Community

How Y Gegin is blazing a fantastic food trail for the county

Published

6 years ago

June 28, 2019

PEMBROKESHIRE has long been synonymous with outstanding food and home-grown produce. The County boasts an extensive dairy farming sector and miles of coastline providing restaurants and families with the freshest fish, together with a wealth of local independent creatives who continue to transform Pembrokeshire’s quality ingredients into stylish, exciting dishes.
Pembrokeshire knows its food.

However, one woman’s determination to make a long-held dream come true and a phone call to Pembrokeshire County Council has provided the County with a something of a game-changer: Y Gegin has arrived.

Co-creator, Michelle Evans takes up the story: ‘I used to be a divorce lawyer but I dreamt of having my own business and creating good food from locally-reared and sourced ingredients.

Once I took the plunge, bought a smallholding, launched Paternoster Farm and opened my beach hut, the idea of a food hall came quite quickly. I wanted a ‘bricks and mortar’ setting to
showcase what Pembrokeshire has to offer.’

Together with friends, Jody Bell and Rhiannon Morgan-Bell, owners of local street food purveyors, Cwlbox, the newly formed team looked for somewhere they could bring their proposal. ‘In short, Michelle says, ‘we wanted to create somewhere that I would want to visit, an attractive space where people of all ages would come together and explore tastes and dishes from around our County.’

Identifying the old Market Hall in Pembroke Dock, Michelle called Pembrokeshire County Council more in hope than anything else; ‘We had spoken to private landlords and hadn’t had much success in finding a suitable location. While the Market Hall was the perfect space, we were unsure of the reception we’d get from the Authority.’ Instead, PCC were receptive and equally excited about the idea. ‘Y Gegin have been the driving force for this project but as a Council, we saw this prospect as a chance to support local businesses being brave and trying something different, says Rachel Moxey, Head of Regeneration. ‘From the beginning this has been a superb example of what can be achieved in Pembrokeshire and we have been delighted by how things have progressed, particularly with the public’s response since Y Gegin opened in early June.’

What has been created is a triumph: Y Gegin comprises 6,000 square feet of historical Market Hall – where Buffalo Bill himself stabled his horses in 1904 – transformed into a cool, contemporary, and stylishly shabby-chic eatery that is delighting its increasing wave of customers, be they tourists or locals. ‘The response was incredible, says Michelle, ‘on our first weekend, we sold out of fresh produce! We couldn’t believe it’.

Joining Cwlbox and Paternoster Farm at the Market are Bubbling Cauldrons, Conti’s Ice Cream and Tenby Brewing Co., together with Rocky Bees, a pastry chef from Tenby creating a dream team of specialists and flavours – and a wondrous scent drifting out into the courtyard – drawing the curious and the hungry to sample the local eats prepared and cooked on site. Not only has Y Gegin provided wonderful food, it have created jobs and specialist training. ‘We’ve got some brilliant young people who’ve joined us on this journey, ‘states Michelle with justifiable pride, ‘and we are really keen for them to continue with us, offering full time positions together with barista and food prep training.’

‘We’ve trialled this in June but we’re very keen to continue,’ says Michelle. ‘The Council were open-minded and forward thinking and let us take a chance. It has been a great partnership so far!’ Y Gegin will be wowing its customers again this weekend once more on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday with even more locals and tourists set to spend a little time with Pembrokeshire’s ‘Cooks of Cool.’

Why don’t you join them?

Community

Shire horses to visit Canolfan Bethlehem for heritage talk

Published

11 hours ago

May 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Special event explores Dyfed Shires’ journey from Pembrokeshire to Horseguards Parade

A PAIR of magnificent Shire horses will be the star attraction at Canolfan Bethlehem in Trefdraeth (Newport, Pembrokeshire) on Wednesday evening, 28 May 2025, as part of a special heritage talk titled The Dyfed Shires Story – From Pembrokeshire to Horseguards Parade.

The popular community talk series at Canolfan Bethlehem continues with a unique opportunity to meet two of the Dyfed Shire horses in person. The horses will be on display on the lawn in front of the chapel from 6:00pm, with the talk itself beginning inside the chapel at 7:00pm.

The evening’s speaker, Mark Cole of Dyfed Shire Horse Farm, will share the story behind the farm’s founding and the remarkable journey that saw its horses selected to appear in ceremonial duties at Horseguards Parade in London.

Canolfan Bethlehem is a thriving community-run centre based in the former Bethlehem Chapel, which was saved at auction in August 2024 thanks to an ambitious local fundraising effort. Supporters raised £146,000 to secure the building for £145,000, transforming it into a Welsh heritage, arts, and culture hub.

The project received vital support from PLANED, the Narberth-based community development organisation. PLANED’s Community Assets Coordinator, Cris Tomos, praised the initiative: “The Canolfan Bethlehem community enterprise shows what can be done when people come together to preserve key assets for future generations. It’s fantastic to see the growing support for these regular talks.”

***Important project:*** *Cris re-opening the doors of the chapel once purchased by local investors.*

Community

Tenby Coaster returns for summer season

Published

12 hours ago

May 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Open-top double-decker back on scenic Pembrokeshire route from Sunday

PEMBROKESHIRE’S popular open-top bus service is set to return to the roads this weekend, offering stunning views of the county’s coastline throughout the summer.

The Tenby Coaster, now in its fourth year of service, resumes its route between Tenby and Saundersfoot on Sunday (May 25), following a brief appearance over Easter.

The eye-catching blue and yellow double-decker, operated by First Bus, was the first of its kind to run in Pembrokeshire since the 1990s and has since become a firm favourite with both visitors and locals.

Each day, the bus travels from its Haverfordwest depot to the route’s starting point in Tenby, passing key attractions such as Carew Castle and Manor Wildlife Park—making it possible to enjoy an extended journey for those catching it early or late in the day.

Passengers can hop aboard the Tenby Coaster from the stop by the town walls in Tenby, with First Bus promising “breathtaking views and a scenic descent into Saundersfoot”.

The service will operate daily until September 6, with hop-on, hop-off tickets available for those wanting to explore along the way. Fares match those of other local services, with singles starting at £1.60, returns from £3.04, and group day passes for up to five people available for £17.50.

Contactless payment is accepted via the Tap On Tap Off system, and both Welsh Concessionary Travel Cards and mytravelpass cards are valid on the route.

More information is available at the First Cymru website.

Community

Public invited to explore Pembroke Port at Open Day and Stakeholder Meeting

Published

1 day ago

May 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MEMBERS of the public are being invited to go behind the scenes at Pembroke Port as part of a special Open Day and Annual Stakeholder Meeting hosted by the Port of Milford Haven.

The event will take place on Wednesday, 18 June, at Catalina House, Pembroke Dock (SA72 6JD), offering a unique opportunity to discover the inner workings of one of Wales’ busiest ports.

Running from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, the Open Day will include guided bus tours around the site, giving visitors a rare, close-up look at port operations and activities across the facility. Port staff, local business representatives, and partners from across the supply chain will also be on hand to discuss their work and answer questions.

From 6:00pm to 7:30pm, the Port’s Annual Stakeholder Meeting will be held, where attendees will hear updates from the Chair and Chief Executive, meet members of the Board and senior management, and take part in a Q&A session. Questions can be submitted in advance via email to [email protected].

Throughout the day, visitors can explore the wide-ranging roles of the Port of Milford Haven – from commercial marine services and energy sector support to community initiatives and leisure activities. A number of external organisations will also be present, including emergency services, marine experts, and conservation groups highlighting Pembrokeshire’s diverse wildlife.