Hearing to decide fate of ancient castle

Published

9 years ago

October 28, 2013

A PUBLIC hearing is being held to settle the row over the future of the grounds of the 11th century castle in Haverfordwest.
Campaigners want to keep the castle grounds open to the public by securing village green status.
There has been recent interest in the site from developers who want to set up a hotel, but getting the status would stop any redevelopment.
Haverfordwest Town Council is behind the application but faces opposition from Pembrokeshire County Council who say that the plan is flawed and wants to sell off the land.
"We feel it is in the best interests of our town to retain its heritage by having the castle left open for public use," said Haverfordwest town councillor Peter Lewis.
"It's just one of these places where people feel they should be able to walk at any time.
"Haverfordwest castle is what the town has been built around - it is fundamental, it is our iconic building, it pervades everything.
"If you look at all of our sports clubs, many carry the castle motif. Everyone sees that as the central feature of our town."
Pembrokeshire County Council currently owns the sight and in 2010 they put part of the castle site – an old Victorian prison building – up for sale.
Only a few of the original stone walls remain of the 11th Century castle but for many years the public have enjoyed open access. 
The town museum is housed there and the site is used by people to walk their dogs, eat lunch in fine weather and watch occasional events on the grass.
Last year, an architect and developer showed an interest in turning it into an eight to 16-bedroom boutique hotel and restaurant, but it proved controversial and sometime later the developer walked away.
The town council decided then that the only way to protect the site for good was to apply for village green status.
It has also put in an offer to buy the Victorian prison building for £50,000.
Pembrokeshire council said the castle grounds had been declared a public open space in 2009 and the town council had the chance to challenge it but failed to do so.
It argues the standing as a public open space means public events in the castle grounds can be organised and managed effectively with the granting of the appropriate licences.
Deputy leader Councillor Huw George said village green status would change forever what could be done with the site.
"It will make it very difficult to regulate who uses it and when they use it and that causes us a great concern," he said.
"Our greatest concern is the objection [against development] they've put in, which is by nature flawed.
"The objection I believe should have come in 2009 when it was declared a public open space. We're now in 2013, which seems to me a little bit flawed."
He added: "By turning it into a village green we curtail many options which may harm the development economically and with tourism in the future, and I think Haverfordwest deserves to have all opportunities left open."
Both sides are being represented by a solicitor, and the public hearing will be presided over by the Planning Inspectorate.
The hearing, which starts on Wednesday, has been described by the county council as an "unnecessary application" and said it was costing a "great deal of public money at a time when every penny counts".
But Mr Lewis said the action was necessary.
"It's going to cost us well over £10,000 and it's going to cost the county council more than that to defend it but we feel we've got no choice," he said.

Local florist creates stunning tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

Published

2 weeks ago

September 16, 2022

Cerys Lafferty

GWENDA’S Flowers From Home have created a beautiful floral display as a tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II following her passing on September 8.

Chris used four flowers from around the country in his display. Daffodils from Wales, red roses from England, Eryngium (similar to thistles from Scotland) and Molluccella, which is also known as ‘the bells-of-Ireland’.

Gwenda’s Flowers From Home create high quality arrangements and guarantee a personal touch with every bouquet.

Chris, 39, named his business after his grandmother. Chris said she was a royalist and she loved the Queen.

He feels as though this tribute is very fitting and is proud to make the display in his grandmother’s name.

The display is currently located in Haverfordwest at the War Memorial.

Advertorial

Veteran opens Slimming World in Milford Haven

Published

2 weeks ago

September 16, 2022

Cerys Lafferty

ARMY Veteran, Rachel, has launched her own Slimming World group in Milford Haven after her own positive experiences.

“I changed lives in the army and hope to continue changing lives for people in Milford Haven.”

Rachel was born and raised in Milford Haven. As a small child, she was “active and busy” and a real tomboy alongside her brothers.

In 1998, she joined the Army at 16-years-old as a Combat Medical Technician. Following training, Rachel served in Germany, all over the UK, overseas in Cyprus, and was deployed to Oman, Kosovo, Bosnia and Poland before retiring from service in May 2021.

Her role as a combat medical technician meant she often had to deal with soldiers who had been injured in war zones. Rachel described dealing with the range of injuries as “life-changing”.

Rachel’s job not only consisted of helping soldiers physically recover; she also helped them with their mental well-being.

She said she: “always pointed out the positives ahead of them for their lives and their families.

“The fulfilment I would get from seeing them recover and their family made whole again is so rewarding, I cannot put it into words.”

She has always been a strong, physically fit person. She enjoyed an active lifestyle and felt as though she “could always eat what she wanted.”

In 2017, she was posted to Harrogate. Rachel was 36 years old and had recently given birth to her third child, a daughter, after already having two sons aged 13 and 5.

She says she was almost two stone overweight even before her pregnancy.

Rachel said: “So here I was with four stone to lose. I had lost all confidence and was at a loss.

“I was at a GP surgery when I saw a poster for Slimming World. I was there for my daughter’s first vaccinations and that’s when I decided to join my local Harrogate Slimming World group.”

Rachel said she was welcomed to the group with open arms. She described the members as being lovely, offering to make her a hot drink after being weighed or hold her baby while she got settled into the group.

It was at this group that Rachel found her love for Food Optimising, which is Slimming World’s unique plan to lose weight and get healthy.

She swapped takeaway meals for ‘fakeaways’ using recipes she learned from her group.

After only a week, Rachel had lost 4 lbs and knew this new plan was one she could follow.

Over the next 10 months, she enjoyed curries, chillis, chips loaded with a variety of toppings and cheese within her daily allowance, and she could still enjoy treats every now and then.

By June 2018, she had hit her target and lost the whole four stone. She said she “felt amazing!”

Unfortunately, during lockdown, she became a single mum and was at an “all-time low”. She moved back to Pembrokeshire in December 2021 and quickly swapped healthy meals for quick and easy, high-fat processed meals.

Rachel said: “Being stuck in the house with three children during lockdown was hard.

“As I was working from home with nowhere to go, I found myself mindlessly eating as I was only eating out of boredom.

“I put almost two stone back on and I was devastated.”

In January 2022, she decided to get into shape again. She joined the local Slimming World group in Johnston.

Rachel said she had two stone to lose and was determined to return to her target weight.

She claims she was blown away by the consultant Kelly’s knowledge of the plan and her motivation.

“She guided me back through the new member talk, reintroduced me to my love of Slimming World and allowed me to fall in love with the plan all over again!” Rachel added.

“The warm atmosphere and the gentle reminder that the plan can be used for all the family reignited my passion.

“Since January 10, 2022, I have lost one stone and five pounds. I am only two-pounds away from my personal target.”

After talking about Slimming World and the freedom it allows Rachel to have, she joined Slimming World and trained to be a consultant.

Thanks to her time in the Army, helping those with their physical and mental health, Rachel feels that she would be well suited to helping those achieve their goals.

She commented: “The training is thorough and covers not only the plan but the psychology of wanting to lose weight.

“It has totally changed my views on how I shop, cook and eat food, and I hope my drive and motivation will help others to do the same.”

To join Rachel’s Slimming World group, call Rachel on 07391 634033 or visit Milford United Football Club, Marble Hall Road, every Thursday at 5.30pm.

Community

National one-minute silence for the Queen will be held at 8pm on Sunday

Published

2 weeks ago

September 13, 2022

Tom Sinclair

A NATIONAL one-minute silence will be held in honour of the Queen at 8pm on Sunday, Downing Street announced on Monday (Sept 12).

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “At 8pm on Sunday 18 September, the night before the state funeral, there will be a one-minute silence where the public are invited to come together and observe a national moment of reflection to mourn and reflect on the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.”

“The silence can be marked privately at home on your own or with friends and neighbours, out on your doorstep or street with neighbours, or at any locally arranged community events and vigils.”

“We encourage local community groups, clubs and other organisations to mark this moment of reflection. And if you are overseas, people are encouraged to mark the silence at their local time.”

“The shared national moment of reflection is an opportunity for everyone across the UK to mark the death of Her Majesty and we will set out details of where the Prime Minister will mark it closer to that time.”