Pembroke Hire Centre at busy Waterloo roundabout marketed with offers around £525,000, with lease option also available

A WELL-KNOWN commercial premises at one of Pembroke Dock’s busiest junctions has been placed on the market, with offers invited in the region of £525,000.

The Pembroke Hire Centre, located at the Waterloo roundabout, is being marketed by Guy Thomas & Co, who say the freehold opportunity offers a long-established business with a consistent trading history and strong local profile.

The site sits on a prominent roadside position used by thousands of vehicles every day, giving it high visibility and easy access. Estate agents say the business has remained stable over a number of years, operating with relatively low staffing requirements.

Trading is currently split between equipment hire, which accounts for around 60% of turnover, retail sales at approximately 35%, and repair work making up the remainder. The listing notes that at least one competitor in the area has ceased trading in recent times.

The purpose-built premises extend to more than 1,800 sq ft and include a customer-facing shop, offices, storage areas and a large workshop. The main shop features a full-width display window and front entrance, while additional areas include offices and stores, a substantial workshop, a garage with roller shutter access, staff facilities and multiple storage rooms.

Externally, the property benefits from a secure, concrete-surfaced yard with palisade fencing, a designated gas storage compound and customer parking to the front.

The building is served by mains utilities and is fitted with gas-fired central heating via a Worcester boiler, along with a security alarm and fibre broadband connection, although services have not been formally tested.

In addition to the property itself, the business stock is valued at approximately £225,000. This includes around £45,000 of new retail tools and an estimated £180,000 worth of hire equipment. A full stock valuation will be carried out at the point of sale.

The guide price of around £525,000 covers the freehold property, goodwill, trade fixtures and fittings, and stock. However, Guy Thomas & Co also indicate that a leasehold option may be available.

Under this alternative arrangement, the premises could be offered on a ten-year full repairing and insuring lease at an initial rent of £20,000 per year, with offers around £350,000 sought for the business, goodwill and stock. An option to purchase the freehold would also be included.

A schedule of adjusted trading accounts can be made available to financial advisers acting for genuinely interested parties, subject to an initial viewing of the premises.

Further details and viewing arrangements are available through Guy Thomas & Co.

THE SPECULATION INN in Hundleton is set to close at the end of the year after a sharp drop in trade made the business no longer viable.

In a statement shared on social media, the pub’s operators confirmed that the venue will close on Tuesday (Dec 31) “for the foreseeable future,” citing falling sales over recent months.

The post said: “Sales over the last couple of months have plummeted and the pub is no longer viable. Thank you to those who have supported us over the last few years, but there just weren’t enough of you. We were and are very grateful. Keep safe.”

The announcement prompted a strong reaction online, with many residents expressing sadness at the closure and praising the work that had gone into refurbishing and running the village pub.

One local resident commented that it was “so sad” to see the inn close, adding that those involved had “worked hard doing the pub up.”

However, some members of the community have speculated that trade may have been affected by negative publicity earlier this year linked to a fraud investigation involving concert ticket sales, which was widely discussed on social media.

There is no suggestion in the pub’s closure announcement that this issue was a factor in the decision to close, and the operators did not reference it in their statement.

The Speculation Inn has been a longstanding fixture in Hundleton and had undergone improvement works in recent years in an effort to secure its long-term future.

No timescale has been given for any potential reopening, with the operators stating the closure will remain in place for the foreseeable future.

A PEMBROKE DOCK restaurant owner has said she is “devastated” after being forced to close her business on Christmas Day following a projected business rates increase of more than £23,000.

Randalls Restaurant, which operates from The Dolphin Hotel in Pembroke Dock, has been run by Natalie Newton and her family since 1999. Ms Newton took over the business in 2018 after her parents retired, overseeing a major transformation from a traditional pub and bed and breakfast into a hotel and restaurant.

For the past seven years, she and her fiancée, chef Ben Randall, have worked to build the restaurant’s reputation, offering breakfasts, lunches and evening meals using locally sourced produce where possible, as well as hosting special events including Christmas parties, buffets, afternoon teas and themed dining nights.

However, Ms Newton said she was left with no option but to close the restaurant after discovering that its business rates are expected to rise from around £10,000 to £33,000 from next year.

She said: “It’s a great shame. My father is absolutely devastated – this was his legacy. I took it over and built a really successful restaurant, and now it feels like it’s been taken away.”

Ms Newton said she checked her projected rates bill using the Government’s online calculator and was shocked to see that it had more than trebled. With quieter trading months expected early in the year, she said the increase was simply not sustainable.

“January, February and March are quieter months,” she said. “From April I’d need to find an extra £2,750 every month. Even if I managed it, I’d be working for nothing, and I’m worried I wouldn’t be able to pay my bills and would end up in the red.”

She added: “I’ve made the decision to close straight after Christmas Day. It’s drastic, but I have to keep my head above water and protect everything my parents worked for.”

Ms Newton said the decision had not only affected her family but also the restaurant’s eleven members of staff.

“I’ve invested everything back into this business,” she said. “Every penny the restaurant has made has gone straight back into it. I’ve worked every day, nights and weekends, and I haven’t had Christmas at home for seven years.

“For the last six months I’d look around the restaurant when it was busy and think how lucky we were. People were happy, good food was going out. Now it feels like it’s all been snatched away.”

The Herald has reported extensively on growing concern among Pembrokeshire businesses over sharp increases in business rates following updated valuations, with several town centre traders warning that rising fixed costs are pushing otherwise viable businesses to the brink.

Ms Newton said she intends to focus on running the hotel after Christmas but will miss the restaurant and its customers.

“I’m going to miss everyone,” she said. “I’ve loved building relationships with customers over the years. I just want to thank everyone who believed in Ben and me and supported us.”

Business rates in Wales are due to be updated from April 1, 2026, to reflect current property values. The Welsh Government has said that while many businesses will see their bills fall, others will face increases.

It has announced that any business facing an increase of more than £300 will have the rise phased in over two years rather than being applied in full immediately.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language Mark Drakeford said previously: “We know businesses have faced significant economic challenges in recent years. This support package will help them manage the transition to updated rates bills while we deliver on our commitment to a fairer rates system.”