Business
Businesses urged to apply for new Covid-19 grants
BUSINESSES eligible for the new Welsh Government Covid-19 support grants are being urged to apply as soon as possible.
In response to the recent national firebreak lockdown, the Welsh Government has introduced two non-repayable grants.
Grant 1
A grant of £5,000 is being made available for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses that have been forced to close and occupy properties with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £51,000. Applicants will need to be on the Non-Domestic Rate (NDR) rating list on 1st September, 2020, and will need to complete a simple registration form to receive the grant.
Properties that will benefit from the relief as being wholly or mainly used:
- as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
- for assembly and leisure
- as hotels, guest and boarding premises and self-catering accommodation.
Grant 2
A grant of £1,000 is being made available to businesses eligible for Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) in Wales occupying properties with a rateable value of up to £12,000.
Dependent on meeting the eligibility criteria, Grant 2 applicants that have been forced to close as a result of the national firebreak lockdown will also be eligible for a further top-up grant of £2,000.
Again, applicants will need to be on the NDR rating list for their local authority on 1st September, 2020, and will need to compete a simple application form to receive the grant. Businesses need to declare that they are trading and generating a turnover to be eligible for this grant.
Not-for-profit organisations that meet the eligibility criteria for Grant 2 may apply for the grant including the enhanced top-ups if appropriate.
In relation to self-catering accommodation, properties will not be eligible for the grant unless the following criteria are met:
- the self-catering accommodation can produce two years of trading accounts directly preceding the current financial year of the business
- the self-catering accommodation must actually have been let for a period of 140 days or more in the financial year 2019-20
- the self-catering accommodation business must be the primary source of income for the owner (minimum threshold is 50 per cent).
As the overall discretion allowed by local authorities in the first scheme is no longer there, the Council will need to assess any applications from self-catering units against the strict criteria in the scheme and applicants should only apply if they meet all three.
In addition, for businesses not on the NDR list the Welsh Government has launched the Lockdown Discretionary Grant.
A discretionary grant of £1,500 is available to assist businesses that have:
- been forced to close as a result of the national firebreak lockdown
- or are able to demonstrate that the national firebreak lockdown will result in at least a 80 per cent reduction in their turnover for that period
Businesses are not eligible for this grant if:
- it is eligible for, or has received, the Lockdown NDR Grant from its local authority
- it has 50 or more employees
- the business generates less than 50 per cent of the applicants income. The business must be the main source of income.
Welsh Government has announced that the grants will be open to applications from 28th October and will close at 5 pm on 20th November, 2020, or when the fund is fully committed. All businesses are urged to apply as soon as possible.
Receipt of an application will be acknowledged within 10 working days and the Council aims to process grant finalised applications within 30 days of receipt. Please do not contact the Council to chase progress during this period.
For more information and to make an application from Wednesday (28th October) go to: www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/business-advice-and-support
Pembrokeshire County Councillor Paul Miller, the Authority’s Cabinet Member for Economy, said: “I would encourage all eligible businesses to apply as soon as they can.
“I have asked officers to consider all applications as sympathetically as possible and where we possibly can offer support, we will.”
Business
Rosemarket Dawn Till Dusk golf club 18-hole plans lodged
A CALL to extend a long-established Pembrokeshire golf club, bringing it up to a full 18 holes, has been submitted to county planners.
In the application, Mr and Mrs Young, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, seek a change of use of land adjoining the Dawn Till Dusk Golf Club, Furze Hill Farm, Bastleford Road, Rosemarket, to form an extension to the existing golf course, along with landscaping and associated works.
A supporting statement through the agent says: “The application seeks full planning permission for the enlargement of the existing golf course to provide an additional six holes, to provide a total of 18 holes.
“The proposal would involve minor landscaping works to the fields and boundaries and the creation of a small number of ponds and bunkers. The extension would be located on land to the west of Furze Hill Farm and on the opposite side of the road to the existing golf course and clubhouse.
“An altered access to the land parcel is proposed as part of this application, which would provide an improved route for users crossing the public highway to avoid conflict with movements at the main entrance.
“The application site exceeds 1ha and therefore the proposal is considered major development necessitating a Pre-Application Consultation prior to formally submitting the planning application to the Local Planning Authority.”
It adds: “The existing golf course has operated in excess of 30 years and is popular with both visitors and locals. Club membership currently stands at approximately 350 and there is demand for enhancing the provisions of the course.
“The applicants’ sons have recently increased their involvement in the enterprise and in recent years wet winter months have necessitated the closure of the course, or parts of it, due to the ground becoming waterlogged, primarily due to the flat nature of the existing course.
“The extension would provide variation to the terrain, providing, dryer conditions, as well as the ability to alternate between the existing and proposed to maintain use, enhancing the viability of the enterprise.”
The application will be considered by Pembrokeshire County Council planners at a later date.
Business
Plans to rebuild arson hit building at farm with one of largest sheep flocks in Wales
A CALL to rebuild a fire-damaged Pembrokeshire farm building, as a family home to help manage one of the largest sheep flocks in Wales, has been submitted to the national park.
In the application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, D B Davies and Sons through agent Harries Planning Design Management, with a supporting statement by Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd, seek permission to renovate an existing fire-damaged dwelling, together with the conversion and extension of outbuildings to form an agricultural worker’s dwelling at Mynydd Du, Rosebush.
The supporting statement through Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd says Mynydd Du is part of a wider holding which includes Eisteddfa Fawr and land around the village of Brynberian, the farms approximately six km apart, with land under control of the applicant amounting to some 1,500 acres, with a further 3,000 acres of Preseli mountain common land also used; the land accommodating a 5,000-ewe flock with 10 suckler cows and followers.
It says DB Davies & Sons Unlimited, has five partners: the two Davies brothers, Berian and Ken; their wives; and Berian’s son, Dyfed.
Berian and Ken are in their late 70s, with most of the heavy work on the farm is undertaken by Dyfed.
Dyfed and his wife Megan are first language Welsh speakers, living some 10 km away in Nevern, while Berian and Ken, and their wives, live at Eisteddfa Fawr, Brynberian.
The dwelling at Mynydd Du, where most sheep are now wintered, is structurally sound and repairable but has been unoccupied since 1990, and was subject to arson circa 2013, the statement says.
It says Dyfed works full-time on the farm, alone with increasing frequency as the older business members are above retirement age, working “long hours out of necessity to undertake all the work associated with one of the largest flocks of sheep in Wales”.
“His working hours are extended further due to the fact that he lives remote (6kms) from the main block of land at Tyllosg, where Mynydd Du is situated in the centre of the farm. Travelling back and forth several times each day during lambing and other times during poor weather, to check on flock welfare is an arduous task and can be dangerous, particularly if driving when tired during inclement conditions.”
The statement adds: “The application seeks permission to repair the fire damaged dwelling at Mynydd Du and bring it back to serve a useful purpose to enable Dyfed to closely monitor the ewes, not only at lambing, but throughout the year when the flock is grazing on the adjacent common land.
“It will also enable Dyfed to be with his partner and young child on a more regular basis than simply at the end of a long day when he is away from their current home, tending the sheep at Mynydd Du.”
The application will be considered by park planners at a later date.
Business
Herald expands sales team as Milford Haven growth drives demand
THE PEMBROKEHIRE HERALD is launching a recruitment drive to bring in two new sales executives as the newspaper continues to grow its commercial operations across the county.
The move comes as the Herald strengthens its position as the leading independent news platform in West Wales, with increasing demand from local businesses looking to advertise both in print and online.
The expansion is being driven in part by the rapid growth of Milford Haven and the wider energy sector, with major investment in green energy projects, port activity and associated industries creating new opportunities for local businesses.
As the area continues to develop as a key energy hub, more companies are seeking to reach customers, partners and the wider community through trusted local media.
The successful candidates will work directly with Pembrokeshire businesses, helping them promote their services to a growing audience through the Herald’s expanding digital reach and established print readership.
Editor Tom Sinclair said the recruitment reflects both the changing local economy and the Herald’s increasing audience.
He said: “Milford Haven is expanding rapidly, particularly with new energy and green projects coming forward, and that’s creating real opportunities for local businesses.
“At the same time, our audience continues to grow across both our website and social media platforms, meaning we can now offer advertisers a much bigger and more effective platform than ever before.”
The new roles will focus on building relationships with local firms, developing advertising campaigns, and identifying new opportunities across sectors including tourism, retail, trades, energy and professional services.
The Herald has continued to invest in its digital platforms, including Herald.Wales, alongside its well-established print edition, offering advertisers a multi-platform approach to reaching customers.
The recruitment drive also comes at a time when many local businesses are looking for cost-effective ways to promote themselves amid ongoing economic pressures.
Mr Sinclair added: “Local advertising matters. When businesses advertise locally, that money stays in the local economy. It helps create jobs, supports families and helps communities grow alongside the businesses within them.”
The roles are expected to appeal to motivated, target-driven individuals with strong communication skills and an interest in media, sales or marketing.
Both positions are based in Pembrokeshire, with opportunities for training and career progression within the Herald’s growing media group.
Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to email [email protected] with a CV and covering letter before Tuesday (Apr 1, 2026).
-
News6 days agoRayner and Lammy visit Wales to discuss justice and community safety
-
News6 days agoFishguard linked to allegations in Many Tears Animal Rescue investigation
-
News3 days agoEmergency services flood Haverfordwest after reports of person in river
-
Local Government6 days agoInvestigation confirmed after inspectors visit Many Tears Animal Rescue
-
Crime2 days agoMother given community order after admitting child cruelty offence
-
Community6 days agoTown hall takeover plan questioned as cost figures conflict
-
Business7 days agoTesco B&Q Haverfordwest click and collect pod approved
-
Business7 days agoLegal action backed in case over development at Dinas Cross










