News
Holiday bookings booming in Pembrokeshire
A HOLIDAY lettings agency is posting a remarkable increase in booking numbers for the first quarter of the 2017/2018.
FBM Holidays, based in Tenby, have seen a rise of 22% in bookings made from November 1, 2017 to the end of January 2018.
The hike in bookings has been forecast for a while, driven by an expected increase in international visitors taking advantage of the value of the Euro to the Pound, as well as a rise in ‘Staycations’ due to Brexit and other factors.
However, FBM Holidays have been growing their booking figures for well over 6 months now, helping them achieve higher overall figures year-on-year for 2016/2017.
Tenby-based FBM Holidays, with a holiday rental history dating back to 1899, has invested a large heavily in resources that benefit both customers and holiday property owners in Pembrokeshire and West Carmarthenshire, and as such has seen a huge influx in the number of holiday home owners renting through their Pembrokeshire office.
Marketing Executive Thom James has looked at the booking numbers from year to year, and found that holiday rental companies have to move with the industry in order to grow.
Speaking about the boom in Q1 figures for this year, he said: “Bookings in general have been fantastic this year, which has continued the trend from the second half of last year. We’ve invested a lot of time in our online booking platforms, our promotion of Pembrokeshire as a destination and also in our customer service team, who are retained all-year round, who have excellent local knowledge of all rental areas we cover and who provide what we feel is an exceptional service for our customers.
“We work very closely with our owners and we have put a huge emphasis on getting a line of best fit that suits our holidaymakers and owners to provide the best packages and we feel this has paid off, as bookings have increased exponentially.
“We are well placed in Pembrokeshire and west Wales in general to drive booking figures even further forward, and our wider impact on the promotion of Pembrokeshire as a destination has seen us nominated for two awards this year – the West Wales Business Awards and the Pembrokeshire Tourism Awards.”
The company has said they will continue to invest in marketing the region and their fantastic holiday lets to a high standard and with the prospect of continued success, they are looking out for more and more owners who want to holiday let due to phenomenal demand and widening customer base.
Crime
Unanimous verdict in Ceredigion sexual assault case
A CEREDIGION man has been convicted to three years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own bed after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.
27-year-old Suroj Bk, from Llangrannog, was sentenced this week following a week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court (May 1).
On 7 October 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police received a report that Bk entered the victim’s home and sexually assaulted her while she lay in her bed.
When the victim realised what was happening, she kicked Bk out of her bed and called the police.
Upon receiving the report, officers quickly attended the victim’s home and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area using police dogs and scenes of crime officers.
Evidence gathered from scene, together with extensive local enquiries, led officers to arrest Suroj Bk the next day (8 October).
While Bk was in custody, detectives, crime scene investigators, and digital forensic officers worked tirelessly to uncover the evidence that ultimately placed Suroj Bk at the scene.
After hearing the evidence, the jury took less than two hours to agree a unanimous guilty verdict.
The detective in charge of the case has praised the victim for her ‘tremendous courage’ in reporting the assault to police.
“Incidents of this nature are thankfully very rare within Ceredigion, and I’d like to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident, and that the identification and arrest of suspect was done quickly and efficiently,” said Detective Inspector Sam Gregory.
“The victim in this case demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting to police, and while this investigation was not straightforward in its nature, it was through the expertise and tenacity of forensic officers, working together with the investigation team, and the victim, that led to this successful prosecution.
“I hope the sentence given to Suroj Bk sends a clear and strong message that Dyfed-Powys Police takes reports of sexual offences seriously.
“We will listen to you, and we will work tirelessly to get justice.”
On Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saroj Bk was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and a five-year restraining order, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.
If you have been a victim of a crime such as this, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.
In an emergency, always call 999.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
News
Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police
DYFED-POWYS police have said today that the body found on Wednesday, May 1, has been confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, who was reported missing from the Pembroke Dock area on April 14.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We will continue to support the family and will assist with issuing a tribute publicly if the family wish to do so.”
In a statement, his family said: “Luke was a joyful and funny young man and always wanted to help others. He was a loving son, brother, grandson and uncle, and will be forever missed.
“We have lost a huge part of our family, and our loss is shared by his many friends who also loved him dearly.
“We would like to thank the local community for the overwhelming support we have received.”
Business
Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’
THE PORT of Milford Haven has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation. As the first Port Authority in Britain to secure this Certification™, it is a significant achievement.
“We are very proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified™,” said Vidette Swales, HR Director at the Port of Milford Haven. “It means so much that our employees have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders and their jobs. Offering a positive employee experience is not only beneficial for the people who work with us but is also key for our continued business success.”
Tom Sawyer, CEO at the Port of Milford Haven added: “Our team is operating the UK’s leading energy port, and it is of the utmost importance that we do that safely, responsibly and effectively. We’re striving for excellence and aim to provide a world class service to our customers as well as supporting sustainable coastal communities for the prosperity of future generations. Our employees are clearly at the centre of this which is why I’m delighted that they feel supported in their role. I’m especially proud that this Certification™ demonstrates our core values of Safety, Excellence, Collaboration and Sustainability so perfectly.”
“We congratulate the Port of Milford Haven on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”
Find out more about careers at the Port of Milford Haven here: www.mhpa.co.uk/about/careers-at-the-port/.
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