Community

Bakery rises to the occasion

Published

11 years ago

January 31, 2014

A BAKERY in Haverfordwest has moved a step closer to being named as the best bakery in Britain.

On Wednesday they won the regional final and they will now be competing against the winner of Central England on Friday for the chance to go to the National Finals. The Welsh Bakery specialises in all types of baking from traditional breads, morning goods, savouries to their more exotic contemporary range like sour doughs, shaped celebration cakes (“Minion Cakes” from Despicable Me) and Rye Breads. They even cater for buffets and wedding parties.

They do their baking in a custom-made Bakehouse in Thornton Industrial Estate and they also supply top eateries like the Georges in Haverfordwest.

They use only top ingredients and are one of the few bakeries that still make by hand.

Bakery owner Rob Davies said:

“Brian used to work for his father Billy Davies and his uncle Cecil Davies in Merlins Bridge when he was growing up. I believe he’s a third generation baker with 50 years of experience making me the fourth with 25 years of experience and my kids the future fifth.

“ITV came to film us at bakery in early June where we had to make two of the three challenges for the show.

“For the speciality bake we had to choose one product that would set us apart from other bakeries.

“We chose our Dragon Bread which is fiery bread with chilli coriander and coconut and shaped in the image of a dragon. We thought this would be a good option as nowhere else makes it and being a Welsh bakery – to Welsh dragon to dragon bread seemed to be a no-brainer.

“My saying on the farmers market is ‘if you’re not Welsh before you eat it you will be after, it puts fire in your belly’.”

The other challenge was called the Wild Card Bake where they specified two ingredients to use which were coconut and a rich short crust base. Rob continued:

“This is where the Preseli Tropical Tart was born. After a fair bit of brainstorming between me, Brian and my wife Jayne we decided on a short crust base with crushed mango and coconut custard. We had the nod, and builders know their grub so we knew it was a winner. Brian coined the name as he lives on the mountains and mangoes are tropical.

“I did have a bit of a joke with the judges on this one, not sure if it’ll make it onto final edit but they were big on locally sourced ingredients so when asked what part of our coconut and mango based tart we sourced locally, I said: ‘well the mango’s and coconuts of course, it’s well known they grow all over the Preseli mountains’.”

After the highs of being filmed for TV they were hit with the greatest of lows when their Haverfordwest store caught fire just a week after filming. The shop now has an incredible new look and they would like to thank all staff and customers who were amazing through a difficult six months when they were undergoing repairs.

“We travelled up to Burton upon Trent later in the month to display our speciality bake, Wild Card Bake and to take part in final challenge, the Bakers Dozen.

“In this instance it was for Calazone’s which is similar to a folded over pizza containing tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto. We very much enjoyed this challenge. It was very novel baking in different surroundings being watched by judges and TV cameras. I hope our humour comes across on the TV screen.

“The experience of being filmed all the time was unsettling at first but we soon got used to it and started to relax. The film crew were amazing and friendly and helped to make it a very memorable occasion.

“We did feel a bit nervous when it came to being judged by Mich Turner, TV chef and owner of Little Venice Cake Company, and cookery writer and restaurateur Peter Sidwell.

“We had friends and family with us at the judging, Sharon (Brian’s partner) family friends Lewis and Janice and childhood friend of mine Justin Devereaux who I’ve known for 34 years. We are very grateful for the support and distance they travelled to be with us.”

You can see how they get on by tuning in to the Great British Bakery on ITV1 at 4pm this Friday.

Community

Drop in sessions to help reshape Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Published

3 days ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) is pleased to announce the launch of a series of community drop-in sessions designed to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders. This initiative aims to identify issues and challenges that may impact the delivery of the Community Risk Management Plan 2040 (CRMP 2040).

The CRMP 2040 outlines the Service’s commitment to addressing risks, threats, and challenges faced by communities. These drop-in sessions provide an opportunity for residents to help shape the future of fire and rescue services in Mid and West Wales, ensuring safety and well-being remain a priority.

Shaping the future together

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Iwan Cray said: “We believe the best way to serve our communities is by involving them in the planning process. These drop-in sessions are an opportunity for us to listen, learn, and collaborate with the people we serve.”

The drop-in sessions, details of which are available on the MAWWFRS website, offer a platform for open dialogue. Residents can share their insights, concerns, and suggestions, contributing to the development of a modern Fire and Rescue Service tailored to their needs.

A data-driven approach

The CRMP 2040 adopts a data-driven approach, focusing on prevention, protection, and response to reduce emergencies’ impact and enhance public safety. By tailoring services to community needs, MAWWFRS is committed to building safer and more resilient communities.

Get involved

Community members are encouraged to attend these sessions and provide their feedback. To thank participants, MAWWFRS is offering a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher. To enter, simply attend a session and complete the survey.

For more information about the plan or the upcoming drop-in sessions, visit the MAWWFRS website or contact the team at [email protected].

About MAWWFRS

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is dedicated to protecting and serving the communities of Mid and West Wales. Through prevention, protection, and response, the Service works tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors.

Community

Landfill odour sparks calls for inquiry and legal action

Published

4 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS near Withyhedge landfill in Haverfordwest are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action after foul odours returned just weeks after the site reopened on 6 January.

The landfill, closed last May to address odour issues, was declared fit to reopen by operator RML, which claimed its improvements would protect nearby communities. However, Colin Barnett, of campaign group Stop the Stink, said: “People in Crundale, Haverfordwest, and Spittal are being subjected to horrendous smells again.”

Describing the site as a “stink bomb on steroids,” Barnett supported Conservative MS Paul Davies’ calls for a public inquiry. “We’ve been flanneled by NRW, public health, and Pembrokeshire council. It’s disgraceful,” he said, adding that delays in resolving the issue had left litigation as the only option.

RML, part of Dauson Environmental Group, is owned by businessman David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental crimes in 2013 and 2017. Last year, another of Neal’s companies pleaded guilty to environmental offences.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving 34 complaints since 6 January, with a rise in recent days coinciding with the end of a slurry-spreading ban. However, NRW stated no odours attributable to the landfill were detected and plans to inspect the site with Pembrokeshire council on 29 January.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I’ll keep a very close eye on this, and if concerns persist, we’ll discuss further steps with NRW.”

RML and the Welsh Government declined to comment.

Community

Public transport users urged to ‘check before travelling’ due to storm

Published

4 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRANSPORT FOR WALES and Network Rail are urging all customers to check before they travel on Friday morning and into the weekend with weather warnings in place across the country.

With Storm Eowyn set to hit Wales and winds reaching 90mph on Friday morning, customers should expect disruptions and are strongly urged to check before they travel.

There will be alterations to rail services, replacement road transport on certain routes and blanket speed restrictions at some locations, meaning journeys could take longer than usual.

Stand by buses are being planned at key locations around the network in preparation for travel disruption.

Across Wales and the Borders, Network Rail have positioned response teams to address any storm related problems to keep disruption to a minimum.

TfW Operations Director Sarah Higgins said: “It’s so important for our customers to plan ahead when looking to travel this Friday.

“While we’ve made a number of changes to our services based on detailed forecasts, storms can still be unpredictable.

“We’ve seen the impact storms can have, with damage to trains and infrastructure sometimes taking weeks or months to repair, so our cross-industry approach will hopefully limit that and keep our colleagues and customers safe. We apologise to customers for any disruption to their journeys as a result.”

Network Rail Wales & Borders Operations Director Rachel Heath added: “Our priority is always keeping safe everyone who travels and works on the railway.

“Unfortunately, there will be some delays and cancellations on Friday, as trains will not run on some lines and there will speed restrictions on other parts of the route.

“We are working closely with our train operator colleagues to ensure we can safely reopen affected lines as quickly as possible and urge passengers to check before they travel.”

Rail service changes:

No services to run on the Conwy Valley Line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
No services to run on the Heart of Wales line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
Speed restrictions at various locations around the network, meaning some journeys will take longer than usual. These include:

  50mph speed restrictions imposed from 0200 to 1500 Friday on the North Wales Coast – Bodorgan to Llandudno Junction.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Carmarthen to Kidwelly.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Neath and Swansea.
  50mph restrictions from 0100 – 0800 between Newport and Llanwern.

Customers who have connecting tickets for the following operators who have suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions, we’ll honour tickets dated 24 January on either Thursday 23 January or up to and including Tuesday 28 January.