with a hearing scheduled for March 10. He was granted unconditional bail.

An interpreter will be required for the proceedings, as Afzal requires assistance in Urdu.

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Charity

Young fundraiser’s incredible efforts for RNLI

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THE CREW of Tenby RNLI have expressed their heartfelt gratitude to 5-year-old Archie Garland for his outstanding fundraising efforts in support of the station.

Archie took part in the Advent Challenge with the Tenby Aces over Christmas, running a minimum of one mile every day throughout Advent. His dedication saw him cover an impressive 47.3 miles, raising a remarkable £552.25 thanks to generous donations from the local community.

Archie is pictured with (L-R): Deputy Coxswain Gary Waring, his dad and Deputy Coxswain Rob Garland, Deputy Coxswain Dan Young, station full-time mechanic Will Horton, and his mum, Tenby Aces member Claire Thomas.

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Crime

Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn launches ambitious four-year policing plan

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Public trust at the heart of new strategy

DYFED-POWYS Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn has unveiled his four-year Police and Crime Plan for 2025-2029, outlining his vision to strengthen public trust and confidence in policing.

Plan to strengthen public’s trust in local police service: Dafydd Llywelyn

The plan, shaped by extensive public consultation, sets out priorities for policing, crime prevention, and the criminal justice system across Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Powys. It follows feedback from surveys and focus groups, where residents highlighted their key concerns.

The three core priorities of the plan are:

  • Supporting victims and preventing victimisation
  • Preventing harm to ensure safer communities
  • Enhancing the effectiveness of the justice system

Llywelyn formally launched the plan on Tuesday (Feb 13) at an event attended by key partners and commissioned services. The event focused on collaboration, with discussions on how joint efforts can strengthen crime prevention, victim support, and justice delivery.

Victims at the centre

Commissioner Llywelyn emphasised the importance of ensuring victims receive the right support.

“This plan is built on the views of our communities, focusing on what truly matters to the people of Mid and West Wales,” he said. “Victims must be at the heart of our policing and justice system. It is essential that those affected by crime have access to timely, effective support to help them recover and seek justice. Strengthening services that prevent victimisation is just as important as responding to crime itself.”

Tackling root causes of crime

The plan also prioritises crime prevention by addressing underlying issues.

“By tackling antisocial behaviour and vulnerability, we can reduce harm and build a more resilient society,” Llywelyn said. “A proactive, problem-solving approach will ensure resources are used effectively to protect our communities.”

A joined-up approach to justice

Llywelyn stressed the need for stronger collaboration across the justice system.

“A fair and efficient justice system relies on agencies working together. I will continue to work closely with partners to ensure that policing, the courts, and support services deliver justice fairly and effectively for victims and communities alike.”

The Police and Crime Plan sets out a clear vision for Dyfed-Powys policing over the next four years, focusing on improving public safety, supporting victims, and delivering an efficient justice system.

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