Motorists are being advised to allow extra time as essential gas network upgrades begin on Bush Road

TEMPORARY traffic lights will be introduced in Pembroke while engineers carry out work to upgrade underground gas pipes.

Wales & West Utilities will begin work in the Bush Hill area on Monday, July 20, with the scheme expected to continue until Friday, August 21.

Temporary traffic lights will operate on Bush Road between the junctions with Buttermilk Lane and Whitehall Avenue. The lights will be manually controlled to help keep traffic moving and reduce congestion.

The utility company said the work had been agreed with Pembrokeshire County Council and scheduled during the school holidays to minimise disruption.

Motorists are being advised to allow additional time for their journeys while the restrictions are in place.

Adam Smith, who is managing the project for Wales & West Utilities, said: “We have planned this section of work to coincide with the school holidays to minimise disruption to motorists and the local community.

“We understand our work can cause disruption, but it is essential to maintain a resilient gas network that households and businesses can rely on every day.

“While much of the gas network is out of sight, it plays a vital role in daily life, from heating homes to cooking meals, and we know how important it is that gas is there when people need it.”

Wales & West Utilities transports gas to more than 7.5 million people across Wales and the south west of England through a network of more than 35,000 kilometres of underground pipes.

Anyone who smells gas or suspects carbon monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999.

Funding will help volunteers purchase distinctive uniforms for patrols at Tenby South Beach

TENBY Freemasons have donated £750 to Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club to support its volunteer beach patrols and lifesaving work.

Members of Tenby Lodge presented the donation to the club, also known as Surflink, following a training session last week.

The club is introducing volunteer lifesaving patrols at Tenby South Beach on busy days when lifeguards are not on duty, helping to complement the work of the RNLI.

Volunteers require distinctive patrol uniforms so they can be easily recognised by members of the public on the beach.

Senior lodge member Tony Upham put forward a proposal to Tenby Lodge’s committee, which quickly agreed to provide the money needed to purchase the uniforms.

Surf club leader Tai Jackson said: “Lifeguard services have reduced in recent times, so we were keen to offer our skills.

“We are grateful once again for the assistance from the Freemasons in purchasing the essential kit required.”

Tenby Lodge charity steward Steve Thurgood said: “We are committed to supporting local good causes, so we are delighted to make these funds available to Surflink.

“The club provides an excellent voluntary service to the community, particularly to young people.”

Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club has taught the multi-disciplined sport of lifesaving since 1993, educating participants aged eight and above in surf safety, open-water skills and swimming confidence.

Weekly summer training sessions are held at the club’s facility at South Beach Car Park in Tenby. During the winter, the club runs weekly pool sessions at Tenby Leisure Centre, helping members develop the core swimming skills needed for beach training.

Through its links with the RNLI, the club also provides training and assessments for those hoping to become beach lifeguards, first aiders or sports coaches.

Its volunteers provide lifesaving cover for a number of major local events, including Ironman Wales, Long Course Weekend, the Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim and Tenby North Beach Boxing Day Swim.

The club’s stated aim is to save lives and prevent drowning through surf lifesaving education and training within the local community.

Anyone interested in joining Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club can email [email protected].

Pictured: Tenby Lodge Master Damian Brown presents the £750 donation to Tai Jackson. Also pictured at the rear are Steve Thurgood, left, and Tony Upham, right, with young members of Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club.

Welsh insolvency specialist says rising costs, shrinking margins and unpaid bills are continuing to place businesses under severe pressure

BUSINESSES across Wales are continuing to face a difficult trading climate as rising costs, falling profits and cashflow pressures take their toll, an insolvency specialist has warned.

Government figures released on Friday (July 17) show there were 1,845 corporate insolvencies in June 2026.

That was four fewer than the 1,849 recorded in May and 10 per cent lower than the 2,048 reported in June last year.

However, Andy McGill, restructuring and insolvency partner at business advisory firm Azets, said the figures remained a cause for concern, with many directors struggling to keep their companies afloat.

Mr McGill, who covers Wales from Azets’ offices in Cardiff, Swansea and St Asaph, said Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidations continued to dominate the figures.

He said: “While 50 fewer took place compared with last month, CVL numbers remain higher than they were before the pandemic, as directors lack the confidence and cash to keep their firms open in a trading climate dominated by rising costs, shrinking margins and political and economic uncertainty.”

Compulsory liquidations also remain higher than they were at the beginning of the year, with creditors increasingly using the courts to recover unpaid debts.

Mr McGill said the patience shown by creditors during the pandemic had largely disappeared, with businesses and public bodies now watching payment deadlines more closely and chasing overdue invoices.

“Everyone is short of money, everyone is watching their payment deadlines and chasing unpaid invoices, and it is likely this will continue in the second half of the year,” he said.

“Times are tough for Britain’s businesses. It costs more to hire staff, profits are falling and cashflow levels are under pressure.

“Firms have been fighting financial fires in one form or another since 2020.”

He said increases in rents, business rates, materials, wages, products and energy had steadily reduced profit margins over the past six years.

Energy bills remained a particular concern for businesses that were unable to pass increased costs on to their customers.

Retailers and hospitality businesses were among those facing the greatest pressure, with some reducing recruitment as they attempted to control costs.

Mr McGill said that although sales volumes may be increasing in some sectors, this did not necessarily mean businesses were making more money.

“Many businesses are having to work harder simply to stand still,” he said.

“Where they can, they avoid passing their costs on to customers, but many simply are not able to do this anymore.”

The construction industry was also being affected by delayed project starts, planning difficulties, late payments, tight margins and rising material costs.

Mr McGill said improved summer weather could help increase construction output, although it remained unclear whether this would be enough to significantly improve conditions within the sector.

He urged company directors worried about their finances to seek professional advice at the earliest opportunity.

“It is a hard call to make and an incredibly tough conversation to start,” he said.

“But doing so while your worries are still new gives you more options and more time to decide your next step than if you wait until the problem becomes more severe.

“It usually gives you a better chance of turning the situation around.”