News
£6m will be paid to 1,700 Pembrokeshire businesses today
A FURTHER round of support for businesses impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic has opened and 1,700 Pembrokeshire businesses will receive their share of the first £6m this week.
The Welsh Government has announced an extension of the Restrictions Business Fund to provide a payment for businesses affected by the national Covid-19 restrictions up to the end of March 2021.
The Restrictions Business Fund Top Up will be administered by Pembrokeshire County Council and a payment run of 1,700 grants will be made today (Feb 11).
The automated payments are for businesses that pay Non Domestic Rates (NDR) that previously received a grant under the Restrictions Business Fund and/or the grant to cover the Firebreak period.
If an automated payment has not been received by Monday (Feb 15), businesses are asked to please apply.
The following grants are available for non-essential retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses.
- Businesses with a rateable value of £12,000 or under will be eligible to receive a payment of £3,000.
- Businesses with a rateable value between £12,001 and £150,000 will be eligible to receive a payment of £5,000.
- The Welsh Government is also extending the £5,000 grant through to businesses with a rateable value of up to £500,000.
- Supply chain businesses will be able to apply for support if they have had a reduction in turnover of more than 40%.
- The Welsh Government has also confirmed that a new discretionary grant for businesses who are not on the NDR register (limited companies with a turnover of between £10,000 and £50,000 and sole traders / partnerships with a turnover less than £85,000) is being made available.
This has been introduced to support businesses and sole traders that have been directly impacted by the additional restrictions put in place to control the spread of Covid-19
This scheme will continue to be application based.
The Discretionary Restrictions Extension Grant opens for applications on Friday, 12th February.
The criteria and application process for both grants can be found at: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/business-advice-and-support
The webpage also includes a handy FAQ on the grants available as well as other support in place to aid businesses through the Covid-19 pandemic.
If you have a query or question relating to the grants, please email [email protected]
Businesses are kindly asked to be patient after applying for grants. The team will update customers once their application has been processed.
Councillor Paul Miller, the Cabinet Member for Economy, Tourism, Leisure and Culture, said: “My thanks go to the team who have worked incredibly hard to get this vital money out to Pembrokeshire businesses as soon as possible.”
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
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