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Economy Minister vists Pembrokeshire as tourism businesses gear up for Easter

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AS TOURISM businesses across Wales gear up for Easter, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, visited businesses in Pembrokeshire who are looking forward to welcoming visitors following new developments and investment.

The team at Folly Farm have had a busy winter working on new attractions to keep the visitor experience fresh for new and returning guests. A new accommodation development has had funding from the Welsh Government and the Minister had the opportunity to see one of the luxury lodges which will open to the public in the summer

A further eight safari lodges will arrive at the end of the year, which will overlook the rhino enclosure. The Minister also had an opportunity to see the Touring and Camping Park which has this week received a 5 star Visit Wales grading.

In addition to the accommodation, other developments, include a new indoor soft play area, eight brand new Takeuchi mini-diggers for the Big Dig attraction supplied by J Davies of Lampeter, a new native species enclosure on the zoo, extensive themed development for the rare breed paddocks and new land train carriages.

Chris Ebsworth, managing director at Folly Farm, said: “We’re looking forward to a busy Easter and Summer season at the attraction having had a record-breaking February half term. Advanced bookings for our accommodation are strong and we’re looking forward to our first full season of operation in two years. A heavy level of investment this Winter means there’s lots of new attractions to see and our usual annual maintenance plan means everything is looking fabulous!”

The Economy Minister said: “It’s been an incredibly difficult couple of years for the visitor economy. Two years ago, we had to take the very difficult decision to restrict people’s travel in order to keep Wales safe from Coronavirus, which meant tourism businesses weren’t able to welcome visitors for Easter.

“However, research now shows there is higher confidence and comfort levels, and the UK public anticipate taking significantly more overnight trips in the next 12 months, than the previous 12 months.

“Visit Wales marketing campaigns have been keeping Wales front of mind throughout the winter, as people regain confidence and look ahead to booking holidays.

“Since the start of the pandemic, the Welsh Government has pulled every lever possible to back Welsh businesses. We’ve provided in excess of £2.6bn funding to Welsh businesses, in a package has helped protect in excess of 160,000 Welsh jobs which might otherwise have been lost. We also extended our 100% business rate relief package for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses until the end of March 2022. To support businesses over the next 12 months, we’re providing a £116m package of non-domestic rates relief for businesses in the sectors most directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. This means retail, leisure and hospitality ratepayers in Wales will receive 50% non-domestic rates relief for the duration of 2022-23.

“In recovering from the pandemic, our ambition is to grow tourism for the good of Wales and to do this we will grow tourism by extending the season, promoting Wales during less busy times of the year and promoting areas of Wales which are quieter.”

One of the challenges facing the sector following the pandemic is recruitment, as many businesses are seeing a shortage of staff. The Welsh Government has been working with the sector on a recruitment campaign to highlight the range of personal development opportunities and potential career paths on offer in the sector. Folly Farm and The Grove of Narberth have worked with Visit Wales on the Experience Makers campaign to highlight roles are careers.

The Minister also visited the Grove of Narberth. The five-star hotel is part of Seren collection in Wales, and the portfolio of venues has been working hard to address the recruitment issues facing the sector.

At the start of 2022 flexible working practices were introduced, meaning that all staff can work to a four-day-a-week rota with no adjustment to salary, whilst being paid for any extra shifts. Those staff who wished to remain on a five-day week, also had the option to do so. It follows the introduction of a four-day week for chefs at the hotel in 2016. The business has also introduced a profit sharing scheme where members of staff will share in the ongoing success of the business, alongside other staff package improvements including long service holiday rewards.

Neil Kedward, Managing Director of Seren, said: “We’re delighted to have made this progressive and important change for the individuals across our businesses Grove of Narberth, Coast Restaurant in Saundersfoot, and Beach House Restaurant in Oxwich. We are already seeing the impact of this change in helping our teams find real balance in their lives, having more quality time with family and friends, and feeling energised and more focused on achieving their goals at work. We have invested significantly over the years to get the product right in each venue, and so now we are well placed to invest much more in our people.”

The Minister added: “As we build a stronger, fairer, greener Welsh economy.We are committed to investing in our people, through the Young Person’s Guarantee and a strong employability and skills offer, including apprenticeships. Apprenticeships can help futureproof, motivate and diversify a workforce – offering people the chance to gain high-quality vocational skills. They are also crucial to our ambitious post-Covid economic recovery plans. That’s why we have committed to creating a further 125,000 all-age apprenticeship places over the next five years.”

Business

Stena announces redundancy plan amid uncertainty for Pembrokeshire

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FREIGHT carrier and ferry operator Stena Line, which runs services between Fishguard and Rosslare, has announced plans to cut up to 80 staff members following an internal review.

Uncertainty looms over whether any of these redundancies will impact staff operating our local ferry services.

Stena CEO Paul Grant shared the news in an email to employees on Monday, citing a need to “future proof the company.” He explained that an internal assessment revealed the company’s current organisational structure as “too big and expensive” compared to its revenue.

The decision comes amid rising costs and increased competition in the freight and travel sectors.

According to Mr. Grant, “Cost pressure due to higher inflation has led to our customers having less money to spend, and with the introduction of the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), increasing our prices, we see a decline in volumes for both travel and freight.” Additionally, disappointing sales during the summer season and unmet market growth expectations for 2024 contributed to the restructuring.

The program, designed to strengthen Stena’s long-term business viability, includes a reduction of costs, prioritization of investments, and staff cuts that will primarily impact support functions and consultants. The workforce will be reduced by 80 positions by early 2025, along with 30 consultants also set to leave the company. Discussions with unions and work councils are expected to last several months, with all affected staff to be informed of their status by January 31, 2025.

In response to this announcement, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has demanded a meeting with Stena Line to clarify the impact of these cuts, particularly on their members.

TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust expressed disappointment over the handling of the announcement, stating: “Our members are shocked by this news and outraged that Stena has chosen to sidestep established industrial relations processes. Stena must meet with us urgently to clarify who is at risk and address the potential impacts on our members.”

The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at securing Stena Line’s future amid sustainability challenges. CEO Niclas Mårtensson acknowledged the difficult decision, stating, “Stena Line has been a successful company over the past few years; however, we need to ensure a lower cost base to be able to future proof the company. With 40 vessels in Europe and the Mediterranean, we have significant sustainability challenges ahead of us, and this program will enable us to make necessary investments for the future.”

The TSSA’s letter to Stena reiterates the union’s commitment to supporting affected employees and calls for an immediate discussion to clarify the situation, especially for staff at Fishguard who may be impacted.

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UK government to appoint first Wales Crown Estate Commissioner

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FOR the first time, the UK government will appoint a Crown Estate Commissioner dedicated to advising on matters in Wales, further integrating Welsh interests in board-level decisions. This move supports existing efforts to ensure that Wales benefits from the push for clean energy, following an agreement facilitated by the Welsh Secretary.

An amendment to the Crown Estate Bill, with cross-party backing from Labour, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrats, and crossbenchers, will be accepted at today’s Lords Report Stage (Nov 5). This change mandates the appointment of a Wales-specific Commissioner through the Public Appointments process, with input from the Welsh Government. The appointee will bear “an additional responsibility” to represent Welsh conditions and interests, amplifying Wales’s voice within the Crown Estate.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has collaborated with the Treasury, The Crown Estate, House of Lords members, and the Welsh Government to secure this legislative advancement. The Crown Estate, instrumental in drawing international investment to Wales, supports projects like Floating Offshore Wind in the Celtic Sea, which promises cleaner energy and job creation.

The introduction of a Wales-specific Commissioner strengthens The Crown Estate’s mission to serve the entire UK while averting potential market fragmentation and protecting international investor confidence critical to the net-zero transition.

In a related effort, Great British Energy, the government’s new public energy firm, recently partnered with The Crown Estate to expedite renewable energy advancements. This initiative could attract up to £60bn in private investment, boosting the UK’s journey toward energy independence.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens stated: “This is a landmark step toward ensuring that Welsh prosperity is at the heart of the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower. Our nation stands to benefit hugely from investment in floating offshore wind, and we now have the representation we need to help seize that moment. This demonstrates how Wales benefits directly from its two governments working together, and I’m grateful to Lord Livermore, The Crown Estate, and others for helping to make this happen.”

Sir Robin Budenberg CBE, Chair of The Crown Estate, said: “In seeking to increase the number of Commissioners from eight to twelve, The Crown Estate welcomes the opportunity now presented by this amendment to bring even more direct knowledge and understanding of the areas in which we operate and further strengthen our ability to deliver benefit to the whole of the UK.”

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Crime

Arrests made after large-scale cannabis operation raided in Pembroke Dock

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POLICE in Pembroke Dock have uncovered yet another large-scale cannabis operation, as part of an ongoing clampdown on illegal farms in the area. On Monday (Nov 4), Dyfed-Powys Police executed a search warrant at a property on Dimond Street, where officers found over 500 cannabis plants in a sophisticated cultivation setup.

Two men, aged 26 and 34, have been arrested in connection with the investigation and are currently in police custody. The raid follows a series of similar operations in Pembrokeshire, targeting properties used for illegal drug cultivation.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

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