Business
Forage to fork – launch of annwn restaurant at the little retreat
ANNWN is a unique, fine dining destination that exploits the rich foraging potential of the local Welsh landscape in the heart of the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Annwn – the name given to the Otherworld in Welsh mythology, has opened its doors on the site of the idyllic Little Retreat at Lawrenny near an ancient woodland and on the banks of the stunning Cleddau estuary.
The restaurant offers diners entry to a world of exquisite, local sustainable and foraged produce – a new Welsh dining experience. It is the creation of local chef Matt Powell who has worked at Michelin Star establishments over many years, and has successfully run his Fishing and Foraging Wales business to show the delights of the Pembrokeshire coastline to audiences from all over the world.
Matt is bringing this knowledge and passion for the finest food at close hand to the Annwn menu, giving it a true sense of place. The single menu shuns food miles in favour of local seasonal and foraged produce that showcases Wales’ wild ecosystems and the incredible quality and diversity of local sustainable producers.
Matt says: “Pembrokeshire is the county I love, live and work in, both on land and sea, and it offers so much for a world class dining experience. I want Annwn to tell a story and offer a glimpse into this part of the world that’s home to some of the best raw ingredients in the world. Here, I really want to push the boundaries of a new style of Welsh cuisine.”
Annwn sits in a walled garden, hosting just 12 people per sitting, and is the latest attraction at Little Retreat, a glamping sanctuary with wellbeing at its heart, where people come from afar to escape, relax, restore and reconnect with nature in a beautiful corner of the world.
It is also the venue for the Big Retreat Festival, the ultimate feel good event which returns June 3-6 2022 with a line-up of excitement, adventure, music and magic in the shape of headliners Toploader, Reef, comedy from the likes of Scummy Mummies, plus wellbeing experts such as Richie Norton and the legendary Mr Motivator.

Little Retreat’s owner is wellbeing expert Amber Lort-Phillips, who said: “Matt is such a talent and has an intrinsic understanding of the foods that live and grow in this very special environment.
Annwn perfectly complements what we have created here at Little Retreat, giving diners the
opportunity to reconnect with nature through the highest quality food creations.”
Little Retreat’s luxury Domes and Stargazers offer the perfect back to nature escape, with the opportunity to explore the local coastline, rivers and inland waterways through wild swimming, or by boat, kayak or stand up paddle boards. Here they run a series of Feel Good Retreats throughout the year, with condensed versions of the annual Big Retreat festival.
Growing up in Wales, Matt was foraging from a young age, he fished his local rivers for brown trout and sewin (sea trout), becoming a full-time bass angling guide for several years.
Leaving culinary college, Matt worked at Raymond Blanc’s renowned Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, before moving on to the kitchens of a variety of high-level restaurants in Ireland, the UK and Europe.
He returned to found Fishing and Foraging Wales in 2012, taking visitors on sustainable and responsible adventures of exploration, educating them on the quality of the produce surrounding them. This experience will continue, with Matt running foraging and dining workshops with a small but extremely knowledgeable team at Annwn.
Annwn will feature dishes such as slow cooked duck egg yolk with hedgerow plants and fungi sauce, as well as lobster and laver seaweed with estuary plants and lobster sauce. The menu will change with the seasons, shunning food miles in favour of local seasonal and foraged produce such as velvet swimming crabs, wild mushrooms, vegetables grown in the Little Retreat walled garden, meat from nearby farms, and Welsh wines.
Business
Rosemarket Dawn Till Dusk golf club 18-hole plans lodged
A CALL to extend a long-established Pembrokeshire golf club, bringing it up to a full 18 holes, has been submitted to county planners.
In the application, Mr and Mrs Young, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, seek a change of use of land adjoining the Dawn Till Dusk Golf Club, Furze Hill Farm, Bastleford Road, Rosemarket, to form an extension to the existing golf course, along with landscaping and associated works.
A supporting statement through the agent says: “The application seeks full planning permission for the enlargement of the existing golf course to provide an additional six holes, to provide a total of 18 holes.
“The proposal would involve minor landscaping works to the fields and boundaries and the creation of a small number of ponds and bunkers. The extension would be located on land to the west of Furze Hill Farm and on the opposite side of the road to the existing golf course and clubhouse.
“An altered access to the land parcel is proposed as part of this application, which would provide an improved route for users crossing the public highway to avoid conflict with movements at the main entrance.
“The application site exceeds 1ha and therefore the proposal is considered major development necessitating a Pre-Application Consultation prior to formally submitting the planning application to the Local Planning Authority.”
It adds: “The existing golf course has operated in excess of 30 years and is popular with both visitors and locals. Club membership currently stands at approximately 350 and there is demand for enhancing the provisions of the course.
“The applicants’ sons have recently increased their involvement in the enterprise and in recent years wet winter months have necessitated the closure of the course, or parts of it, due to the ground becoming waterlogged, primarily due to the flat nature of the existing course.
“The extension would provide variation to the terrain, providing, dryer conditions, as well as the ability to alternate between the existing and proposed to maintain use, enhancing the viability of the enterprise.”
The application will be considered by Pembrokeshire County Council planners at a later date.
Business
Plans to rebuild arson hit building at farm with one of largest sheep flocks in Wales
A CALL to rebuild a fire-damaged Pembrokeshire farm building, as a family home to help manage one of the largest sheep flocks in Wales, has been submitted to the national park.
In the application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, D B Davies and Sons through agent Harries Planning Design Management, with a supporting statement by Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd, seek permission to renovate an existing fire-damaged dwelling, together with the conversion and extension of outbuildings to form an agricultural worker’s dwelling at Mynydd Du, Rosebush.
The supporting statement through Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd says Mynydd Du is part of a wider holding which includes Eisteddfa Fawr and land around the village of Brynberian, the farms approximately six km apart, with land under control of the applicant amounting to some 1,500 acres, with a further 3,000 acres of Preseli mountain common land also used; the land accommodating a 5,000-ewe flock with 10 suckler cows and followers.
It says DB Davies & Sons Unlimited, has five partners: the two Davies brothers, Berian and Ken; their wives; and Berian’s son, Dyfed.
Berian and Ken are in their late 70s, with most of the heavy work on the farm is undertaken by Dyfed.
Dyfed and his wife Megan are first language Welsh speakers, living some 10 km away in Nevern, while Berian and Ken, and their wives, live at Eisteddfa Fawr, Brynberian.
The dwelling at Mynydd Du, where most sheep are now wintered, is structurally sound and repairable but has been unoccupied since 1990, and was subject to arson circa 2013, the statement says.
It says Dyfed works full-time on the farm, alone with increasing frequency as the older business members are above retirement age, working “long hours out of necessity to undertake all the work associated with one of the largest flocks of sheep in Wales”.
“His working hours are extended further due to the fact that he lives remote (6kms) from the main block of land at Tyllosg, where Mynydd Du is situated in the centre of the farm. Travelling back and forth several times each day during lambing and other times during poor weather, to check on flock welfare is an arduous task and can be dangerous, particularly if driving when tired during inclement conditions.”
The statement adds: “The application seeks permission to repair the fire damaged dwelling at Mynydd Du and bring it back to serve a useful purpose to enable Dyfed to closely monitor the ewes, not only at lambing, but throughout the year when the flock is grazing on the adjacent common land.
“It will also enable Dyfed to be with his partner and young child on a more regular basis than simply at the end of a long day when he is away from their current home, tending the sheep at Mynydd Du.”
The application will be considered by park planners at a later date.
Business
Herald expands sales team as Milford Haven growth drives demand
THE PEMBROKEHIRE HERALD is launching a recruitment drive to bring in two new sales executives as the newspaper continues to grow its commercial operations across the county.
The move comes as the Herald strengthens its position as the leading independent news platform in West Wales, with increasing demand from local businesses looking to advertise both in print and online.
The expansion is being driven in part by the rapid growth of Milford Haven and the wider energy sector, with major investment in green energy projects, port activity and associated industries creating new opportunities for local businesses.
As the area continues to develop as a key energy hub, more companies are seeking to reach customers, partners and the wider community through trusted local media.
The successful candidates will work directly with Pembrokeshire businesses, helping them promote their services to a growing audience through the Herald’s expanding digital reach and established print readership.
Editor Tom Sinclair said the recruitment reflects both the changing local economy and the Herald’s increasing audience.
He said: “Milford Haven is expanding rapidly, particularly with new energy and green projects coming forward, and that’s creating real opportunities for local businesses.
“At the same time, our audience continues to grow across both our website and social media platforms, meaning we can now offer advertisers a much bigger and more effective platform than ever before.”
The new roles will focus on building relationships with local firms, developing advertising campaigns, and identifying new opportunities across sectors including tourism, retail, trades, energy and professional services.
The Herald has continued to invest in its digital platforms, including Herald.Wales, alongside its well-established print edition, offering advertisers a multi-platform approach to reaching customers.
The recruitment drive also comes at a time when many local businesses are looking for cost-effective ways to promote themselves amid ongoing economic pressures.
Mr Sinclair added: “Local advertising matters. When businesses advertise locally, that money stays in the local economy. It helps create jobs, supports families and helps communities grow alongside the businesses within them.”
The roles are expected to appeal to motivated, target-driven individuals with strong communication skills and an interest in media, sales or marketing.
Both positions are based in Pembrokeshire, with opportunities for training and career progression within the Herald’s growing media group.
Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to email [email protected] with a CV and covering letter before Tuesday (Apr 1, 2026).
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