News

Wilko stores in Pembrokeshire spared as nationwide closures loom

Published

2 years ago

September 7, 2023

Wilko stores across the UK are set to close their doors, but the good news for Pembrokeshire residents is that the local Wilko stores will remain unaffected, at least for now.

On Tuesday, September 5, the announcement sent shockwaves as it revealed that 52 Wilko stores would soon cease operations. Subsequently, on Wednesday, September 6, the list of affected stores was disclosed to the staff.

Six stores and one distribution center in Wales are slated for closure, resulting in a total of 186 job losses in the region. The stores to be shut down in Wales include Cardiff Queen Street, Cardiff Bay Retail Park, Morriston, Rhyl, Port Talbot, and Llandudno. Additionally, the Magor Distribution Centre will also close its doors. These closures are scheduled for Tuesday, September 12 (Cardiff Bay Retail Park, Llandudno, and Port Talbot) and Thursday, September 14 (Morriston, Cardiff Queen Street, and Rhyl).

Administrators Zelf Hussain, Jane Steer, and Edward Williams of PwC have been overseeing the process for Wilko since their appointment on August 10. They stated that discussions with potential buyers had revealed that some stores did not generate interest in the Wilko store portfolio, leading to the decision to close 52 stores nationwide, including those mentioned above.

However, there is a glimmer of hope as B&M, has agreed to purchase 51 of the stores, although an official list has not been released yet.

Edward Williams, one of the joint administrators, expressed, “In the absence of viable offers for the whole business, very sadly store closures and redundancies of team members from those stores are now necessary, in addition to the already announced redundancies at the support center and distribution centers. We know this has been a deeply unsettling time for everyone concerned and would like to express our gratitude to all Wilko team members for the dedication and support they have continued to give the business in the most trying of circumstances.”

News

Car crashes into house in St Davids

Published

9 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).

Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.

On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”

Community

Milford Haven and Neyland Police issue appeal for missing man

Published

9 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.

Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.

He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.

Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 🖥️ | Online portal
📧 | [email protected]
📞 | Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.

Community

Fire service delivers vital kit to Ukraine

Published

15 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.

The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.

Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.

Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”

The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.