News

Consultation on second phase of Pembroke regeneration

Published

3 years ago

May 2, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PRE-APPLICATION consultation has been launched on the second phase of Pembrokeshire County Council’s South Quay regeneration scheme.

Members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on April 24, heard an update on the £20m South Quay development by Pembroke Castle, with the previous administration coming in for strong criticism.

Led by Pembrokeshire County Council, the £20,335,076 South Quay project centres on the rebuild of formerly derelict properties on Castle Terrace to create a new public visitor centre, library and café.

Landscape and public realm enhancements will bring the burgage plots back into productive use.

Asbri Planning Ltd has been commissioned by the county council to undertake the pre-application consultation for the second phase of the project, in respect of a proposed planning application for the demolition of the existing public toilet at South Quay, and refurbishment and extension of the listed building 7 Northgate Street for a community hub with associated infrastructure work.

The community hub would provide a service for older people, learning and skills areas to support independent living, and continued education for people with disability, and supported employment opportunities.

The council’s proposals also include environmental enhancements, improvements to the parking area at South Quay and improved access between the Henry Tudor visitor centre and the waterfront.

At this week’s Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet, the previous administration running the county came in for strong criticism by senior councillors, who felt they had allowed the buildings at South Quay to deteriorate.

Speaking at the April 24 meeting, Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change Councillor Paul Miller said South Quay was a “very important part of our regeneration agenda”.

“Pembroke is – or should be – a jewel in the crown of the county of Pembrokeshire; I’m determined we will do everything we possibly can to help that community regenerate that town.

“We can’t do that if we leave super-prominent cluster of buildings right adjacent to the castle in the centre of Pembroke looking dreadful while they gently fall down.

“We are determined to support Pembroke and invest in it; we have created a scheme that’s capable of attracting external funding, and we’re delivering.”

He added: “Because of that neglect this has been a challenging programme. For me, this is very much about saying to Pembroke: ‘You’re not forgotten, you’re not neglected’.”

Anyone who wishes to make representations about this proposed development must do so by May 26.

Pictured above: Asbri Planning Ltd has been commissioned to undertake the pre-application consultation for the second phase of the South Quay project in Pembroke

Community

Woman rescued from coast path after ankle injury

Published

10 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Coastguard teams called to Dinas Island near Pwllgwaelod

A WOMAN was stretchered from the coast path near Pwllgwaelod after suffering an ankle injury.

HM Coastguard Fishguard was tasked at 5:22pm on Friday, June 27, alongside HM Coastguard Teifi, to assist the casualty on Dinas Island.

The teams attended the scene near Hendre Farm Campsite and Cottages and, with help from the landowner, were able to quickly locate the injured woman.

Her injured limb was immobilised before she was carried by stretcher to her nearby car, where family members were able to take her on to hospital.

Fishguard Coastguard thanked the landowner for their help.

Entertainment

This Ain’t Texas organisers admit Carmarthen festival ‘didn’t go exactly as planned’

Published

10 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

ORGANISERS of a country music festival held in Carmarthen have thanked visitors for their support while admitting that parts of the event “did not go exactly as planned”.

This Ain’t Texas Festival took place at the United Counties Showground on Saturday (Jun 27), promising live country music, line dancing, American BBQ, street food, western-themed stalls and family-friendly entertainment.

The event was part of a UK-wide tour, with the Carmarthen date promoted as a Nashville-style day out for families and country music fans.

But after the event, a number of attendees took to social media to raise concerns about queues, parking, food options and the overall organisation of the day.

In a statement posted online, organisers said: “Thank you, Carmarthen. What a day.

“Firstly, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out and made this event so special. The support, energy, and positive feedback we’ve received across the country has been incredible, and we’re truly grateful for every single one of you.

“That said, we also know that not everything went exactly as planned. We’ve received some constructive feedback from attendees, and we want you to know that we’ve listened carefully.”

Some visitors said they had enjoyed the atmosphere, music and line dancing, while others said the event had fallen short of expectations.

One attendee said the day had been “very disappointing” after booking early-bird tickets and looking forward to the festival for months.

Another visitor said the bar queue was long, adding that they had queued for more than an hour, although they still felt the ticket price had been good value.

Others called for more food choice, including vegetarian options, and said parking and space on site would need to be reviewed if the event returned on a larger scale.

There was also praise for the local line dancing element, with one attendee saying it had “definitely added to the experience”.

The festival had been advertised as a one-day country and western-themed event, with live tribute acts, dancing, food, drink, stalls and activities.

Community

Civic service brings Pembrokeshire towns together in Haverfordwest

Published

13 hours ago

June 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CIVIC service has been held at St Mary’s Church in Haverfordwest, bringing together civic leaders, councillors, cadets and community representatives from across Pembrokeshire.

The Mayor’s Civic Service took place at 11:00am on Sunday, 28 June 2026, at the historic High Street church, one of the county town’s most familiar landmarks.

The service was hosted by Haverfordwest Town Council and attended by the Sheriff of Haverfordwest, Cllr Dani Thomas-Turner, Deputy Lord Lieutenants, the mayors of Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, Neyland and St Davids, members of the Guild of Freemen, the Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet and the Mayoral Cadet.

St Mary’s Church has stood at the heart of Haverfordwest for more than 800 years. Built in about 1200, its size and position have made it one of the town’s dominant historic buildings.

Cllr Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner said the occasion had been “truly special and humbling”.

He said: “It was an honour to gather in one of our town’s most historic and beautiful buildings, a church that has stood at the heart of our community since the 12th century, bringing people together in faith, service and reflection.”

Cllr Thomas-Turner and the Sheriff thanked all those who attended, saying the presence of civic representatives from neighbouring towns reflected the “strong spirit of friendship and partnership across Pembrokeshire”.

They also paid tribute to fellow town councillors, the Guild of Freemen, and the cadets who supported the service.

Cllr Thomas-Turner added: “Days like today remind us that civic life is about more than titles and chains of office. It is about service, community, friendship and working together for the good of our towns and our county.”

He said the event had been a proud day for Haverfordwest, adding: “Haverfordwest truly is the Best in the West.”