News

Haverfordwest: New cultural centre to open next month

Published

6 years ago

November 26, 2018

GLAN-YR-AFON, an innovative new cultural centre in the heart of Haverfordwest town centre, will open to the public next month.

The flagship facility, on the town’s riverside, will welcome visitors for the first time on Friday, December 7, from 10am.

The development, including a library, gallery, visitor information and coffee shop, is the result of an exciting partnership between Pembrokeshire County Council and the National Library of Wales.

Funding to build the facility came from a range of sources including Pembrokeshire County Council, Welsh Government, the Wolfson Foundation, the Foyle Foundation, and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Haverfordwest Town Council have given a five-year funding package to ensure the library is able to open throughout the year on Saturday afternoons, the previous library having been open on Saturday mornings only.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Economy, Tourism, Leisure and Culture, Paul Miller, said it was an exciting new facility not only for Haverfordwest but for Pembrokeshire generally.

Councillor Miller went on: “It provides a blueprint for the way we need to engage with our customers. I look forward to similar innovative developments in the future to help revitalise our town centres.”

Mike Cavanagh, Head of Cultural, Leisure, Tourism and Registration Services, said Glan-yr-afon would be a cultural centrepiece that both the town and the county can be proud of.

“The eclectic offer caters for the needs of our local library users, while being an attractive destination for visitors to Pembrokeshire.”

“We anticipate welcoming 200,000 visitors per year to our riverside location, and hope to play a key role in kick-starting the regeneration of the centre of Haverfordwest.”

At the centre of Glan-yr-afon will be a 21st Century library space, blending traditional book stock with online access and self-service technology.

For the first time in a Pembrokeshire library, customers will be able to loan, return and renew their items using self-service kiosks which work like magic!

An interactive story wall will be the focal point of a fantastic children’s offer, featuring illustrations by local artist Jackie Morris.

The story wall will be set within a castle-themed children’s area, complete with children’s reading tower for reading, learning and play.

The library will also provide a comfortable space for young people, including reading booths, graphic novels and gaming.

A new, discreet area called The Life Hub will feature a wealth of information on Health & Wellbeing, and Work and Money Skills. This space will also have a dedicated activity room which will be available to hire by organisations and charities whose work involves health or employment-related activities.

A gallery of national significance will bring some of Wales’ most important artwork and objects to the county.

In partnership with the National Library of Wales, the gallery will host a programme of thematic six month exhibitions that display the library’s iconic collections, as well as a permanent exhibition on the history, culture, arts and legends of Pembrokeshire.

“We are delighted to be a part of this exciting new project in collaboration with Pembrokeshire County Council,” said Linda Tomos, Chief Executive and Librarian at The National Library of Wales.

“Extending and improving access to our vast reservoir of cultural heritage, increasing public engagement and tackling social inequalities through culture and sharing of information are all recognised priorities in our The Nation’s Memory: Informing the Future: Strategic Plan 2017-2021.”

“We look forward to sharing our collections with the people of Pembrokeshire and beyond.”

The opening exhibition, Kyffin Williams: Land and Sea, will feature the best collection of work from Wales’ most famous artist Sir Kyffin Williams to celebrate the centenary of his birth.

The National Library of Wales will deliver a programme of exciting events and education activities to accompany this exhibition.

Glan-yr-afon will also be a key stopping point for some of the County’s 4.3 million annual visitors, thanks to a partnership with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

A wealth of visitor information, including maps, leaflets and tablets pre-loaded with quick links, will be available to visitors.

Volunteers will also be on hand to assist with visitor enquiries during the visitor season.

Visitors will be able to unwind with a coffee and a riverside view at the venue’s own coffee shop.

Tŷ Coffi, run by Café Rio, will offer a range of high quality coffees roasted in Wales and a menu featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Group bookings, including meetings and celebrations, can be made by calling 01437 765411.

The opening of Glan-yr-afon will be marked with a week-long programme of activities, including a Family Fun Day on Saturday 8th December.

Full details of the activities to celebrate the opening will be announced shortly.

For more information, log onto: www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/libraries-and-culture
or visit the Pembrokeshire Libraries Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/PembrokeshireLibraryService

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

Published

9 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

9 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

11 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”