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Jail for gang who plundered Narberth businesses

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swansea crown court

Swansea Crown Court

THE LEADERS of a gang who plundered almost an entire enterprise park at Narberth have been jailed today.

Anthony Jones, aged 28, and Llewellyn Luce, 37, spent four hours rampaging through businesses on the Rushacre park in Redstone Lane before driving away with more than £40,000 in cash, tools and equipment.

Swansea crown court heard how they got away in a stolen £12,000 Volvo transporter van that was never seen again.

And the vast majority of the stolen items were never recovered.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, said the pair broke into Apple Blossom cleaners, Rushacre Garage, Premier Stoves, Tradeframe Manufacturers and Silverstone Green Energy, and tried to get into two other businesses and a storage shed, in the early hours of December 22 last year.

They stole £1,650 in cash from Apple Blossom and caused more than £5,000 worth of damage. They also broke into Christmas presents and took a distinctive bottle of wine that detectives would later find on top of a wardrobe at Luce’s home.

From Rushacre garage they stole the van and more than £20,000 of tools and equipment, of which £10,000 worth was not recoverable via insurance.

At Silverstone Green Energy the pair “destroyed” an antique safe and got away with £1,200 in cash and £3,100 worth of tools while causing £1,650 worth of damage.

Jones and Luce also stole cash, cameras, stamps and other valuables from Premier Stoves and Tradeframe Manufacturers.

Mr Pulling said the burglaries were not discovered until the following day but detectives were able to track the transporter van on CCTV cameras along the M4 motorway.

They noticed it seemed to be in convoy with a Ford Fiesta belonging to Lisa Jones. And CCTV coverage of her at a service station put her in company with other members of the gang.

Police then examined mobile telephone traffic between them—and found the tell tale bottle of wine at Luce’s home.

Anthony Jones, aged 28, of Lister Street, Accrington, Luce, of The Woodlands, Penygarn, Pontypool, Lise Jones, 25, of Snatchwood Court, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, and her then boyfriend, James Lawson, 25, of Whitegate Close, Padiham, Burnley, each admitted five burglaries and three attempted break ins.

Jones was jailed for four years and Luce for 21 months.

Lisa Jones and Lawson were jailed for two years, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work for the community.

Lisa Jones and Lawson said they had acted as look outs.

Judge Paul Thomas said Anthony Jones, who had 43 previous convictions, was a “prolific, professional and undeterrable burglar” of commercial premises who only stopped when he was in prison.

Despite living in Accrington his previous offending included burgling businesses in Pembrokeshire.

He said all four had gone into a “large scale, organised, commercial burglary expedition with their eyes wide open.”

Those who play with fire, he added, get their fingers burned.

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Visitor levy and accommodation register proposals to boost tourism

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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.

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Business

Small business briefing hosted by Local MS

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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.”

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Business

Bristol Trader to temporarily serve menu at the Castle Hotel

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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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