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New 4-star rating for Fishguard hotel and restaurant The Abergwaun

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THE ABERGWAUN HOTEL in Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, has just been awarded a 4-star rating by Visit Wales for its restaurant with rooms, the first ever rating for the boutique hotel.

Located in the coastal village of Fishguard – an area of outstanding natural beauty with towering cliffs, hill and valleys – this charming contemporary hotel was refurbished in 2020 after 10 years of standing derelict, by a young local couple Daniel Jones and Lois Thomas. Executive chef Daniel is from north Wales and has worked in kitchens including Pollen Street Social and The Hardwick, Abergavenny. He also competed in Masterchef: The Professionals in 2014 and he reached the semi-finals of the National Chef of the Year awards in 2018. General Manager Lois has a background in hospitality at top restaurants including the Townhouse in Oswestry with Michael Caines, Chapter One in Locksbottom, and Michelin starred restaurant with rooms The White Brook in Monmouth.

Co-owner and Executive Chef Daniel Jones said: “We are immensely proud of the team who have been recognised by Visit Wales for exceptional standards in housekeeping, hospitality and friendliness and dining. This is our first hotel inspection so we are thrilled with the results and we will continue to offer an exceptional experience for our guests.”

The couple took over The Abergwaun in 2020 and have won praise amongst locals and visitors to Pembrokeshire, with almost 99% 5* reviews on TripAdvisor. The hotel features five luxury ensuite rooms, including a dog-friendly room and a two-bedroom apartment, plus an outstanding restaurant with inventive menus and cocktails enjoyed in a welcoming, relaxed environment.

The modern European restaurant JT At the Abergwaun Hotel is steeped in Welsh heritage, supporting local suppliers and offering ingredients like Welsh ribeye steak and Welsh lamb, plus a selection of fine Welsh cheeses. The a la carte menu includes inventive takes on comforting classics, with starters like Crispy lamb taco, whisky treacle BBQ sauce, avocado, cocoa sunflower seed, pepper slaw and mains including Roasted venison haunch, roast carrot and onion, figs dauphinois potatoes, bordelaise sauce. Delicious desserts include the Dark chocolate delice, salt caramel, passion fruit & orange, pembs promise ice cream.

Picturesque Fishguard is known as the gateway to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and here you’ll find the Preseli Hills, rising up to 536m and perfect for walks and viewpoints, plus ancient standing stones and idyllic valleys like Cwm Gwaun where there’s an abundance of wildlife and several bird species. In the heart of the village, there’s an array of independent businesses and galleries, gift and antique shops, a weekly market, plus many cosy cafés, pubs and restaurants. For arts and music lovers, Fishguard is also home to Fishguard International Music Festival that has brought world-class music to the area for 50 years.

A one-night stay costs from £100 for two sharing a double room, including breakfast. To book, visit https://www.jtabergwaunhotel.co.uk/ Call 01348 874 584

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

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PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

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52 homes to be built in Roch as scheme gets final sign-off

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THE FINAL stage of approval for a near-£10m Pembrokeshire residential development of 52 homes has been given the go-ahead.

Back in April, members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee backed an application by Wakefield Pembrokeshire Ltd for the development, which includes four one-bed affordable housing units, on land near Pilgrims Way, Roch.

18 objections to the scheme were received, raising concerns including an “inadequate” affordable housing level, it being a high density development for a rural area, a loss of green space, the size of some of the homes, and pressures on existing services and facilities, and fears it may lead to an increase in second homes.

Nolton & Roch Community Land Trust (N&RCLT) has raised its concerns about a lack of affordable homes at the development, calling for a 20 per cent affordable homes element, as recommended by policy.

An officer report for members, recommending conditional approval, said: “It is apparent that the proposed development is not fully policy compliant, insofar as it cannot deliver the indicative 20 per cent affordable housing sought [by policy].

“However, a substantial positive social impact will arise through the provision of housing, including four one-bed affordable housing units, in meeting identified needs for both market and affordable housing.

“Financial obligations identified to mitigate adverse impacts arising from the proposed development cannot be met in full. However, [policy] acknowledges that in such circumstances contributions may be prioritised on the basis of the individual circumstances of each case.”

Speaking at the meeting, agent Gethin Beynon said the project had a “significant economic value” of around £10m, and the local applicant had “a sense of stewardship to the local community,” offering affordable housing and community infrastructure towards highways and education.

Approval was delegated to the council’s head of planning to approve the application, subject to the completion of a Section 106 planning obligation, making community financial contributions.

The Section 106 agreement was recently agreed, with the application now formally approved.

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World of engineering and welding SPARCs interest in Ysgol Harri Tudur’s female learners

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AN EVENT hosted by Ledwood Engineering gave girls from Year 8 and 9 at Ysgol Harri Tudur first-hand experience of the world of engineering recently. 

Engineering is a booming sector in Pembrokeshire with a high demand for skilled workers in exciting career pathways associated with the development of low carbon and renewable energy industry and the Celtic Freeport. 

The young women heard from industry experts on the importance of engineering in Pembrokeshire, and had hands on experience using a welding simulator, at the company’s Pembroke Dock site. 

The learners are part of the County’s SPARC (Sustainable Power and Renewable Construction) initiative aimed as inspiring and empowering young females to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pathways where females are under-represented in the workforce. 

SPARC is funded through an alliance comprising Blue Gem Wind, Ledwood Engineering, Port of Milford Haven, RWE Renewables, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire College and the Swansea Bay City Deal. 

Mrs Laura Buckingham, SPARC practitioner at Ysgol Harri Tudur said: “Our learners had a fantastic experience at Ledwood Engineering.  They were given lots of advice by industry experts on the different career options and pathways within the engineering sector.  

“They appreciated the opportunity to ask their questions and found the session very informative. Having the chance to trial their welding skills on the simulator was an experience they continue to talk about and has definitely piqued their interest.”

Poppy Sawyer, Year 8 SPARC learner added:  ‘It was a really good trip. Talking to the different people there has helped me know more about the jobs we could get which will be very useful when making choices for my future.”  

 “They helped us a lot by giving us lots of information. We were able to look around and try welding. It was really fun,” added Tianna Marshall, Year 8 SPARC learner.

The Regional Learning and Skills Partnership also launched its Explore Engineering interactive website at the event.

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