News

Wilko stores in Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock to close amid nationwide shutdown

Published

2 years ago

September 11, 2023

PEMBROKESHIRE residents face a retail blow as Wilko announces the closure of all its stores nationwide, impacting locations in Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock, and Carmarthen.

Following unsuccessful negotiations with potential investors, the retail chain confirmed on Monday that its entire portfolio of 408 stores will be shuttered by the start of October. PwC, the administrators, relayed this distressing news to the employees.

Furthermore, next week will witness the closing of two significant Wilko distribution centres in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and Newport, Wales. The latter centre holds significance for Welsh workers, where already 299 jobs have been terminated.

Nadine Houghton, GMB’s national officer, commented, “Wilko wasn’t just a retailer or a brand; it symbolised thousands of devoted employees who are now grappling with an unpredictable future. It’s the workers who will bear the brunt of this collapse, even though they aren’t at fault.”

Earlier, PwC made public the termination of 52 Wilko outlets along with the unfortunate retrenchment of more than 1,300 workers.

Doug Putman, the individual responsible for the HMV turnaround in the UK and the owner of Toys R Us in Canada, had been actively engaged in discussions to save nearly half of Wilko’s outlets. This move would have provided a beacon of hope to the 12,000+ employees.

Despite last week’s £13m deal by B&M to rescue 51 store locations, job security for the staff wasn’t part of the agreement.

Conversations are ongoing between the administrators and Poundland for an approximate 100 store locations. However, any potential deal would only materialise post the closure of the Wilko stores, and it wouldn’t safeguard staff transfers.

The Range, another discount retailer, has shown interest in the Wilko brand.

Unfortunately, Putman’s ambitious strategy, which presented the most promising prospect of retaining both the outlets and their workforce, encountered challenges earlier this month. Key suppliers, including household names like Unilever and Procter & Gamble, expressed concerns about debts and supply commitments.

Wilko, with roots tracing back to 1930 and having stepped in to occupy spaces left vacant by Woolworths in 2008, seems set to become another name in the annals of high street history.

Commenting on the situation, Susannah Streeter of Hargreaves Lansdown remarked, “The familiar red and white storefronts of Wilko might soon be memories. This setback couldn’t have emerged at a more challenging period for the high street, battling both the cost of living crisis and online competition.”

Community

Milford Haven paddling pool open daily at 10:00am — safety reminder issued

Published

54 minutes ago

July 10, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Town council urges parents to supervise children at all times

MILFORD HAVEN TOWN COUNCIL has reminded visitors to the children’s paddling pool on The Rath that the facility opens daily at 10:00am, and that children must be supervised by a responsible adult.

In a bilingual safety poster shared online, the council set out simple but essential rules to help ensure the pool remains a safe and fun space throughout the summer holidays. While the pool is popular with families, the council warns that it is not officially supervised, and users do so at their own risk.

The key rules include:

Children must be accompanied by an adult.
No running or diving in or around the pool.
No food, drink, or glass bottles in the water area.
No dogs are allowed within the paddling pool zone.
Littering is strictly prohibited.

A council spokesperson said: “Hi everyone, a polite request: we ask that all children be supervised by a responsible adult while using the pool. Thank you.”

There is no formal age limit for the pool, but younger children will be given priority, especially during busy times.

Local families have praised the pool since it reopened, with one visitor, Linda Phillips, commenting: “We’ve just spent two hours there. Great effort everyone! The youngsters are really enjoying it.”

Milford Haven Town Council thanked her for the feedback, calling it “lovely to hear.”

Opening times or access arrangements may change due to weather or maintenance — updates will be posted on the council’s official Facebook page.

Caption:

Splash safely: Milford Haven Town Council’s new bilingual poster reminds families to supervise children and follow the rules while enjoying the paddling pool on The Rath this summer (Pic: Herald).

News

Stricken boat rescued off Ramsey Island after gearbox failure

Published

6 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Off-duty RNLI crew member steps in to assist with tow to safety

ST DAVIDS RNLI all-weather lifeboat launched at 6:20pm on Wednesday (July 9) to assist a 28-foot motorboat that had suffered drive shaft failure near Ramsey Island.

The vessel, which had departed from Porthclais harbour with two people on board, was left without propulsion due to gearbox issues and was drifting dangerously close to cliffs.

The call for assistance was received at 6:09pm, and the lifeboat was launched just over 10 minutes later. Calm sea conditions allowed the volunteer crew to reach the scene swiftly. A local recreational boat from Voyages of Discovery had been standing by the stricken vessel until the lifeboat arrived.

Given the boat’s proximity to the cliffs and inability to manoeuvre, the coxswain made the decision to tow it back to Porthclais. However, the harbour is inaccessible to the RNLI’s all-weather lifeboat.

Fortunately, off-duty crew member Robin was nearby on his own vessel and was able to take over the tow and bring the motorboat safely into the harbour.

The lifeboat and crew returned to station by 7:40pm.

Crime

Motorist sentenced over crash that left biker with life-changing injuries

Published

7 hours ago

July 10, 2025

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE man who caused life-changing injuries to a motorcyclist in a serious crash at Merlin’s Bridge has been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court.

JAMES IAN PUTTOCK appeared before the court on Wednesday (July 2), where he pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless or inconsiderate driving, contrary to section 2C of the Road Traffic Act 1988.

The collision occurred on December 20, 2022, at Merlin’s Bridge, near Haverfordwest, and involved a red Suzuki Splash driven by Puttock and a motorcyclist.

The rider suffered what police described at the time as “life-changing injuries” and was airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. The road was closed for several hours while crash investigators examined the scene.

Puttock had originally been due to stand trial, as previously reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald in January 2024. However, he entered a guilty plea ahead of trial.

At sentencing, the court imposed the following:

20 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months
10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR) days
12-month driving disqualification

The Herald understands the crash had a profound impact on the injured rider and their family, who are still dealing with the long-term consequences of the incident.