Community
Storm-hit West Wales businesses offered help by NatWest RBS
NATWEST RBS have launched a £250m UK Storm Business Fund to provide short term, interest free financing to speed recovery for businesses affected by recent floods and gales.
Interest-free loans will be provided for 3 months giving businesses the breathing space they need to get back on their feet. The fund and support package are available for all viable businesses adversely affected, not just existing NatWest/RBS customers. A number of other emergency measures have been introduced in addition to the UK Storm Business Fund:
– Repayment holidays on existing small business loans
– Temporary credit card limit increases
– Waiving of early withdrawal fees and termination costs for customers wishing to access deposits
– Fast-track requests for temporary overdraft increases
Businesses affected by the adverse weather should contact their relationship manager or call the helpline number below.
NatWest/RBS business managers will continue to contact and visit customers affected to see how else we can help them: UK Storms helpline: 0800 529 8544
Haydn Thomas, managing director of business banking for NatWest Cymru, said:
“As the UK’s biggest business bank we know cash flow is critical for businesses. Many firms will have taken a real hit to their livelihoods as a result of this prolonged period of adverse weather. The loss of trade or damage to stock from such a storm can mean businesses find themselves in financial trouble. We’re making additional support available because we know how important it is to the local economy and communities to get these businesses operational again.”
Businesses seeking finance from the UK Storm Business Fund will be subject to a maximum cap of £250k per loan.
Charity
Milford Haven Round Table thanks town council for backing major community events
MILFORD HAVEN ROUND TABLE has formally thanked Milford Haven Town Council for its continued support, saying the council’s backing helps make some of the town’s biggest free events possible.
The group said the Town Council is a major supporter of its work in Milford Haven and plays a vital role in enabling community celebrations including the Milford Haven Carnival and the annual Fireworks Extravaganza, which draw thousands of people.
Representatives from the Round Table said it was “great to catch up” with the Mayor, Councillor William Elliott, at the Christmas Lights Switch On in December, where they presented a small token of thanks to mark another year of collaboration.
Milford Haven Round Table said it is proud to support the town through fundraising, volunteering and delivering events which create memories, raise money for local causes and strengthen community spirit.
The group added that none of its work would be possible without strong partnerships across Milford Haven, and thanked the Town Council for its “ongoing support, trust and commitment” to the town and its residents.
Business
Duke of Edinburgh Inn in Newgale on the market for £325,000
A LARGE coastal pub overlooking Newgale Beach has been put up for sale with an asking price of £325,000.
The Duke of Edinburgh Inn, in the heart of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, has been listed by estate agent Sidney Phillips. Set on a site of around an acre, the property enjoys wide sea views and sits just above one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known beaches.
Inside, the venue includes a substantial bar and seating areas with capacity for more than 150 customers. Outside, there is also a sizeable car park said to be able to accommodate over 100 vehicles.
The surrounding landscape is a major selling point, with the Coast National Park forming much of the backdrop — a stretch of protected coastline known for sandy bays, cliffs, estuaries and open hills.



Newgale itself is a popular destination for visitors and water sports enthusiasts, including surfers, windsurfers and canoeists. The beach runs for roughly two miles and is backed by a large pebble bank, created after a significant storm in 1859. The village also has caravan parks, a campsite and local shops.
The pub building is mainly stone and brick with a pitched, tiled roof. The listing notes that planning permission is already in place for changes and refurbishment, giving a buyer scope to update the premises or reshape it more extensively.
Newgale Beach, which the inn overlooks, remains a draw year-round and is particularly busy during the summer months. The area caters for surfing and kitesurfing, with hire and tuition available locally, alongside a café. Public facilities include toilets, and lifeguards typically patrol from June through to the end of September.
Despite the property having suffered notable fire damage, it is being marketed as an opportunity for a buyer looking for a renovation project in a prime coastal location, with views and redevelopment potential at its centre.
Community
History society welcomes town hall talk – looks ahead to Whitland Abbey presentation
Nathen Amin draws a crowd of 120 with Owain Glyndŵr lecture, while John Brandrick is set to speak in Pembroke on Saturday, 7 February
PEMBROKE & MONKTON LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY began the New Year in fine style with a talk by Nathen Amin, which proved hugely popular, with 120 people filling Pembroke Town Hall. Nathen is nationally recognised for his work on the history of Henry Tudor, but this time he delivered an impressive and engaging talk on the great Welsh patriot, Owain Glyndŵr. So warmly received in Pembroke, he has already promised to return as part of next year’s programme – something to look forward to.
The Society’s next talk will take place on Saturday, 7 February at Pembroke Town Hall, continuing the Welsh theme. We are pleased to welcome John Brandrick, who will speak on: ‘The foundation, development and decline of Whitland Abbey’.

Whitland Abbey was an important Cistercian abbey founded in 1151. Under the patronage of powerful Welsh princes, it developed a strong Welsh cultural identity and grew in influence to become the motherhouse of the Cistercian order of monks in Wales. Several daughter houses were established, including Strata Florida, Strata Marcella, and Cwmhir. The abbey flourished during medieval Wales, before gradually declining and eventually being dissolved by Henry VIII in 1539.
John Brandrick is a retired engineering draughtsman whose main interests now include illustrating and researching Whitland Abbey, as well as drawing the machinery found in wind and water mills throughout Wales and beyond, helping to preserve an important record for the future. His talk is a detailed, illustrated presentation covering who the Whitland Abbey monks were and where they came from; how the abbey was built; how it interacted with the nobility; and how it weathered the upheavals of the period from 1150 through to the dissolution. John will also explore the abbey’s later story – its gradual disappearance from view, its rediscovery in the 1800s, and the excavations carried out since, as well as its future. He is a member of the Friends of Whitland Abbey, a voluntary group that helps care for the site, which is open to the public at all times.
As usual, Pembroke Town Hall opens at 10:00am for the Coffee Morning, followed by the talk at 11:00am. Also open on the day will be Pembroke Museum and the Council Chamber, situated on the first floor of the Town Hall. A lift is available for disabled access. All are welcome to attend, and entry is free.
For more information, visit www.pembrokeandmonktonhistory.org.uk, and follow the Society on Facebook. Queries can be sent to [email protected].
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