News

Fishguard: Chamber of Trade focus on micro-loans

Published

10 years ago

October 12, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Nicola Edwards, Finance Wales

FISHGUARD and Goodwick Chamber of Trade and Tourism’s recent meeting had a packed agenda, hearing from Nicola Edwards, Micro loans Fund Manager at Finance Wales.

Nicola, who joined the meeting to highlight potential funding options available from Finance Wales, manages a team of six staff based all over Wales making micro loans of between £1,000 and £50,000 to Welsh start-ups and small businesses.

Businesses can use micro loans from Finance Wales for a range of purposes, including to buy stock and new equipment, to fit out their existing or new premises, boost cash flow, recruit new staff or to unlock much-needed additional investment. They can also be used to buy a business.

“I was pleased to meet members of Fishguard and Goodwick Chamber of Trade and Tourism recently to explain the funding options open to them from Finance Wales. We also work closely with the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service to sign-post Welsh businesses to the support they need to help them grow.

“We’re backing a wider range of start-ups and small businesses than ever and in the last financial year, businesses in Wales’ retail, wholesale, hospitality and tourism sectors benefitted from over 40% of the micro loans Finance Wales made. We’re keen to talk to more ambitious businesses about how a micro loan from Finance Wales could help them achieve their growth plans,” Nicola explained.

The Chamber’s own project manager, Kate Lindley, reported on the work of Refreshing North Pembrokeshire to date. The project staff have been working with tourism businesses, community groups, festivals and events’ organisers and other local organisations on a variety of projects across north Pembrokeshire to develop and enhance the tourism offer and to extend the tourism season.

Kate reminded the meeting of the aims of the project and how events and businesses are supported. ”As part of the support the RNP will be holding a series of informative networking events across the north of the county in autumn, and I would like to encourage businesses to attend. Further details will be available shortly in local press,” said Kate.

Plans for a campaign on Radio Pembrokeshire to promote Fishguard and Goodwick to Pembrokeshire residents was supported, as there is so much vibrancy and community effort in the twin towns which deserves to be better known. This campaign will start on October 12. Anyone hearing the advertisement slots are asked to tell shopkeepers and others that they have heard about the campaign to attract new “invaders” of our towns.

The Welsh Government has agreed to pay for a coach drop off point in the town, which will enable us to promote the town as a destination to coach operators who have shunned us previously because there is no safe place to deliver their passengers. POINT have agreed to make bunting to decorate the streets next summer; a greening of the towns project is taking shape with the agreement already obtained from the Trunk Road Agency on many locations for planting and additional seats.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

9 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

10 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.