Shopkeepers say hike may push trade into England while ministers insist policy will save lives

INDEPENDENT retailers have reacted cautiously after the Welsh Government confirmed a 30 per cent increase to the minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol in Wales.

From October 2026, the price will rise from 50p to 65p per unit, meaning some of the cheapest drinks will see noticeable increases. A can of beer currently sold for £1 will cost at least £1.30 under the new rules.

The change brings Wales into line with Scotland, where a similar pricing structure already applies.

The Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed), which represents many small convenience stores and off-licences, said it does not oppose the move in principle but warned it could hurt businesses near the border.

Clive Birkby, the Fed’s Wales president, said: “The Fed has raised no objection to this change which mirrors that in Scotland. In the past, supermarkets have sold alcohol as super cheap loss-leading products – something which is damaging to small shops and also to those advocating responsible consumption.

“We have highlighted concerns, though, for how this policy will impact our members who are close to the border with England, given that England does not have MUP. We will continue to monitor the impact of this policy change and what it might do to reduce problem drinking and the health and social impact of that.”

He added that both the Welsh Government and Westminster should invest more in public education about responsible drinking.

Minimum pricing was first introduced in Wales in 2020. Last year the Fed responded to a government consultation on the proposed increase, calling for clearer guidance for retailers and better communication ahead of any changes.

Announcing the rise, mental health and wellbeing minister Sarah Murphy said the evidence showed minimum pricing reduced alcohol-related harm.

“Cheap, high-strength alcohol disproportionately affects hazardous and harmful drinkers,” she said. “The evidence is clear – minimum unit pricing works. We have taken a decision which will save lives and help protect many people from the harms caused by drinking too much alcohol.”

However, Welsh Conservatives criticised the policy, arguing it will simply increase costs for shoppers during a continuing cost-of-living squeeze.

The new pricing rules will come into force across Wales in October next year.

A LONG-ESTABLISHED village pub in Tenby is preparing to mark a major milestone this year, with celebrations planned to honour more than a century and a half of pulling pints and bringing people together.

The Evergreen Inn is believed to date back to the 1860s, opening its doors at a time when the railway was transforming the coastline. Local tradition says the pub first served labourers working on the nearby viaduct, offering ale and shelter to navvies who were too far from town to make the journey for refreshments.

More than 150 years later, little has changed in spirit.

Today, the Evergreen remains firmly rooted in everyday community life, with regulars forming the backbone of trade and a steady mix of families, walkers and holidaymakers passing through its doors.

Manager Mel Sanders said the pub’s strength lies in familiarity and welcome.

“We’re very much a locals’ pub,” she explained. “Most people who come in know each other. It’s somewhere you can pop in for one drink and end up staying the evening.”

Recent years have seen a revival in fortunes, with themed nights, quizzes and live music drawing crowds back through the doors. Charity fundraising has also become a big part of the calendar, with thousands of pounds raised for health and animal welfare causes.

A popular fixture is live piano and singalong sessions hosted by a well-known regular, helping support lifeboat crews and other good causes.

The pub’s offer goes beyond the bar. Darts teams, card games and acoustic evenings fill the week, while dogs and children are equally welcome, reinforcing its reputation as a proper, old-fashioned local.

Owners Paul and Kat have also given the interior a gentle refresh, nodding to the building’s railway roots with period touches, warm wood finishes and a cosy stove for winter nights.

Despite rising costs across the trade, the Evergreen has kept prices competitive and introduced a loyalty scheme to reward those who treat it as a second home.

With anniversary events planned over the coming months, staff say the focus will be less about looking back and more about keeping the tradition alive.

After all, for generations of Tenby residents, it hasn’t just been a pub – it’s been the village’s living room.

A CALL to allow a Pembrokeshire village garage, which once housed an NHS worker during the Covid pandemic, to stay as an Airbnb holiday let has been given the go-ahead.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mark and Ann Pugh, of Wolfscastle, sought retrospective permission on behalf of their son and daughter-in-law, Stephen and Natalie Pugh, for the conversion of a single storey garage to a self-catering holiday let ‘Meadow View’ within the grounds of Little Longhouse, Wiston.

A supporting statement said, during 2017 the garage was converted into a habitable space, used by family and friends between July 2017 and March 2020, before being let to an NHS worker up until December of that year during the Covid lockdown.

It added: “In 2021 it continued to accommodate family and friends. In 2022 and 2023, the property was used as a self-catering holiday unit, advertised on Airbnb under the name Rose Cottage. Since the beginning of 2024, it has been marketed as Meadow View on Airbnb and Booking.com, continuing its role as a self-catering holiday unit.”

It added: “Meadow View is the second holiday rental at Little Longhouse, following the successful establishment of Clover Cottage, which has been operating as a holiday let since 2013. This application seeks retrospective consent for Meadow View as a second unit of holiday accommodation within an established holiday enterprise at Little Longhouse.”

It went on to say: “Meadow View further contributes to local accommodation diversity by offering a small, one-bedroom, ground-floor unit, making it particularly suitable for individuals with limited mobility.

“The holiday letting business at Little Longhouse is operated and managed primarily by the applicants’ daughter-in-law, who resides at Little Longhouse. The business is her primary source of income/employment and helps ensure that residing in the rural community of Wiston is viable.”

The application was conditionally approved by county planners.