A FAST-GROWING food wholesale company has stepped in to support customers after the retirement of a couple who ran a rival business for more than 30 years.

Josiah and Steffi George, who operated Pembrokeshire Foods at Hasguard Cross, near Haverfordwest, decided to retire and ensure their loyal customers would be well cared for. The couple approached Harlech Foodservice, which will now supply more than 100 businesses across Pembrokeshire and into Ceredigion.

Last year, Harlech Foodservice expanded significantly, establishing offices and a distribution centre in Carmarthen as part of a £6 million investment. This growth has already created 70 new jobs, 15 of which are in South West Wales.

This isn’t Harlech’s first move into the area; the company previously acquired Celtic Foodservices in Pembroke Dock, describing the acquisition as a “perfect fit.”

In a letter to customers, Mr. and Mrs. George explained their decision:
“To ensure our customers have a supplier who cares about you and your business, we have approached Harlech Foodservice, who recently opened a site in Carmarthen, and asked them to provide ongoing service to your business.

“Harlech have a core customer base in the tourism and hospitality sectors, aligning perfectly with Pembrokeshire Foods. They offer a large range of around 5,000 lines across frozen foods, butchery, groceries, soft drinks, snacks, hygiene products, and disposables, all at genuinely competitive prices.

“Once again, thank you for supporting us over many years, and we wish you every success in the future.”

Harlech Managing Director David Cattrall called the partnership with Pembrokeshire Foods a significant step in the company’s ongoing expansion.

Since last April, Harlech has gained 943 new independent customers and 243 new contract customers across Wales and the English border counties. The company’s clients range from individual businesses to large local authorities, including a contract to supply Shropshire Council’s Shire Services.

Harlech’s expansion into South and West Wales has also been fruitful, with the Carmarthen and Merthyr Tydfil depots winning contracts worth nearly £500,000.

Mr. Cattrall commented:
“Steffi and Josiah can be rightly proud of what they have achieved over the past three decades, building a successful company that has played a key role in the local business community.

“We are grateful for their trust in Harlech Foodservice to look after their customers and to ‘deliver’ for them in every sense of the word. We wish them all the best for their well-deserved retirement.”

Steffi George added:
“Harlech Foodservice are a fantastic company with a huge range of excellent products and first-class customer service, so we are confident that our beloved customers will be in very good hands in the future.”

Caption:
Stepping into the breach: Harlech Foodservice Managing Director David Cattrall.

SIR ROBERT MCALPINE has been named as the main works contractor by Tata Steel for its £1.25 billion investment in low-carbon ‘green’ steelmaking at Port Talbot steelworks. The project marks a major step in Tata Steel UK’s goal of decarbonising steel production.

The construction will focus on a state-of-the-art electric arc furnace (EAF)-based steel production facility capable of producing approximately three million tonnes of steel annually. The works include building a new EAF, ladle furnaces, and associated infrastructure within the existing Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) plant and surrounding areas.

This ambitious initiative, aimed at securing a sustainable future for UK steelmaking, represents a significant transformation for Port Talbot. It aligns with Tata Steel’s commitment to achieving net zero goals. Enabling works will begin in early 2025, with the main civil, structural, and building works set to start in Q3 2025, pending planning approval. The project is expected to take three years to complete.

Upskilling the workforce and supporting local communities
Beyond technology, the project emphasises investing in people. Resources will be dedicated to training and upskilling the workforce in EAF technology. The initiative is set to strengthen Port Talbot’s position as a hub for low-carbon steel production.

Sir Robert McAlpine has been collaborating with Tata Steel UK since September 2022, conducting feasibility studies for the facility. The contractor brings decades of experience in industrial construction, having worked on various parts of the Port Talbot steelworks over the past 70 years.

Craig Allen, Managing Director, Industrial, at Sir Robert McAlpine, expressed pride in contributing to this landmark transformation:
“We are proud to be part of the decarbonisation of Port Talbot steelworks, which will play a pivotal role in turning the Port Talbot site into a world-leading hub for sustainable steel production. Our robust relationship with Tata Steel UK and long-standing industrial expertise make us the ideal partner for this transformation. We look forward to working collaboratively, as part of a fully integrated project team, to deliver the project successfully.”

Commitment to regional impact and sustainability
The project also promises to positively impact the region. Sir Robert McAlpine and Tata Steel UK will collaborate with local educational institutions to support training and skills development while fostering relationships with supply chain partners to ensure project delivery.

Peter Jones, Tata Steel’s EAF Project Lead, highlighted the significance of this partnership:
“We’re delighted to confirm the appointment of Sir Robert McAlpine to support us on this once-in-a-generation investment project. Our new arc furnace will be one of the largest and most sophisticated of its kind in the world, so it is important that we work with highly skilled and experienced partners to ensure its success. We have a longstanding and trusted collaborative relationship with Sir Robert McAlpine, so are confident they are the right partner for us in the project.”

The transition to an electric arc furnace at Port Talbot steelworks is expected to result in significant job reductions. Tata Steel is cutting approximately 2,800 positions across its UK operations, with the majority of these losses occurring at the Port Talbot site.

This decision follows the closure of the plant’s two blast furnaces, which are being replaced by the new electric arc furnace.

Trade unions have expressed strong opposition to the job cuts. Unite, one of the leading unions, has planned industrial action in response to the proposed redundancies. The union has criticized Tata Steel’s decision, arguing that it threatens the livelihoods of thousands of workers and undermines the local economy.

Political figures have also weighed in on the issue. Keir Starmer previously stated his commitment to “fight for every single job and fight for the future of steel in Wales.”

Last year he called on Tata Steel to halt the planned closures and engage in discussions to explore alternatives that would protect jobs and ensure the long-term viability of steelmaking in the region.

The UK government has now agreed to provide £500 million in support to assist Tata Steel’s transition to greener production methods. Despite this financial aid, the company has indicated that the job cuts are necessary due to the reduced labor requirements of the new electric arc furnace technology.

The situation remains a point of contention among stakeholders, with ongoing discussions about balancing environmental objectives with economic and social impacts.

This monumental project signifies a new chapter for UK steelmaking and strengthens Port Talbot’s role as a global leader in sustainable steel production.

SOCIAL or affordable housing in Pembrokeshire is one of the key challenges which the local authority is currently having to negotiate. But with over 8,000 people currently on the ‘choice housing’ selection process, the local authority’s task is a tough one.

The answer, according to property analyst Tom Rees, is staring Pembrokeshire firmly in the face. There are currently no fewer than 750 empty properties scattered throughout the county, with many located in the towns which are most in need – Haverfordwest and Milford Haven.

“We have a huge number of redundant properties in our county town alone, many of which are Grade II listed,” Tom Rees told The Pembrokeshire Herald.

“By talking to the landlords and integrating with the prospective developers, we can begin thinking outside the box and devise restoration plans which will enhance the buildings but, most importantly, will also provide accommodation and commercial opportunities for the benefit of local people.

“The aim is to generate as much interest and awareness as possible and develop these buildings in a sensitive, architecturally sound way which will not only boost the towns’ heritage but which will also help address so many of our social and housing issues.”

Properties which Tom has already helped regenerate include the Old Snooker Hall in Haverfordwest and the town’s magnificent Wesleyan Chapel which has blighted Barn Street with its unsightly decay for many years. After extensive consultations with the planning authorities and their respective developers, both buildings will now house a number of social residential flats.

“Millions of pounds are currently being invested in Haverfordwest, yet throughout the town we’re seeing so many buildings with enormous potential being left to rot,” he said.

“My aim is to get Haverfordwest back to where it deserves to be by entering into conversation with the landlords and the developers on how this can be achieved.

“There are currently around 750 empty units in Pembrokeshire alone, and 90% of these are salvageable. The local authority is definitely on the same page as me and is doing as much as it can with compulsory purchases, but this process can be lengthy.

“This is why it’s important to start thinking outside the box and devise solutions to how these properties can be salvaged and put, once again, to good use.”

Tom’s initial discussions take place with the landlords.

“It’s important they understand how their property has reached whatever state it’s in and subsequently decide on the way forward. This can either be with a cash sale or entering into a joint venture.

“Around 99% of the properties in Haverfordwest High Street are owned by a few big landowners, so naturally considering the various ways forward can result in some tricky conversations.”

One way in which Tom seeks to alleviate the issue is by enhancing each property’s portfolio, particularly if the landlord is considering retirement.

“So many big time developers are being driven by how many new properties they can fit into a particular field, which isn’t remedying the social housing issues that are confronting Pembrokeshire,” continued Tom.

“Latest figures confirm that there are over 5,000 households on Pembrokeshire’s social housing waiting list, which has increased by more than 50% since 2018, so surely by renovating all those empty problems, this figure could be reduced considerably. And given their size, many of our empty buildings can accommodate up to 15 people”

The Wesleyan Chapel project was first started by its previous owner following planning consent in 2014 but is now undergoing fresh listed building consent applications with the local authority.

“So not only will the town now have new, much needed accommodation, but it will also have a beautiful looking building which will help improve the heritage of Haverfordwest,” said Tom. “And all these important architectural elements are being done correctly, such as the lead flashing, the slate roof, the correct windows and the proper woodwork, with the result that the chapel is being brought back to its former glory,”

A native of Llangwm, Tom trained as a commercial pilot, securing a job with Aer Lingus after a trial flight at Haverfordwest airfield when he was 16,

“I obviously enjoyed it because from then on I had two or three jobs to finance my flying lessons and got my full private pilot’s licence when I was 18.”

But the covid pandemic and its subsequent reduction in commercial flights brought him back to Pembrokeshire where he began taking an interest in property and set up Williams Property Investment.

“This is why I’m trying to do as much as I can to save some of the wonderful properties around us here in Pembrokeshire,” he said. “The solution to our housing shortage isn’t to build more houses. It’s to look around at what we already have and ensure everything is done to salvage them and bring them back to serve our towns and our county as they were originally intended.”