News

Bar 10 licensing hours extended

Published

5 years ago

February 20, 2020

THE COUNTY COUNCIL’s Licensing Sub-Committee granted an extension of hours to a Tenby pub this Tuesday (Feb 18).
The Committee considered an application from the licensees of Bar 10 in St George’s Street to allow it to remain open until 2:00 am.
Tenby Town Council objected to the application and Cllr Paul Rapi represented the Town Council in front of the Committee.
Cllr Rapi told the Committee that people walking past the premises during the day tended to avoid the front of the premises ‘because it can be a bit lively for some people’.
Licensing officers issued a noise abatement to the bar in September last year.
Cllr Rapi said that he and other councillors continued to receive complaints about noise from the pub, even though those complaints had neither been recorded nor reported.
He continued: “Tenby Town Council want to see some sort of control over this noise that’s coming out of Bar 10.
“It’s the main street in Tenby, the sort of rowdiness that occurs between 5 and 7 pm in the summer is not acceptable.”
The Committee also heard from Police that there general noise and disturbance were prevalent in the confines of Tenby’s town centre during the summer months. The area around Bar 10 is a ‘cumulative’ noise area caused by the presence of a significant number of pubs and bars in the vicinity
A report regarding noise pollution prepared by the local authority said that ‘despite a number of complaints and interventions by … the Designated Premises Supervisor has not shown sufficient consideration and understanding of the need to control noise from activities at the premises to ensure disturbance is not caused to nearby residents’.
When cross-examined by the solicitor acting for the applicants, Mr David Lewis, the Council officer presenting that report, Nathan Miles, confirmed his department received no complaints about noise since a noise abatement was issued the preceding September. Questioned once more by Mr Lewis, Mr Miles also confirmed no complaints were received by the Council following the issue of seasonal temporary extensions granted to the premises over Christmas and New Year.
Objections to the hours’ variations raised by the Licensing Inspector, Geraint Griffiths were also examined both by members of the Committee and David Lewis.
Licensing inspector Geriant Griffiths said in the past there had been issues with CCTV not working and there was a “serious disregard for licensing objectives.”
During questioning, it emerged that the Licensing Inspector had no information about the premises following his previous visit to it over two years ago. The Licensing Inspector agreed that comments about the quality of CCTV in his report were similarly out of date. Mr David Lewis pointed out that the premises’ owners installed a new CCTV system at considerable expense after the Licensing Inspector’s 2017 visit. The Licensing Officer could not contradict the applicant’s solicitor on that point.
The most contemporary information in front of the Committee came from Dyfed Powys Police’s Pembrokeshire Licensing Officer, Nigel Lewis.
The Licensing Officer set out that he met with the applicants to discuss their application and conducted ‘amicable mediation’ regarding the most contentious elements of it. He explained how, once he related the level of opposition to the original proposal, the applicants eagerly embraced the opportunity to address concerns and alter their application from its original form.
Nigel Lewis was questioned closely by Cllr John Davies about public order incidents and related the only one linked to the premises in the last year was one in which staff were assaulted. The Herald reported that incident in our February 7 edition and confirm that a Torfaen man pleaded guilty to assaulting staff when he was asked to return inside the pub to prevent a public nuisance.
The Licensing Officer reported during mediation, the applicant accepted there appeared to an issue of noise escaping from the premises and they needed show diligence regarding it in the future
After retiring to consider their decision, the Committee reconvened and approved the application subject to the following conditions with immediate effect: Bar 10 would be permitted to serve drinks until 1:00 am on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday each week with the premises to be closed at 1:30 am; recorded music would end at midnight on each night; two qualified door staff would be engaged for weekend nights and also for other evenings to which extended hours applied; on Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and on Sundays before a Monday Bank Holiday, Bar 10 could supply alcohol until 1:30 am and the premises must close by 2:00 am. On each of those dates, recorded music must stop at midnight.
Committee Chair Cllr Tim Evans concluded by adding the mediation conducted between Nigel Lewis and the applicants had ‘enhanced the application’.

Crime

Police arrest suspects following vehicle interferences in Haverfordwest

Published

6 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST police responded swiftly after reports of multiple vehicle interferences in the Tasker Way area on Sunday night/early Monday morning (Nov 4).

Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPPT) conducted extensive house-to-house enquiries, gathering evidence and reassuring the community. These efforts led to the identification of two suspects.

Both NPPT and Response teams acted promptly, locating and arresting the suspects, who are now in police custody.

News

Ancient Welsh hymns brought into 21st century with unique collaboration between Lleuwen Steffan and National Eisteddfod

Published

10 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Sarah Jane Absalom

Some of Wales’ long-forgotten hymn tunes are being brought vividly back to life this month, thanks to award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Lleuwen Steffan and her unique collaboration with the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

Performing as ‘Tafod Arian’ (Silver Tongue), the collaboration pays homage to the lost voices of the past, and infuses these timeless melodies with some highly contemporary electronic arrangements.

The project originated in 2012 when Lleuwen was working on a music project at St Fagan’s National History Museum where she came across some long-forgotten recordings of hymns which had been left in the sound archives. None of these hymns could be found in the official hymn books nor the older hymnal editions, possibly as the result of their informal, conversational lyrics, or because they often delved into the world of addiction, mental illness and the darker side of the psyche.

But now these unpublished and unknown hymns will be heard for the first time in over a hundred years when Tabernacl Chapel, Maenclochog, will be one of 50 Welsh chapels to be visited by Tafod Arian.

With translations and insights, the tour breathes new life into archive recordings, ensuring these cherished sacred songs rightfully claim their place in today’s spotlight. Lleuwen masterfully combines electronic and acoustic instrumentation, seamlessly blending the past with the present, and takes the stage alongside a dynamic quintet of international musicians including Sioned Webb and Gethin Elis from Wales, and Nolwenn Korbell and Brieg Guerveno from Brittany.

Despite the hymns’ long-distant past, the music is firmly in the present as Lleuwen uses various instruments to provide angular electronic accompaniment as well as her soulful vocals and guitar. She provides translations and explanations as she proudly puts the archive recordings of the lost |Welsh hymns on centre stage. As a result, these sacred songs are being passed on orally rather than via the hymn book which is precisely how Welsh folk music was conveyed.

The long-forgotten hymns will be heard once again in all their glory at Tabernacle Chapel, Maenclochog on Sunday, November 17 at 6.30pm.

Crime

Suspended sentence for Goodwick man who sent sexual messages to young girl

Published

10 hours ago

November 4, 2024

Court Reporter

THE FATHER of a young girl sent sexual messages to an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old girl online, Swansea Crown Court heard this week.

An undercover police officer posed as a 12-year-old girl on the website RandoChat, with the decoy’s profile stating they were 18.

James Roberts messaged the decoy on 9 August, stating he was “looking for a naughty girl”.

The decoy promptly informed him that she was 12 years old; however, the defendant continued to send messages referencing sexual acts and self-gratification.

Roberts added the decoy on Snapchat, claiming to be 19 and living in England.

He again sent sexualised messages and, referring to the decoy’s age, said they were “never too young to start sending pictures”.

The defendant also told the decoy that he was having similar sexual conversations with a 14-year-old, Mr Dickens said.

Police attended Roberts’ home in Goodwick on 17 August, and he was arrested. He denied having a mobile phone, claiming he “had sent it off to Samsung to be fixed” but was “extremely vague” when asked for further details. Mr Dickens said no phone was ever recovered by police.

The 28-year-old Roberts pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child. The court heard that he had no previous convictions.

Hannah George, in mitigation, said the defendant showed “some degree of remorse” and that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

“In the 13 months since he was interviewed there have been no further offences,” she said.

Ms George said Roberts had suffered “significant” shame and embarrassment as a result of the offences, and it had led to him losing his job.

He had previously been diagnosed with PTSD and suffered “deep periods of depression”, Ms George said.

She added that his contact with his young daughter “has been diminished” following these offences.

“You were in contact online with who you firmly believed to be a 12-year-old girl,” said Judge Paul Thomas KC, addressing Roberts.

“You have a two-year-old daughter. Just think how you would feel if a man in his thirties tried to have that sort of conversation with her in 10 years’ time.”

Roberts was sentenced to 30 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete 35 days of an accredited programme and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement programme days.

He must also register as a sex offender for 10 years and was made the subject of a three-year sexual harm prevention order.