News

Pembrokeshire zoo gives a new home to family of homeless penguins

Published

5 years ago

November 13, 2020

A FAMILY of macaroni penguins have found a new place to call their own in Pembrokeshire after they lost their home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 12 macaroni penguins, from Living Coasts in Torquay, found themselves homeless and facing the possibility of having to relocate to Europe when the attraction announced its closure during the summer.

They were given a new home at Pembrokeshire zoo, Folly Farm, which has taken the family of six male and six female penguins under its wing.

Tim Morphew, zoo curator at Folly Farm, said: “In an ideal world, we would be welcoming these new penguins to the Folly Farm family under happier circumstances. Zoos across the UK and Europe have had a very difficult year. We’re sad to see Living Coasts close, but a small positive for us is that we’ve been able to able to lend a hand by giving these amazing birds a new home in the UK.”

Folly Farm’s keepers collected the penguins from Living Coasts in July. And, after a short quarantine period, the family have now settled into their new home with the zoo’s four male macaroni penguins and 19 Humboldt penguins.

The zoo is now the only place in the UK with macaroni penguins, which are classed as a vulnerable species. The rehomed family will now join Folly Farm’s existing male macaroni penguins as part of a breeding programme to help increase numbers in European zoos and, ultimately, the wild.

Tim continued: “We’ve learned from previous experience that macaroni penguins are very laid back, they aren’t fazed by much. We’re lucky at Folly Farm to have a purpose-built penguin quarantine area which gave us an opportunity to spend 30 days getting to know these new macaroni penguins before introducing them to their new housemates at Penguin Coast.

“They’ve settled in beautifully and we’re starting to see their characters and their personalities coming out. They’re a very playful species, they love hopping on the rocks, playing with bubbles and looking at themselves in the mirror. Spud is the grumpy old man of the family at 21 years old, he gets hangry if the keepers take too long to feed him. Yo-yo was hand reared, so he loves people – and himself. Violet is the smallest of the family, she’s very sweet and gentle and already a firm favourite with the keepers.”

Folly Farm’s keepers are hoping the macaroni penguin breeding programme will follow the success of its Humboldt penguin breeding programme, which has seen 34 penguin chicks born at the zoo over the past six years.

To make room for the new macaroni penguins at Penguin Coast, nine of Folly Farm’s Humboldt penguins have now been relocated to Flamingo Land in north Yorkshire, to join the breeding programme there.

Tim said: “The Humboldt penguins were quite excited by the new arrivals and came over to say ‘hello’, but the two groups have split out now and the macaroni penguins have already established their own area of Penguin Coast on the rocky part of the beach.

“Penguins have always been a popular attraction here at Folly Farm, visitors love watching them swim in the underwater viewing area. And, with these new arrivals, we’re expecting to see an increase in the number of sales of our penguin adoption packs in the lead up to Christmas.

“We’re looking forward to getting the breeding programme started next year and hopefully seeing more of these fantastic birds head to new homes across the UK.”

Clare Rugg is senior curator at Paignton Zoo and formerly at Living Coasts. She said: “When we heard that Living Coasts was to close, the first thing we needed to do was to ensure that we found suitable homes for the animals. We had previously worked with Folly Farm and they already held some of our Macaroni penguins from a previous move.

“Folly Farm was therefore an obvious choice when moving the Macaroni penguins. They have an excellent track record in keeping penguins and had a suitable enclosure for them. The move was also agreed by the European penguin TAG. We were of course sad to see them go but happy knowing they were going to a fantastic new home.”

Local Government

Pembrokeshire Council faces backlash over £2.5m housing ‘buying spree’

Published

2 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Critics say policy inflates numbers while new-build programme stalls

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is under growing pressure over its multi-million-pound programme of buying back former council houses, with critics warning that the strategy gives the illusion of progress while long-promised new-builds remain stuck on the drawing board.

The latest criticism comes from Haverfordwest councillor Mike Stoddart, who has accused the authority of “standing still” by funnelling Housing Revenue Account (HRA) cash into purchasing properties that were once part of the council’s own stock. In an email to fellow councillor Tom Sinclair, seen by this newspaper, Stoddart said the council’s approach “doesn’t increase the housing stock – it merely moves people from the private sector into the public sector”.

He added: “It would be much better if the money was spent on building anew.”

A temporary fix that became permanent

The buy-back scheme began in 2017 when the council adopted a new inflation-linked rent regime that delivered sizeable HRA surpluses. At the time, officers described buying ex-council homes on the open market as a “stop-gap” measure until the new-build programme ramped up.

But that programme has repeatedly faltered. Major schemes in Johnston and Tiers Cross have been hit by cost overruns of around 66%. In Milford Haven, new flats on Charles Street are costing close to £300,000 each for a one- or two-bed unit, before adding land costs, architects’ fees and planning expenses.

***Unhappy with the council’s home-buying spree: Cllr Mike Stoddart***

Stoddart said the pattern amounted to a “disaster”, arguing that buying existing homes had become the authority’s default option. “It gives the impression of making progress while actually standing still,” he said.

Brownfield sites left idle

In Stoddart’s own ward, three former school sites have stood empty since 2018. Their redevelopment is not expected to begin until 2027 or 2028. Meanwhile, the council’s purchasing programme has accelerated.

A Cabinet report for late 2025 shows more than £2.5 million spent on acquisitions in just the first half of the year.

The most striking deal was a bulk purchase of five homes in Harcourt Close, Hook, for £1.851 million — almost £400,000 each. Stoddart said the developer would think “all his birthdays have come at once”, with the council avoiding estate agents’ fees, reducing legal costs and allowing the seller to immediately stop paying interest to the bank.

Thirteen high-value purchases

All properties were bought for over £100,000 and moved into the council’s HRA stock:

Address	Location	Price	Completion
32 Southdown Close	Pembroke	£115,000	29/07/2025
8 Hyfrydle	Letterston	£115,000	01/08/2025
6 Precelly Place	Milford Haven	£120,000	22/09/2025
50 Heywood Court	Tenby	£125,000	02/10/2025
33 Croft Avenue	Hakin, Milford Haven	£130,000	20/10/2025
7 Hyfrydle	Letterston	£135,000	05/09/2025
18 St Clements Park	Freystrop	£140,000	14/07/2025
55 College Park	Neyland	£140,000	28/10/2025
26 Baring Gould Way	Haverfordwest	£146,000	15/08/2025
25 Station Road	Letterston	£170,000	10/10/2025
16 Woodlands Crescent	Milford Haven	£283,000	31/10/2025
26 & 27 Harcourt Close	Hook	£744,000	22/10/2025
23, 24 & 25 Harcourt Close	Hook	£1,107,000	30/07/2025

All purchases were made from HRA reserves with no borrowing, a point the council highlights as prudent financial management.

Fears over market distortion

Stoddart also warned that the authority’s deep pockets may be pricing out young families by outbidding first-time buyers for entry-level homes. “If classical economic theory is to be believed, it’s forcing up the price,” he said.

House prices in Pembrokeshire have risen around 15% in the past year, according to recent ONS data. Local estate agents, speaking anonymously, told this newspaper that council intervention “definitely nudges prices upward” in hotspots like Hook, Neyland and Milford Haven.

Council defends strategy

A council spokesperson said the approach was necessary to deliver homes “immediately” amid chronic shortages.

“Acquiring existing properties allows us to respond quickly to housing need,” they said. “New-builds remain a priority, but delays in planning, construction and funding mean we must use all available tools to meet demand. All purchases represent value for money and are compliant with our HRA strategy.”

Housing charity Shelter Cymru took a different view, arguing that “recycling stock is not a substitute for expansion”. The charity says Pembrokeshire needs around 500 new affordable homes a year to meet demand.

‘Residents deserve homes, not headaches’

Social housing waiting lists in Pembrokeshire now exceed 2,000 applicants. With another Cabinet briefing due later this month, Stoddart says he will push for a fundamental rethink.

“It’s time to stop standing still,” he told this newspaper. “Our residents deserve homes, not headaches.”

News

Angle RNLI launch stood down after false distress beacon alert

Published

1 hour ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

ANGLE RNLI were paged at 10:47am this morning after an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon) was triggered on a local fishing vessel in the Dale Roads area.

Dale Coastguard Rescue Team was also tasked to investigate the alert.

As the lifeboat crew prepared to launch, further checks by HM Coastguard — along with direct contact from the vessel’s skipper — confirmed the beacon had been activated accidentally.

With no-one found to be in difficulty, the launch was cancelled.

Business

Cardiff Airport announces special Air France flights for Six Nations

Published

2 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Direct services to Paris-Charles de Gaulle launched to cater for Welsh supporters, French fans and couples planning a Valentine’s getaway

CARDIFF AIRPORT and Air France have unveiled a series of special direct flights between Cardiff (CWL) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) scheduled for February 2026.

Timed to coincide with two major dates — the Wales v France Six Nations clash on Saturday 15 February and Valentine’s weekend — the flights are designed to offer supporters and holidaymakers an easy link between the two capitals.

For travelling French rugby fans, the services provide a straightforward route into Wales ahead of match day at the Principality Stadium, when Cardiff will once again be transformed by the colour, noise and passion that accompanies one of the tournament’s most eagerly awaited fixtures.

For Welsh passengers, the additional flights offer a seamless escape to Paris for Valentine’s Day, as well as opportunities for short breaks and onward travel via Air France’s wider global network.

Cardiff Airport CEO Jon Bridge said: “We’re thrilled to offer direct flights to such a vibrant and exciting city for Valentine’s weekend. Cardiff Airport is expanding its reach and giving customers fantastic travel options. We’ve listened to passenger demand and are delighted to make this opportunity possible. There is more to come from Cardiff.”

Tickets are already on sale via the Air France website and through travel agents.

Special flight schedule

Paris (CDG) → Cardiff (CWL):