News
Panto is coming to Tenby…. Oh yes, it is!!!
A BRAND-NEW star-studded family pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk is coming to Pembrokeshire this Christmas, starring none other than James Argent, best known as “Arg” from TOWIE (The Only Way is Essex).
Lucky audiences will boo, laugh, cheer, clap, shout “Behind You!” and sing along to the family favourite premiering at the De Valence Pavilion in Tenby this December.
Featuring a cast of professional actors and some local performers, the production will have all the usual panto trimmings, stunning scenery and costumes, spectacular song and dance routines and bags of slapstick fun. It is the perfect festive treat for all the family.
Arg, star of ITVBe reality series “The Only Way Is Essex”, will play Silly Simon in the brand-new production. He is also a regular on radio and TV, as a guest presenter on Good Morning Britain, “Celebrity Super Spa”, ITV’s “Sugar Free Farm” and Channel 4’s “The Jump”. More recently he has worked alongside Gemma Collins on her show “Diva Forever” and has also taken part in TV favourites “Celebrity Coach Trip” and “Celebs go Dating”.
“I absolutely love pantomime especially interacting with the audiences, there is nothing like a good panto to really get you into the festive season. I love Wales and can’t wait to come to Tenby for the first time” says the reality star.
Alongside Arg will be a host of incredible performers including West End leading lady Emma Norman as The Woodland Fairy. Emma brings with her a wealth of experience having worked alongside famous names such as Michael Ball and Il Divo. The panto will also star James Schouten (Tony in West Side Story and Marcello in La Bohѐme) as the evil Fleshcreep, Alan Wilson, a 2021 graduate of London Studio Centre as our hero Jack and Woodrow Young who trained at Arts Educational, London as Ensemble/Dancer.
The show’s creator and director Drew Baker added “I could not be happier to be producing the pantomime at the De Valence Pavilion. The space is amazing, and I promise the biggest pantomime the county has ever seen featuring a quality star cast, fantastic scenery and costumes, an amazing live band, and magical special effects. Jack and the Beanstalk is a wonderful story that everyone knows and loves so make sure you book your tickets nice and early to secure the best seats, this will truly be an amazing spectacle for all the people of Pembrokeshire and beyond especially after the year we have all had”.
Drew, an accomplished performer, and director will also be playing the much-loved mother of Jack and Simon, Dame Trott.
Dave Jones, General Manager of The De Valence in Tenby said “For many years the De Valence has strived to bring a varied diary of entertainment and we are so proud to be working with Drew and the team at Vision Arts to give the county another top-class show on their doorstep. This is going to be a great boost for the future development of the arts in Pembrokeshire and we are so excited to be a part of It”
The Eagle-eyed readers amongst you will notice that there is no mention of who is playing Princess Jill and that is because the decision will be yours! ‘Search for a Princess’ will launch later in the year and will see the company on a County wide hunt to find someone to play the much-loved Princess Jill. Could it be you? Keep an eye on social media channels for more information.
The company will also be searching for 60 youngsters from the age of 6 – 12 to perform across the performances along with 4 local senior dancers. Auditions will take place in the summer so watch out for more info coming soon.
Local schools are being encouraged to book early for the special school panto performances available on selected dates during December, as tickets are expected to sell out quickly. In addition to fantastic group prices, and exclusive to Vision Arts productions, each school that books will be able to take advantage of a completely free Panto Workshop held at their school, a great end of term activity to look forward to!
There will be a signed and relaxed performance available along with some exclusive meet and greet opportunities. All of these will have limited availability, so please visit the website for more information.
Vision Arts will also be giving away 400 free tickets to Welsh NHS staff as a small token of thanks for the incredible work they do daily but even more so during the pandemic. The ‘NHS Free Ticket’ performances will take place on Sunday 12th, Monday 20th, Thursday 23rd and Wednesday 29th December. More information will be available on the website.
It is also a great privilege to be joined by Pure West Radio who are our official Radio Media Partners for this very first Big Pembs Panto!
Jack and the Beanstalk runs at De Valence Pavilion, Tenby from Thursday 9th to Friday 31st December.
Tickets can be booked via www.bigpembspanto.com
For fantastic group rates and the NHS Free Ticket offer contact [email protected]
News
Visitor levy and accommodation register proposals to boost tourism
THE Welsh Government has announced plans to introduce new legislation to support the tourism industry and local communities across Wales. Two proposed Bills aim to give local authorities the power to introduce a visitor levy and create a national register for visitor accommodation.
The announcement, made by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford and Economy Secretary Rebecca Evans, outlines a Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill set to be introduced to the Senedd on 25 November, pending approval.
Under the new proposal, local councils would have the authority to introduce a small levy for overnight stays in visitor accommodations, generating additional funds to support sustainable tourism initiatives. Each local authority would decide on the levy based on local needs, potentially easing the burden on resources in popular tourist areas.
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said that the levy would be “a small charge,” intended to help councils manage the impacts of tourism and invest in community infrastructure. “This will support the long-term sustainability of our tourism industry,” he added, emphasising that the approach is in line with the Welsh Government’s commitment to collaborative tax development.
Consultations led by the Welsh Revenue Authority highlighted the importance of a registration system to support the proposed levy. Feedback from stakeholders led to the decision to include a national register of all visitor accommodation providers in Wales as part of the Bill, aimed at ensuring quality standards across the sector.
In addition to the visitor levy, the Welsh Government previously consulted on a licensing scheme for visitor accommodation to create a fair playing field for providers and ensure visitors receive high-standard services. The proposed registration scheme within the Bill marks a first step toward this broader licensing framework.
The second phase of the initiative will involve a separate Bill aimed at establishing a statutory licensing scheme for visitor accommodations. This would allow providers to demonstrate compliance with certain conditions, enhancing transparency and standards. Welsh Government representatives confirmed they would continue discussions with tourism stakeholders, accommodation providers, and local authorities as the proposals progress.
If approved, the Bills will mark a significant shift in how Wales manages its tourism sector, balancing visitor demand with community needs and sustainable practices.
Business
Small business briefing hosted by Local MS
A BRIEFING event which considered how to best support small businesses in Wales has been hosted by Preseli Pembrokeshire Senedd Member Paul Davies. Mr Davies hosted the event in partnership with the Development Bank of Wales, Economic Intelligence Wales and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. The theme of the event was ‘productivity’, given that Wales has had a persistent productivity gap with the UK as a whole and with other international competitor regions.
Mr Davies said, “It’s always a pleasure to help facilitate discussions on how we can support small businesses across Wales. 99.3% of businesses in Wales are small or medium enterprises (SMEs) and it’s important for us to explore the opportunities there are to boost SME growth.”
“Business-friendly policies are needed to address Wales’s persistent productivity gap, and we heard from the speakers today that more support is needed in areas like skills development, infrastructure enhancements and planning.”
“As I’ve said before, the Welsh Government has some significant economic levers, and it must now use those levers to create conditions for growth in Wales. We know that when small businesses thrive, they create jobs, spread prosperity and keep our communities vibrant and it’s crucial that governments at all levels do more to support our small businesses and enable them to grow.”
Business
Bristol Trader to temporarily serve menu at the Castle Hotel
The team of a popular riverside pub in Pembrokeshire, devastated by a recent fire, will relocate to a new town centre location while repair work is carried out on the original site.
On Wednesday, 6 November, a fire broke out at The Bristol Trader, situated on Haverfordwest’s riverside, causing significant damage to the building. The fire affected two floors of the pub as well as the roof space, forcing its closure. Smoke from the blaze was visible across the town as firefighters from Haverfordwest and Milford Haven worked for two hours to extinguish the flames.
Following the incident, the pub’s owners expressed their sadness, describing the team as “absolutely heartbroken” but determined to reopen and come back stronger. They extended their gratitude to the regulars, locals, friends, and family who have offered their support during this difficult time.
In the meantime, The Bristol Trader team will continue operating from an alternative venue. Beginning Monday, 18 November, the pub will relocate to the restaurant of the Castle Hotel, located on Haverfordwest Square, where they’ll serve the same menu.
“While repairs are being made to The Bristol Trader, Team Trader are being temporarily relocated to The Castle Hotel Restaurant from Monday the 18th of November,” announced the team in a social media post. “All our menus are attached to our Facebook page, and the phone lines are being redirected.”
Anyone with a booking at The Bristol Trader who hasn’t been in touch since the fire on 6 November is encouraged to contact the team at 01437 762122.
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