Community

Bakery rises to the occasion

Published

12 years ago

January 31, 2014

A BAKERY in Haverfordwest has moved a step closer to being named as the best bakery in Britain.

On Wednesday they won the regional final and they will now be competing against the winner of Central England on Friday for the chance to go to the National Finals. The Welsh Bakery specialises in all types of baking from traditional breads, morning goods, savouries to their more exotic contemporary range like sour doughs, shaped celebration cakes (“Minion Cakes” from Despicable Me) and Rye Breads. They even cater for buffets and wedding parties.

They do their baking in a custom-made Bakehouse in Thornton Industrial Estate and they also supply top eateries like the Georges in Haverfordwest.

They use only top ingredients and are one of the few bakeries that still make by hand.

Bakery owner Rob Davies said:

“Brian used to work for his father Billy Davies and his uncle Cecil Davies in Merlins Bridge when he was growing up. I believe he’s a third generation baker with 50 years of experience making me the fourth with 25 years of experience and my kids the future fifth.

“ITV came to film us at bakery in early June where we had to make two of the three challenges for the show.

“For the speciality bake we had to choose one product that would set us apart from other bakeries.

“We chose our Dragon Bread which is fiery bread with chilli coriander and coconut and shaped in the image of a dragon. We thought this would be a good option as nowhere else makes it and being a Welsh bakery – to Welsh dragon to dragon bread seemed to be a no-brainer.

“My saying on the farmers market is ‘if you’re not Welsh before you eat it you will be after, it puts fire in your belly’.”

The other challenge was called the Wild Card Bake where they specified two ingredients to use which were coconut and a rich short crust base. Rob continued:

“This is where the Preseli Tropical Tart was born. After a fair bit of brainstorming between me, Brian and my wife Jayne we decided on a short crust base with crushed mango and coconut custard. We had the nod, and builders know their grub so we knew it was a winner. Brian coined the name as he lives on the mountains and mangoes are tropical.

“I did have a bit of a joke with the judges on this one, not sure if it’ll make it onto final edit but they were big on locally sourced ingredients so when asked what part of our coconut and mango based tart we sourced locally, I said: ‘well the mango’s and coconuts of course, it’s well known they grow all over the Preseli mountains’.”

After the highs of being filmed for TV they were hit with the greatest of lows when their Haverfordwest store caught fire just a week after filming. The shop now has an incredible new look and they would like to thank all staff and customers who were amazing through a difficult six months when they were undergoing repairs.

“We travelled up to Burton upon Trent later in the month to display our speciality bake, Wild Card Bake and to take part in final challenge, the Bakers Dozen.

“In this instance it was for Calazone’s which is similar to a folded over pizza containing tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto. We very much enjoyed this challenge. It was very novel baking in different surroundings being watched by judges and TV cameras. I hope our humour comes across on the TV screen.

“The experience of being filmed all the time was unsettling at first but we soon got used to it and started to relax. The film crew were amazing and friendly and helped to make it a very memorable occasion.

“We did feel a bit nervous when it came to being judged by Mich Turner, TV chef and owner of Little Venice Cake Company, and cookery writer and restaurateur Peter Sidwell.

“We had friends and family with us at the judging, Sharon (Brian’s partner) family friends Lewis and Janice and childhood friend of mine Justin Devereaux who I’ve known for 34 years. We are very grateful for the support and distance they travelled to be with us.”

You can see how they get on by tuning in to the Great British Bakery on ITV1 at 4pm this Friday.

Community

Annual charity carol service raises funds for good causes

Published

19 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service held its annual Charity Carol Service on Wednesday (Dec 10) at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel in Crymych.

The event brought together members of the local community alongside Fire Service staff for an evening of carols, readings and festive refreshments, marking the Christmas season in a warm and inclusive atmosphere.

This year’s service supported two important charities — the Fire Fighters Charity and Cancer Research Wales — with all proceeds going directly towards their ongoing work.

A total of £597 was raised on the night, which will be shared equally between the two charities.

The Service thanked the congregation at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel for hosting the event, as well as everyone who gave their time, support and generosity to make the evening such a success.

Community

3 Amigos toy bike run under way across Pembrokeshire

Published

20 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Castle Inn fun runners back festive charity event

THE ANNUAL 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run is under way this afternoon (Saturday), with hundreds of motorcyclists setting off from Pembroke to raise funds for children’s services.

Riders gathered at The Commons car park in Pembroke from around midday before departing shortly after 1:00pm. The festive convoy is travelling along its traditional route, taking in Pembroke Dock and continuing through parts of the county including Neyland, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest.

The event is organised by the 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group and has become a much-anticipated Christmas tradition in west Wales, with toys and donations collected for children receiving care within the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.

Also supporting the event are fun runners from the Castle Inn in Pembroke, who have been fundraising in aid of the 3 Amigos. The group are pictured alongside participants from today’s run.

The 3 Amigos have been raising funds for children’s wards and health charities for more than twenty-five years, with their Easter and Christmas events continuing to make a positive difference to young patients and their families.

Organisers have thanked the public for their support and asked road users to be mindful of the large convoy as it passes through towns and villages this afternoon.

Photo caption:
Festive fundraising: Fun runners from the Castle Inn, Pembroke, pictured supporting the 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run (Pic: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Special delivery of thanks as MP visits Haverfordwest sorting office

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Christmas cheer for posties working through the festive rush

A CHRISTMAS message of thanks was delivered in person this week as Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell paid a visit to Royal Mail staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office.

The MP met postal workers during one of the busiest periods of the year, praising staff for their hard work in ensuring cards, parcels and gifts reach homes across Pembrokeshire in the run-up to Christmas.

Mr Tufnell said postal workers were going “above and beyond” throughout the year, but particularly during the festive period when demand is at its highest and delivery rounds are often made in challenging weather conditions.

He described postal staff as “unsung heroes”, highlighting their role in keeping communities connected and helping families stay in touch at a time when it matters most.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Tufnell said: “Our posties play a vital role in our community, and at Christmas that importance is felt more than ever. They work incredibly hard to make sure gifts and cards from loved ones arrive safely and on time.”

Staff at the Haverfordwest site were pictured alongside the MP, with some embracing the festive spirit in Christmas jumpers and seasonal outfits while continuing their daily work.

The MP also extended his thanks to postal workers across the whole of Pembrokeshire, acknowledging the dedication required to keep services running smoothly during the seasonal rush.

Royal Mail experiences its highest parcel volumes in December, with thousands of additional items passing through local sorting offices each day as Christmas approaches.

Delivering Christmas cheer: Henry Tufnell MP with staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office during a festive visit (Pic: Facebook).