TENBY’S IMPERIAL HOTEL is holding a recruitment open day tomorrow (Mar 19) as it looks to fill 20 roles ahead of a major refurbishment.

The event will take place at the hotel on The Paragon from 11:00am to 4:00pm, with positions available across various departments, including hospitality, kitchen, and housekeeping.

The hotel, now under the ownership of The Crest Hotel Group, is undergoing a transformation into a luxurious, family-friendly destination while maintaining its historic charm. The refurbishment will include a state-of-the-art kitchen, dog-friendly facilities, and panoramic views of South Beach and the Pembrokeshire coastline.

Liz Heneghan, Group Director of People & Culture at Crest Hotels Group, said: “We’re not just offering jobs; we’re investing in our community. These 20 positions represent our commitment to providing meaningful employment opportunities right here in Tenby. We want to build a team of passionate individuals who are ready to contribute to the Imperial’s exciting future and deliver exceptional guest experiences.”

Job roles available

The hotel is seeking to recruit:

• Culinary roles: Head Chef, Sous Chef, and Chef de Partie
• Hospitality staff: Guest Service Assistants (Front of House and Food & Beverage)
• Management: Food & Beverage Manager
• Housekeeping: Housekeeping Assistants

Successful candidates will have the opportunity to work in a newly refurbished setting with high-quality ingredients and a dynamic team, contributing to the revitalisation of one of Tenby’s landmark hotels.

How to apply

Those interested can attend the recruitment open day tomorrow or apply via Indeed and Caterer. Applications can also be submitted by emailing recruitment@cresthotelsgroup.com.

A NEW fish and chip shop has opened in St Davids, offering residents and visitors an additional takeaway option in the popular tourist destination.

St Davids Fish and Chips, located on St Davids High Street, opened its doors on February 11. The business is run by Jay Babahan, who has lived in Pembrokeshire for 25 years and wanted to provide more choice for the local community.

“There was a clear demand for another takeaway in St Davids, as we only had one other option,” said Mr Babahan. “Since opening, the response has been fantastic. We’re in a busy area, and we expect trade to pick up even more during the summer months.”

The shop prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients, including fresh fish and Pembrokeshire-grown potatoes. Mr Babahan, who has supported local sports teams through his previous businesses, hopes to continue giving back to the community.

“We’ve always wanted to contribute to the local area,” he said. “We’re happy to be here and are committed to serving top-quality fish and chips. Our goal is to establish ourselves as the best in the area.”

Shortly after opening, the shop was inspected for food hygiene, and Mr Babahan is confident of securing the highest possible rating of five.

“We have a great team and loyal customers already,” he added. “We offer a variety of meals, including kebabs, and are looking forward to a busy season ahead.”

Despite being open for only a month, St Davids Fish and Chips has already achieved a 90% recommendation rating on Facebook, with customers praising the food, service, and cleanliness.

NATURAL Resources Wales is not out of the woods after making £10m cuts, slashing 250 jobs and receiving a £19m loan to cover an unexpected tax bill, a committee heard.

Llŷr Gruffydd, who chairs the Senedd’s climate committee, warned Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has been in a constant state of evolution and flux for many, many years.

David Henshaw, who chairs the board, said: “We can’t carry on as we are,” with NRW having agreed a target of cutting £10.9m from its budget by April 1.

He told Senedd members NRW’s massively committed workforce has found the “case for change” process really tough, with 256 posts removed and vacancies unfilled.

But he stressed: “Our duty is to face the challenge and actually deal with it.”

Appearing before the committee for scrutiny of NRW’s 2023/24 annual report on March 12, Sir David warned: “It’s going to be a rough old 12 months or so.”

Ceri Davies, acting chief executive, described NRW as being at a pivotal point, with a renewed focus on climate and nature.

She told the committee NRW has been trying to focus more on areas where it is uniquely best placed to deliver such as flood risk, biodiversity, water quality and regulatory work.

“It’s with a heavy heart that we give up some things,” she said.

Ms Davies added that NRW implemented a recruitment freeze, to minimise redundancies as far as possible, which has impacted on current staff.

“But we’re coming out of that now,” she said. “We’re supporting our staff through that and … we will be very shortly releasing opportunities for us to reinvest and to take on new staff.”

The Conservatives’ Janet Finch-Saunders questioned why NRW has an interim chief executive and a chief executive, asking how long the situation will continue.

Sir David replied that chief executive Clare Pillman has been off sick, saying: “She’s on the road to recovery, I think, so that’s why Ceri has been wonderfully acting up for us.”

Ms Davies has been acting up in the £150,000-a-year role since at least November, according to board papers.

Asked about funding in 2025/26, finance director Rachael Cunningham said NRW will have a total forecast budget of £298.3m – representing an annual increase of about £32.5m.

Carolyn Thomas, who chairs the petitions committee, raised public concern about NRW’s plans for its Nant yr Arian, Coed y Brenin and Ynyslas visitor centres.

Her Labour colleague Julie Morgan said the visitor centres are “much more than just a cafe”.

Sir David stressed: “These forests and places are not being closed, let’s be clear … what’s been looked at is the closure of cafes and shops which cost about £1m a year.”

He added: “We weren’t doing massive business in these shops and cafes, they were a big lossmaker … given the challenges of the budget,  we had to look very seriously at it.”

On a 6% cut to enforcement, Ms Davies explained NRW has instead prioritised prevention. “When we’re in the enforcement territory, the damage has already been done,” she said.

She told the committee NRW will continue to take action on significant offences as a deterrent, with a 30% increase in enforcement in 2023/24.

Pressed about the Welsh Government having to cover an estimated £19m tax bill for NRW due to off-payroll working, Sir David said a long list of public bodies face a similar situation.

“It’s an issue which has been very difficult for us,” said Sir David, a former chief executive at Liverpool Council. “And there are some questions we need to ask ourselves.”

He added: “Should we have been more aware earlier? Probably, yes. But actually would it have made much difference…? Probably not. We’ve made clear that in terms of employment now, we have none of the issues … so that’s been settled.”

Ms Cunningham declined to provide detail on the extent of liability accepted by NRW following February’s board meeting “because that’s in the hands of HMRC”.