A PEMBROKESHIRE town bowls club’s call on planners to let it keep advertising signs for local businesses which help support its operations has been turned down.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Fishguard & Goodwick Bowls Club, Wern Road, Goodwick sought retrospective permission for up to 36 signs on land close to the town’s Phoenix Centre.

The signs had been in place for some 18 months, being removed ahead of the formal planning application.

A supporting statement accompanying the application says: “This application seeks retrospective consent for the display of up to 36 non-illuminated, single-sided advertisement panels mounted to an existing timber boundary fence.

It said the advertisements are modest in scale, facing an existing large car park rather than nearby residential properties and does not project over any public highway or footpath.

It added: “The advertisement signs have been temporarily removed while planning permission is sought. The advertisements and fence had been in place for approximately 18 months prior to their temporary removal, during which time no complaints were received.

“The total number of advertisements has been consciously limited, and not all fence bays display signage, ensuring that the proposal does not result in harm to visual amenity or public safety.

“The income generated from the advertisements provides an important source of revenue for the Fishguard and Goodwick Bowls Club, supporting the ongoing operation and maintenance of local community sporting facilities.

“The advertising panels also offer local businesses an affordable and accessible means of promotion within the community.”

An officer report recommending refusal said two objections to the scheme were received, raising issues over discrepancies in the application and the scheme having no merit, being “at odds with the established character and appearance of the area”.

The report added: “While it is acknowledged that businesses have a reasonable need to advertise their presence and services, such advertisements must be appropriately sited and designed to ensure they do not detract from the visual amenity of the area.”

It went on to say: “It is considered that the proposed advertisements are inappropriately sited relative to their functional purpose. The cumulative impact arising from the proliferation of signage in close proximity, extending along the entirety of the boundary fencing, results in a visually cluttered and intrusive form of development.

“Furthermore, the scale and number of the proposed 36 advertisement boards is considered excessive and not reasonably necessary, giving rise to a harmful impact on the visual amenity of the surrounding area.”

The application was refused by planners on the grounds it was “an excessive concentration of signage within the locality, creating visual clutter that would harm the visual amenity and undermine the character and appearance of the site and its surroundings”.

PLANS to convert historic farm buildings near north Pembrokeshire’s Whitesands beach for use as holiday accommodation have been given the go-ahead, but their use doesn’t have to be restricted to just that purpose.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Matthew James of James Properties, through agent Harries Planning Design Management sought permission for the conversion of two derelict barns to two self-catering holiday accommodation units at Porthmawr Ganol, Whitesands, St Davids.

An officer report said: “The farmstead occupies a prominent position within a landscape characterised by open agricultural fields enclosed predominantly by traditional dry-stone walls, exposed coastal pasture and areas of heathland associated with Carn Llidi.”

It added: “The site lies within the Porthmawr Historic Landscape Character Area, an area recognised for its historic pattern of dispersed settlement, traditional farmsteads, dry-stone wall field boundaries and evidence of medieval and post-medieval agricultural activity.

“The retention and reuse of the existing buildings therefore has the potential to preserve an important element of the area’s historic landscape character whilst securing a viable long-term future for structures that would otherwise continue to deteriorate.”

It said that insufficient evidence had initially been submitted to demonstrate that the buildings were unsuitable for permanent residential conversion and only for self-catering accommodation and therefore an affordable housing contribution should be secured.

Policy would lead to a contribution of £36,400, the report said, but a financial viability assessment by the applicant “demonstrated that the development would not be viable if required to provide the full policy contribution,” the maximum contribution capable of being supported whilst maintaining viability was £12,641.

This reduced figure was accepted, the officer report saying: “Whilst this represents a reduced contribution when compared with the full policy requirement, the submitted viability evidence demonstrates that the development could not reasonably support the full contribution whilst remaining deliverable.

“In these circumstances, securing a reduced contribution is considered preferable to losing the opportunity to secure the restoration and beneficial reuse of the historic buildings.”

It stated that, with the affordable contribution, the scheme would not be limited to self-catering development only.

The application was conditionally approved by Park planners.

Council confirms ongoing enquiries after Herald investigation into Steven Grant

CONSUMERS who say they lost money after dealings with Computer Solutions Wales may have been left falling between police, banks and Trading Standards, Pembrokeshire County Council has acknowledged.

The admission comes after The Pembrokeshire Herald raised further questions about complaints involving Steven Grant, who has operated under the Computer Solutions Wales name.

The Herald has now been contacted by numerous customers, former workers and relatives of customers who allege payments were made for repairs, equipment or services which were delayed, not completed, or not refunded.

Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that Trading Standards complaints relating to Mr Grant and Computer Solutions Wales remain under review, and declined to answer some questions because of what it described as “ongoing investigations”.

A council spokesperson said: “Given ongoing investigations, it would not be appropriate to answer questions 3, 4 and 5.”

Those questions related to the number of complaints recorded, whether the council’s assessment had changed, and whether ongoing enquiries included examination of any wider pattern of complaints.

Council confirms police referral gap

The Herald asked Pembrokeshire County Council whether it had formal information-sharing arrangements with Dyfed-Powys Police in cases involving potential consumer detriment or trading concerns.

The council said it maintained working relationships with police and that information was shared where appropriate, in accordance with legislation, data protection rules and established professional protocols.

However, it added that there was “no single overarching agreement that captures every type of referral”.

The council said: “Where the Police identify potential consumer detriment or trading concerns, these may be referred to the Trading Standards Team for further consideration.”

It also said a significant proportion of complaints were received through the Citizens Advice Consumer Service, which records reports on a national intelligence database and allows Trading Standards to monitor trends, identify repeat offenders and prioritise enforcement activity where necessary.

Consumers ‘falling between agencies’

The Herald also asked whether the council was concerned that some complainants might be falling between agencies — for example where police classify matters as civil, Trading Standards is not automatically notified, and financial institutions may seek police reference numbers or criminal findings before progressing reimbursement claims.

The council said: “The Council recognises the potential for some matters to fall between agency remits, particularly where issues are assessed as civil disputes rather than criminal offences.

“In such cases, the Police may not make a referral to Trading Standards, and consumers may instead be directed towards civil remedies.”

The authority said the Citizens Advice Consumer Service was intended to reduce that risk by providing a central reporting mechanism so concerns relating to consumer detriment could still be captured and assessed by Trading Standards, even where they had not been referred by police.

But the council also acknowledged problems where banks or credit card providers require police evidence before considering refunds.

The spokesperson said: “The Council is aware that challenges can arise where financial institutions require evidence such as a crime reference number before progressing reimbursement claims.

“While Trading Standards does not determine the criteria used by financial institutions, we continue to work with partners to promote clear reporting routes and ensure consumers are signposted appropriately to the most relevant agency.”

Police treated Starlink complaint as civil

The Herald had asked the council about a documented complaint from a customer who said she paid £1,427.95 for a Starlink installation which was not carried out.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed separately that it received a report of alleged fraud on October 3, 2025.

A police spokesperson said: “It was alleged that a payment had been made for services that were not subsequently delivered.

“The allegation was investigated by the force and confirmed to be a civil matter, which was communicated to the victim as well as further advice being given with regards to the returning of their funds. No further police action was taken.”

The complainant says she was left in difficulty because her bank would not refund the payment without police action.

Trading Standards said it had not been aware of that specific police complaint and said the complainant should report it through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline so it could be recorded and referred.

Earlier Trading Standards involvement

In an earlier statement to the Herald, Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed that complaints relating to Steven Grant and Computer Solutions Wales were first received by Trading Standards in October 2024.

At that stage, the council said the complaints were assessed as predominantly civil in nature and did not warrant a criminal investigation.

However, Trading Standards officers met Mr Grant to discuss concerns and offered “extensive business advice” verbally and in writing, outlining his statutory duties as a trader and steps he could take to resolve grievances.

The council said advice was also offered to complainants on how devices might be recovered and the avenues available for civil redress.

But the authority added: “Unfortunately, since this early engagement Trading Standards colleagues have been unable to obtain updates from Mr Grant, and attempts to engage in further dialogue have gone unmet.”

The council also confirmed officers were aware of changes to trading address, company status and officers.

The council said it was aware that certain matters remained unresolved and of wider complaints, and would continue to assess whether a criminal investigation might be warranted.

Customers and workers come forward

The Herald’s investigation began after customers contacted the newspaper alleging missing devices, unpaid refunds and payments for goods or services they said were not supplied.

Since publication, further people have come forward.

Among them is a Cardiff-based animator, Rebecca “Bex” Merrell, who says she paid £2,964.55 to Steven Grant trading as Computer Solutions Wales for a replacement computer in December 2024.

Bank records seen by the Herald confirm the payment. Ms Merrell says the computer was never delivered and that promised refunds did not arrive.

Her father, Jay Merrell, has also contacted the newspaper and confirmed the family’s account.

The Herald has also seen evidence from Emma Venables, an NHS worker, who says she paid £589 in October 2024 to repair her son’s water-damaged laptop.

Bank records confirm the payment. Ms Venables says she was later told the laptop was repaired but locked inside premises because of a landlord dispute. She says she later gained access to the premises through a letting agent, but the laptop was not there. She says no refund was received.

Another customer, who asked not to be named, told the Herald she paid £1,750 by credit card for a new Apple Mac and transfer of family photographs from her late husband’s old computer. She says she waited months, was given repeated explanations for delays, and eventually recovered the money through a Section 75 credit card claim.

Her original computer was later returned by a member of staff.

Pensioner’s hard drive

The Herald has also been contacted by Tanya Mardell, who says her 71-year-old father paid £600 in total in an attempt to recover data from a hard drive containing more than 10,000 family photographs.

Mrs Mardell said her father first paid £400 and later paid a further £200 after what she described as “a lot of backwards and forwards”.

She said Mr Grant still had the hard drive and that her father now wanted it returned, whether repaired or not, so he could try another company.

She said the situation had been “incredibly stressful, emotional and financially draining” for her father, who lives on his pension.

Two PCs and court order

Another complainant, Zac Townley, said he handed over two custom-built desktop PCs for repair in March 2025 and later paid £710 after being told the work was complete.

He says the computers were never returned.

Mr Townley took the matter to court. He says a hearing took place in October 2025, which Mr Grant did not attend. The court ruled in his favour and issued an order in November for the return of the two computers and repayment of £377 in court fees.

Mr Townley says the deadline passed and the computers remained unreturned.

Holiday home Wi-Fi dispute

Retired builder David Norman Barrett, who runs holiday accommodation, visited the Herald offices and said he paid Mr Grant £1,000 to install new Wi-Fi equipment at one of his rental properties.

Mr Barrett said the work was not completed and that repeated attempts to arrange follow-up visits were met with explanations that Mr Grant was unwell or dealing with other urgent matters.

“One time he said he had collapsed and was in hospital so couldn’t attend. I did not believe him,” Mr Barrett said.

He said Mr Grant later requested additional payments despite the original amount being paid upfront.

Mr Barrett said he eventually instructed another company to complete the work.

“They were excellent and finished everything properly for £600,” he said.

Mr Barrett’s grandson, Tom, confirmed his account to the newspaper.

A Herald reporter contacted Mr Grant by telephone regarding Mr Barrett’s complaint.

Mr Grant confirmed he had received money from Mr Barrett and said he was aware a second company later completed the work, but disputed the amount involved.

“Mr Barrett had given me money, but not £1,000,” he said.

Mr Grant also alleged that Mr Barrett had taken his tools, which he said was the reason he did not return to complete the job.

Mr Barrett denied that allegation.

Laptop left in pieces

The Herald has also been contacted by college tutor and self-employed seamstress Suzanne Morris, who says she had dealings with Mr Grant in 2024 after initially taking a laptop to him over a minor technical issue.

She says the laptop was later reduced to what she described as “a cardboard box full of bits”.

Ms Morris said she lost college lesson preparation, presentations, lesson plans, resources and business accounts stored on the device.

She said the loss meant she had to duplicate a significant amount of work before the start of a new term.

Ms Morris says she has catalogued and summarised her communications with Mr Grant and is willing to provide them to the Herald.

That material is still being reviewed.

Former worker tribunal judgment

The investigation has also uncovered employment-related complaints.

Employment Tribunal documents seen by the Herald show Matthew Allen brought a successful claim against Computer Solutions Pembs Ltd.

The tribunal ordered the company to pay £13,952.49 in unpaid wages, notice pay, pension contributions and holiday pay relating to employment between February and July 2023.

Mr Allen says the money remains unpaid and believes the total owed has increased due to interest.

Another former worker has also contacted the Herald alleging non-payment, lack of employment documentation and intimidation. He has asked not to be named publicly without explicit consent, and the Herald is reviewing supporting evidence.

Company status and trading history

Companies House records show Computer Solutions Pembs Ltd was dissolved on Tuesday (July 29, 2025) following compulsory strike-off proceedings.

Filings show changes to directors and persons with significant control in the months before dissolution, along with a change of registered office address from Haverfordwest to Barrow-in-Furness.

Steven Grant was appointed as a director and person with significant control in March 2025, before filings later recorded his termination and cessation as a person with significant control at the end of April 2025.

A new director and person with significant control was recorded in May 2025, shortly before the company was dissolved.

Despite the dissolution of the limited company, services continued to be advertised online under the Computer Solutions Wales name.

Archived photographs, social media posts and marketing material seen by the Herald show the Computer Solutions Wales name has been used publicly for several years, including from a high street premises in Pembrokeshire and in promotional material dating back to 2022.

A promotional post from November 2022 referred to Computer Solutions Wales being awarded a Welsh Enterprise Award, while images from 2023 show a shopfront displaying the Computer Solutions Wales branding.

Customers who contacted the Herald said they believed they were dealing with the same ongoing business regardless of the underlying limited company structure.

Online reviews

The Herald has also reviewed online reviews and public comments relating to Computer Solutions Wales.

Some reviews are positive, but many negative reviews describe experiences involving delays, disputed refunds, non-return of devices and repeated promises to deliver equipment or payments.

The newspaper has not relied on anonymous online comments as evidence unless those individuals have contacted the newsroom directly and provided supporting documentation.

Grant’s response and legal threats

Mr Grant has previously said issues arose because of a dispute with a former landlord which restricted access to premises containing customer devices.

In a statement supplied to the Herald, Computer Solutions Wales said: “This issue began when Computer Solutions Wales was in dispute with its then landlord over building repair obligations and subsequent rent requirements.

“Since then, the landlord has denied CSW access to the property which contains a number of computers. These computers do not belong to CSW nor the landlord, but to CSW customers.

“CSW does not understand the legal position regarding ‘ownership’ of these computers, and is urgently seeking legal advice as to how the computers can be returned to their rightful owners at the earliest opportunity.

“CSW fully understands the frustration of its customers, and can reassure them that it is making strenuous efforts to resolve this matter as soon as is possible.”

The Herald later asked Mr Grant to clarify why customers were not kept informed during the alleged access dispute, how many devices were affected, how long access had been restricted, and who the landlord or managing agent was so the account could be checked.

He declined to provide further comment.

Following further reporting, Mr Grant sent the Herald a cease-and-desist email alleging defamation and harassment, demanding removal of existing articles and warning of legal action.

He has also said he has complained to the Independent Press Standards Organisation.

The Herald rejects any suggestion that its reporting is harassment. The newspaper has based its coverage on documents, court records, payment evidence and on-the-record accounts, and has offered Mr Grant repeated opportunities to respond.

Police and council position

Dyfed-Powys Police has previously said matters brought to its attention in relation to Computer Solutions Wales appeared to relate to civil liability and potential consumer protection issues.

In the Starlink case, police confirmed they received a report of alleged fraud but investigated the allegation and determined it was civil.

Pembrokeshire County Council has now acknowledged that consumers can fall between agency remits where matters are assessed as civil rather than criminal.

The council has also confirmed that Trading Standards was first made aware of complaints relating to Mr Grant and Computer Solutions Wales in October 2024, that officers met Mr Grant and gave business advice, and that further attempts to obtain updates from him went unanswered.

The council says complaints should be reported through Citizens Advice so they can be recorded and referred to the relevant Trading Standards service.

How to complain

Pembrokeshire County Council says any new complaints relating to Steven Grant or Computer Solutions Wales should be directed to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

The council said Citizens Advice can provide consumer advice, signpost further guidance and notify the relevant Trading Standards service of matters of concern.

The Herald is continuing to review further accounts and documentation from people who have come forward.