News

Blackpool Mill plans supported

Published

9 years ago

March 23, 2017

Tom Sinclair

Transformation: Blackpool Mill will be converted into a tourist attraction

SUPPORT has been given by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to the transformation of Blackpool Mill at a meeting yesterday (Mar 22).

The Park’s Development Management Committee discussed the application which will now go back to CADW for their approval.

Restoration of the 19th century Mill is expected to cost around £2.5m and will see the building transformed into a heritage tourist facility.

Works will be carried out to the interior and exterior of the building while café and railway line around the site would also be built.

The application was for a listed building consent and it will now be considered by CADW for their approval.

Bluestone founder William McNamara said: “Thirteen years ago I stood in front of the planning committee with a vision to create Bluestone. I promised to provide significant jobs and year round quality tourism. Bluestone was a big ask and it has been a long tough journey but your judgement to approve then was not miss-placed.

“We have delivered and more on our original promise and we now employ in excess of 700 full time people year round. We have a massive local supply chain and we operate at 97% occupancy year round.

“Bluestone is a success story for the county and I wish to do the same for Blackpool Mill. The Mill is an important building, one of the finest examples of a mill in the UK.

“However, without an appropriate financially sustainable use it is destined only to receive essential maintenance, no public access, ongoing vandalism, a real waste and a sad prognosis for such an important landmark.

“We have spent two years preparing this planning application and we’ve considered many options.

“We also calculated early on that the Mill as a standalone attraction would not be viable. Viability is key to its long term future and it must have a greater appeal and generate enough revenue to undergo the necessary investment in the Mill.

“With this approval we will spend in excess of £600,000 on fabric of the Mill alone. This application is the first of three. The remaining two we are hopeful will be considered at the next meeting in May.

“The narrow gauge light railway, all-weather events barn, the presentation and interpretation of the wetland and woodland are all vital to this project, as is the land link to the main Bluestone resort.

“Without the three elements the project cannot proceed. It is a good scheme, sensitively designed and appropriate to the Mill and its setting. It will provide the people of Pembrokeshire and tourists with a year round, all-weather and unique and quality attraction complementing and not displacing the existing operators. There is overwhelming local support.

“This proposal will cost Bluestone more than £3m overall and inject an additional £650,000 into the local economy and create 80 full time jobs. I sincerely hope you will put your trust into us once again.”

Cllr Bob Kilmister said: “This is a massive project and the building itself is quite superb, the setting is wonderful and we’re just dealing with the listed building consent and I have no hesitation in recommending approval.

“I have seen a future for the building and one that requires that level of investment and its worthy of that. It could become a jewel in the crown and a building of this importance should receive our support.”

Committee member Ted Sangster said this application was grounded in demonstrable success and that it would provide significant economic benefit to the area.

The application was fully supported with twelve members voting in favour and two abstained.

Crime

Rogue roofer conned homeowner out of thousands

Published

10 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Caerphilly investigation leads to court conviction

A ROGUE trader from Pembroke has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after duping a homeowner into handing over thousands for unnecessary roofing work.

Douggie Whitbread, aged twenty-five and living at Coldwell Terrace, Pembroke, persuaded his victim that he “probably needed a new roof” before charging £4,350 for work that was either unnecessary or not carried out properly.

Whitbread admitted two counts of fraud relating to a property on Griffiths Street, Ystrad Mynach, with the offences taking place between August 12 and October 16, 2023.

He appeared before Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court, where he was ordered to pay a total of £6,130. That includes £4,350 in compensation, £1,500 in prosecution costs, a £200 fine, and an £80 victim surcharge.

The case was brought following an investigation by Caerphilly Trading Standards, who urged residents to be cautious of unsolicited offers of home maintenance work.

News

South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association – Week Twelve results

Published

28 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Herald Sport

A PACKET week of fixtures in the South Pembrokeshire Short Mat Bowls Association’s Friendly League saw key wins at both ends of the table as teams continue to jostle for position going into the second half of the season.

Match results (Week 12):

Hundleton 10–0 Lamphey
Badgers 2–8 St Johns
Reynalton 0–10 Carew
Kilgetty 8–2 East Williamston
Cosheston v Llanteg – postponed
St Twynnells – bye week

A previously postponed fixture was also completed, with St Twynnells drawing 5–5 with Reynaltón.

League table (after Week 12):
East Williamston remain top, having played 10 and won eight, with a strong shots difference of +125. Reynaltón sit second after 11 games with 58 points, while St Johns and Hundleton follow closely behind on 54 points each.

At the mid-table mark, Carew (49 points), St Twynnells (48) and Kilgetty (46) remain tightly grouped. Badgers, Lamphey, Llanteg and Cosheston make up the lower order, though the number of games played varies, leaving room for movement in the coming weeks.

Full standings:

Team	P	W	D	L	S/D	Points
East Williamston	10	8	0	2	+125	72
Reynaltón	11	5	2	4	+35	58
St Johns	10	5	1	4	+32	54
Hundleton	10	5	1	4	-2	54
Carew	9	5	0	4	-25	49
St Twynnells	10	4	2	4	-34	48
Kilgetty	11	5	0	6	-44	46
Badgers	11	3	1	7	-59	45
Lamphey	11	5	0	6	-10	44
Llanteg	8	4	0	4	-5	41
Cosheston	9	3	1	5	-13	40

If you’d like, I can also turn this into a shorter snippet for the website or expand with quotes, season context, or upcoming fixtures.

News

Search under way in Pembroke Dock for missing man Lee

Published

54 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Coastguard, RNLI and rescue helicopter launched as fears grow he entered the water

A MAJOR search and rescue operation is under way tonight (Sunday) in the Pembroke Dock and Pennar areas as emergency services look for 48-year-old Lee, who has been reported missing and is feared to have entered the water near the Pennar estuary.

Dyfed-Powys Police issued an urgent appeal earlier today after Lee, who is from Cardigan, failed to return home. He was last seen at around 5:00pm on Saturday (December 13) on CCTV in Pembroke Dock. The image shows him travelling on foot and carrying bags.

Lee is described as 5ft 10in tall, of medium build, with short light-brown hair and short facial hair. At the time he was wearing a blue/grey Christmas jumper, a red hat, dark trousers and light trainers. Police say he is also known to travel by train.

Concerns escalated this afternoon after officers received information suggesting Lee may have entered the water around the Pennar estuary.

HM Coastguard teams and the RNLI lifeboat from Angle have been searching the shoreline and waterway since mid-afternoon. A rescue helicopter from Cornwall (operating out of RAF St Mawgan/Cornwall Airport) is now assisting with aerial searches. The operation is ongoing in increasingly challenging conditions.

Search crews are dealing with cold, wet and windy weather, with conditions expected to worsen significantly overnight. An amber Met Office warning for heavy rain comes into force at 4:00am on Monday (15 December), with forecasters warning of fast-flowing floodwater and hazardous visibility across Pembrokeshire.

Police are urging anyone who may have seen Lee, or who has information that could help the search, to make contact immediately by calling phoning: 101. Quote reference: DP-20251214-176