Entertainment

Popular dinosaur park gets permission to keep facilities open

Published

2 years ago

June 26, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow a south Pembrokeshire dinosaur park attraction to keep some of its facilities running has been given the thumbs-up by county planners.

In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council planners, Simon Meyrick of The Dinosaur Park, Gumfreston sought a certificate of lawfulness to keep three operational buildings at the park, a tourist attraction near Tenby which first opened in the mid-90s.

The certificate relates to three building at the park: a Covered Eating Area, a ‘Dinos Fun House,’ and an ‘Arachno Web’.

An application for a certificate of lawfulness allows an applicant to stay at a development if they can provide proof of occupancy or use over a prolonged period, normally in excess of four years.

A supporting statement, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, said each building had been continuously operated since at least April 2020, a period of more than four years, for the purposes of seeking the certificate of lawfulness under the ‘four year rule’.

It added: “The covered eating area has been present almost since the opening of the Park in 1994; completion would therefore have been in 1995 / 1996 when it was used as an amphitheatre and home to puppet shows and fossil hunts. Over the last 3 / 4 years the same structure has been re-purposed to form a covered eating area reflecting a changing set of priorities, firstly to act as protection from rain and sun reflecting climate change and secondly, to provide more space for families to sit in a more open environment while variations of Covid are still present.”

It said the ‘Arachno Web’ was issued with a Certificate of Conformation (European Rope Course Association) in July 2018, and the ‘Dino Fun House’ was constructed at the beginning of 2020 after the required timber had been delivered by Farmplus in November 2019.

“Whilst there is a history of planning consents relating to the establishment of the Dinosaur Park and its development over recent years, no specific consents have been sought or granted for either the Covered Seating Area, the Dinos Fun House or the Arachno Web. This application seeks to remedy the lack of those specific consents,” the statement added.

A report by officers, granting the certificate, stated: “It is considered that based on the evidence available, on the balance of probability, that the buildings / structure edged red have been in operational use for a period in excess of four years preceding the date of the application for this certificate, and is subsequently immune from enforcement action.”

Entertainment

Woolf Works to be screened at Torch Theatre

Published

6 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Olivier Award winning Royal Ballet triptych inspired by Virginia Woolf will be shown on Sunday 15 February at 5:00pm

THE ROYAL BALLET’S Woolf Works is coming to the Torch Theatre screen, giving local audiences the chance to experience one of the company’s most acclaimed modern productions.

The Observer and Broadway World have both awarded the production five stars, with the ballet widely praised for bringing Virginia Woolf’s writing to life through movement, music and striking design.

Created for The Royal Ballet in 2015, Woolf Works is an Olivier Award winning triptych that draws on themes from Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, The Waves and other Woolf works. Rather than following a traditional storyline, it reflects Woolf’s distinctive stream of consciousness style, exploring inner worlds and emotional reality in a series of powerful, connected pieces.

The production features designs by Moritz Junge, whose work spans major opera and ballet productions including Così fan tutte for Opera Australia, Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and Les Troyens, Aida and The Tempest at the Royal Opera. He also designed costumes for the London 2012 Paralympics opening ceremony and was an overall winner of the Linbury Prize for Stage Design.

Choreography is by Sir Wayne McGregor, who was appointed The Royal Ballet’s Resident Choreographer in 2006, becoming the first in the role to come from a contemporary dance background. His approach, supported by a leading creative team, helps shape a large scale work which avoids conventional narrative structures in favour of atmosphere, texture and emotional depth.

Woolf Works will be screened at the Torch Theatre on Sunday 15 February at 5:00pm.

Tickets are £20, £18 concessions and £9 for under 26s. For further information visit www.torchtheatre.co.uk or contact the Box Office on 01646 695267.

Charity

Charity medium night to raise funds for Cancer Research Wales in Milford Haven

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

International spiritualist medium to appear at rugby club event

A CHARITY evening with an international spiritualist medium is set to take place in Milford Haven later this month, with all proceeds going to Cancer Research Wales.

The event will be held on Friday (Jan 16) at Milford Haven Rugby Club, and will feature a live demonstration by Lee Mills, who is described by organisers as an internationally recognised spiritualist medium.

Organised in support of Cancer Research Wales, the evening aims to raise funds for cancer research carried out in Wales. Organisers have confirmed that all proceeds raised on the night will be donated to the charity.

Doors open at 6:30pm, with the event starting at 7:00pm. Tickets are priced at £12, and the evening is a ticket-only event.

Those wishing to attend are advised to book in advance. Tickets can be available by contacting Sara on 07817 677632.

Organisers said the event offers local residents the chance to enjoy an evening of entertainment while also supporting a Welsh charity dedicated to funding life-saving cancer research.

Entertainment

Story of friendship and history becomes a profound study of complicated humanity

Published

5 days ago

January 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WITH the Torch Theatre’s popular £5 cinema ticket offer running throughout January and February, Eleanor the Great is a standout screening not to be missed.

The film features a remarkable central performance from June Squibb, who shines as Eleanor Morgenstein, a sharp-witted and spirited 94-year-old whose carefully told story begins to take on a dangerous life of its own.

Eleanor has always prided herself on staying connected to the world around her. Following a devastating loss, she leaves Florida for New York City to live with her daughter and grandson, hoping to rebuild family ties. Instead, she finds herself increasingly isolated and invisible. A chance encounter leads her into a support group where she does not quite belong, and in an unguarded moment she shares a story that unexpectedly draws attention she never intended to seek.

As a young journalism student begins to pursue Eleanor as both a friend and mentor, the consequences of that story grow increasingly complex. When the situation spirals beyond her control, Eleanor is forced to confront the truth — and the cost of the life she has allowed others to believe.

Critics have praised Squibb’s performance. The Guardian described her as giving “an enjoyably twinkly performance,” while Empire Magazine noted: “The plot is predictable and the look unmemorable, but Johansson has nevertheless crafted a pleasingly old-fashioned character piece with just enough bite to balance its emotion.”

In her directorial debut, Scarlett Johansson delicately weaves themes of ageing, family, loss and the blurred line between truth and deceit. What begins as a quiet story of friendship and memory gradually unfolds into a thoughtful and deeply human exploration of identity.

Eleanor the Great will be screened at the Torch Theatre on:

Friday, January 16 at 5:15pm
Saturday, January 17 at 4:15pm
Sunday, January 18 at 7:15pm
Tuesday, January 20 at 7:45pm

Tickets are priced at £5 as part of the January cinema offer. For more information, visit the Torch Theatre website or contact the Box Office on (01646) 695267.