Business
Spa hotel plans for historic Tenby department store
PLANS to convert a prominent historic former department store, which operated for more than a century in the seaside town of Tenby, to a spa hotel and restaurant have been submitted.
Wil Crockford, of Bassett Crockford Holdings Ltd, in an application submitted to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park through agent Gerald Blain Associates Limited, is seeking a change of the former TP Hughes department store on the town’s High Street to a 17-bed spa hotel, restaurant and cafe/bar, along with associated extensions and alterations.
The property has two buildings sitting either side of St Nicholas’s Lane with retail frontages on both the town’s Upper Frog Street and High Street, linked by a first-floor Edwardian bridge which stretches over St Nicholas’s Lane.
The property was occupied by the well-known TP Hughes department store from 1902 to 2017, the TP Hughes name still visible in a mosaic step on Upper Frog Street and a stain glass window on the bridge.
It is sited within the Grade-I-listed medieval defensive town walls of Tenby, a designated scheduled ancient monument.
The site, more recently occupied by clothing retailer M&Co before its closure was announced last year, is also in the town’s conservation area, next to three listed buildings.
A supporting statement submitted through Gerald Blain Associates Limited said: “The proposed scheme would remodel the interior of the building to create a 17-bedroom spa hotel, café/ bar and restaurant. The internal remodelling would include the repositioning of the staircases, lifts and partitions.”
It adds: “Existing external features of architectural quality such as the sash windows, bridge, former shop frontages would be restored and repaired as necessary. The bridge includes several notable features include a dome, metal railings and stained-glass windows, all of which would be retained and restored. New solar panels, heating and air conditioning systems would be installed on the roofs to improve the energy efficiency of the building.”
Giving reasons for the applied-for change of use, it says: “The closure of two retailers at the property in the last 10 years serves as evidence of this change in the high street. Also, the applicant is aware that several retailers have closed on Upper Frog Street in recent times,” adding that a change of use for a nearby business, the former Clarices toy shop, has been approved.
It says a pre-application enquiry “did explore the potential for a small aspect of retail on the ground floor,” but says it is now viewed as unviable.
The scheme will be considered by park planners at a later date.
Business
Welsh Water slammed after thousands were left without water
DWR CYMRU has been slammed by a councillor who warned people “could have died” after thousands were left without water.
Tens of thousands of residents across the county were left without water after a mains burst at a treatment plant in Dolgarrog last week.
Welsh Water said supplies were restored to homes and businesses on Monday morning.
The chairwoman of Conwy’s finance committee slammed Dwr Cymru during a meeting at the council’s Bodlondeb HQ on Monday.
Old Colwyn councillor Cheryl Carlisle thanked volunteers and council staff for pulling together before calling for a public inquiry into the crisis.
Security guards
Cllr Carlisle claimed those in poor health had been left without water and said security guards at water stations had turned people away with small children.
“I’d like to take the time to thank everyone that’s being involved in the crisis in Conwy over the last six days, the selfless volunteers, everyone that provided water and help to the elderly and vulnerable, and also the engineers for fixing the problem and our social care staff and the other staff who have helped keep our nursing homes going, our care homes, and (looked after) the most vulnerable,” she said.
“On a different note, there will need to be an inquiry, won’t there, into the crisis response from Dwr Cymru.
“You cannot fault the engineers, but the delays in basic organisation, like setting up the water stations.
“It was 48 hours in my particular community. Without the volunteers, it would have been very, very serious, indeed, for those with health conditions.”
She added: “The priority lists of Dwr Cymru did not work.
“There were people on it that were still undelivered (not had water delivered) as was last night [Sunday], cancer patients, dialysis patients. This is completely unacceptable.
“Security guards turned away members (of the public) with little children. That was absolutely unacceptable as well.
“I think this has brought out the very best in people and, in just a few, the very worst. There needs to be a clear disaster plan going forward.”
Cllr Carlisle then insisted an inquiry was needed after Cllr Goronwy Edwards suggested a review.
She added: “I think it needs to be something more than a review, given the seriousness.
“People could have died, those with (serious health conditions). I don’t think we should downplay anything until everyone has come through this intact.”
Conwy Council leader Cllr Charlie McCoubrey also thanked those councillors and members of the public “who had gone above and beyond to look after their communities”.
He added the authority was now in a recovery phase with some households still without water and some schools affected.
“Clearly, with any major incident, questions need to be asked about could this have been prevented, was the response adequate, and what happens in the future in terms of how we coordinate things and prevent incidents like that happening again?”
Cllr McCoubrey said he was working with Welsh Government to get answers from Dwr Cymru.
Report by Richard Evans, Local Democracy Reporter
Business
Decision due on development of buildings at Trewern Farm
A CALL to let a 950-herd north Pembrokeshire dairy farm keep a farm shed built without permission over a decade ago is expected to be approved later this month.
In an application recommended for conditional approval at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee meeting of January 29, Trewern Farms Ltd is seeking permission for the retention of the agricultural building and lay down area at Trewern Farm, Felindre Farchog.
The application is part of a wider complex planning history associated with the site.
A report for Park planners says: “Trewern Farm is operated as a zero grazing style dairy farm with 304 hectares located on two separate parcels of land, one at Trewern with the remainder being at Penpedwast, adjacent to Castell Henllys. The farm has a dairy herd of approximately 950 cows.
“Trewern Farm has expanded significantly over recent years with many of the buildings and structures on site having been erected without the prior benefit of planning permission, and having since been regularised through a combination of retrospective applications and certificates of lawfulness.
“The building subject of this application is believed to have been constructed in 2014. The site currently comprises an agricultural shed immediately adjoining another shed and is used for cubicle housing.
“A slurry lagoon, silage clamps and 12 of the newer agricultural buildings are now lawful as Certificates of Lawfulness were granted for these whilst the Authority was awaiting an Environmental Impact Assessment to be submitted by the applicants for the 2015 planning application to regularise the unauthorised buildings.
“However, this is the last of the outstanding agricultural buildings which are not lawful, and an enforcement notice was served in May 2018 requiring its removal. This notice was appealed in November 2019 and is currently being held in abeyance by the Planning Inspectorate.”
It says the building referred to in the application “is described as being designed to house cattle in a series of cubicles, and forms part of a longer set of buildings running along the southern section of the farming complex,” adding: “The livestock numbers are not proposed for increase as a result of this application but will be as secured [by a planning consent] restricted to no more than 960 milking cows with 1020 maximum excluding calves.”
Local community council Nevern has previously said it has “grave concerns” about the application, asking, amongst other things, how the 960 cattle limit will be policed and important nearby woodland will be protected.
The application was previously recommended for approval at the park’s December meeting, but was deferred as not all received documentation had been published on the national park’s planning website.
The application is now returning to the January meeting, again recommended for conditional approval.
Business
Castell Howell launches new Food Show at Welsh International Culinary Championships
CASTELL HOWELL has launched a new Food Show, showcasing the food trends and innovations that the hospitality industry can expect to see in 2025 and giving visitors a preview of its growing range of Welsh food and drink products.
The new industry event is taking place alongside the 2025 Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) at the International Conference Centre in Newport from 20-22 January.
Castell Howell managing director Matt Lewis said: “The Castell Howell Food Show will be a new highlight in this three-day celebration of Welsh culinary excellence, hospitality skills, and innovation. As the largest wholesale supplier of Welsh Food & Drink, it gives us the opportunity to champion our excellent Welsh producers, to support hospitality customers in developing their businesses and, ultimately, to help our communities and local economies throughout Wales to thrive.
“Visitors will have the unique opportunity to engage directly with Castell Howell specialists representing every aspect of our business from insights into the latest trends, to discovering what’s in the pipeline for Welsh food and drink producers in 2025,” he said.
The Castell Howell Food Show will be a new annual event in the calendar at the start of the year, serving as a preview for its larger established trade shows, hosted at Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli and Parc Eirias in Conwy.
The Welsh International Culinary Championships, organised by the Culinary Association of Wales, bring together the nation’s most talented craft chefs, butchers, and front-of-house professionals for three days of demanding competition. The 2025 WICC also hosts the Skills Competition Wales hospitality finals, showcasing the country’s top apprentices.
Deputy First Minister, with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, said:
“These two events promise to be a fantastic showcase for Wales’ food and drink industry. It’s an opportunity to celebrate Wales’ culinary excellence and the strength of our hospitality sector. Castell Howell plays an important role in supporting Welsh farmers, producers and the hospitality sector – and I wish them well with this new event.”
Further information about the event is at foodshow.wales
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