News

Councillors block Milford Haven boxing event – promoter to appeal

Published

2 years ago

May 1, 2024

THE HANGAR has been operating as an occasional events venue in Milford Haven since last September. Authorisation for the events is granted by the council through temporary event notices. Until recently, the council had consistently issued permissions for events, but today, in County Hall, the Licensing Sub-Committee decided to prevent an event, planned for May 31st, from occurring.

The objection was raised by one of the council’s own officers, who stated that the venue has become a public nuisance due to noise complaints received. The role of the councillors on the sub-committee was to examine this single objection and determine whether the noise complaints were substantial enough to justify halting the event. The committee heard from The Hangar’s manager, Steve Bartram, that the event on May 31st, planned as a ‘boxing night’, would inherently be quieter than other events held at the venue.

Speaking for the Council Environmental Officer, David Walters countered that complaints had been received not only in connection with music at the venue but also concerning the ingress and egress of patrons, as well as the noise from vehicles leaving the event. However, when pressed for details, Mr Walters could not provide the committee with a definitive number of complaints received, nor was the nature of the complaints discussed in detail.

Steve Bartram told the council that he believed the complaints were ‘unfounded’ and originated from two councillors, Alan Dennison, who serves on Pembrokeshire County Council, and Milford Haven Town Councillor Nicola Harteveld. The Herald has learned that Councillor Dennison is a director of another licensed venue in Milford Haven.

Emails obtained by this newspaper also reveal that Councillor Dennison lodged an official complaint to Licensing Enforcement last summer, prior to The Hangar’s opening, alleging it was intending on operating without planning permission. However, there is no legal requirement for a venue used temporarily, under temporary event notices for events lasting less than 28 days, to have planning permission. The Herald understands that this was the advice given to The Hangar’s management by council officers just before it started hosting events.

There was a debate in the chamber regarding whether the complaint from Nicola Harteveld represented the view of Milford Haven Town Council or her personal opinion. Steve Bartram contended it was her personal view and not her acting in her official capacity.

This newspaper has verified with Milford Haven Town Council, whose clerk stated that the Town Council had not been notified about the application and therefore had not discussed it.

In fact, the only statutory consultees are the Noise Pollution Officer and the police.

Some of the complaints, the Herald has learned, seem unfounded. Like one complaint about noise from the burger van generator, when it runs off batteries – and another about a noisy car driving past, but no one could confirm it was anything to do with events at the venue.

On the day before the hearing, Councillor Dennison stated that while he supported the idea of a music venue for Milford Haven, he had ‘concerns’ about the noise levels at The Hangar.

“I was at Nicola Harteveld’s house, as she had called me over. I could clearly hear the noise from inside her house—a booming kind of music. It’s evident that something needed to be done about the sound,” he explained.

“Nicola remarked jokingly that it wouldn’t be so bad if the music were more appealing rather than the repetitive booming we can hear now.”

At the meeting, Steve Bartram earnestly tried to persuade the members to allow the boxing night to proceed, stating, “Since the initial decision to open The Hangar, I have done everything within my power to meet all the licensing objectives, before any work was carried out inside. I also sought guidance from all responsible authorities on my plans and how I intended to manage The Hangar. These included Geraint Griffiths, Nathan Miles, Stuart McDonald, and Nigel Lewis. During these meetings, everything was discussed in detail, outlining the plans and intentions for the event hub.

“Not once was it suggested by any of the responsible authorities that planning permission should have been sought, should it have been necessary at the time, as I have done since receiving the planning enforcement warning letter.

“Regarding the temporary events notices, according to regulations, up to 15 can be issued within a calendar year, and currently, I am well within that limit at nine.

“As part of the planning application, I have had, at substantial cost, noise surveys carried out—one at a scientific ‘pink noise’ survey and another during a ‘dance event’ on Saturday 30th March. I have a 36-page document supporting these findings which confirms that we are operating well within legal noise limits.”

Members of the Licensing Sub-Committee, despite being advised to focus solely on the noise issue, questioned The Hangar’s management on a broad array of topics, including their long-term plans for the venue, why a Full Public Entertainment License had not been applied for, and why planning permission for a change of use for the building had not yet been sought. Bartram explained that a ‘Change of Use Planning Application’ had been submitted on Tuesday 30th April, with the assistance of a planning professional.

Journalists covering the hearing noted that much of the discussion was irrelevant to the issue at hand, which was whether the event proposed for May 31st was likely to cause a public nuisance.

However, the actual event itself was only briefly mentioned, and no substantial details about the complaints, or their number, were provided.

It can only be concluded that the Licensing Sub-Committee members made their decision to stop the boxing event on May 31st without asking relevant questions or having any detailed understanding of the noise complaints at the venue.

It was up to a reporter from The Pembrokeshire Herald to press the council on how many complaints had been received since The Hangar had first opened. The answer we were given was ‘around six’.

After the hearing, the management of The Hangar indicated their intention to appeal to a Magistrates’ Court within 21 days.

Readers should note that the ‘Abba Tribute Night’ planned for May 11th is unaffected by this decision, and the sold-out event is still going ahead.

Community

Weather presenter spotted filming in Pembrokeshire

Published

8 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WELL-KNOWN Welsh weather presenter was spotted in Pembrokeshire as he filmed scenes for a new series celebrating the county’s coastline.

Derek Brockway, who has been a familiar face on BBC Wales since 1995, was in St Davids recently working on another instalment of his popular walking series along the Pembrokeshire Coast.

Local resident Thomas Tudor said it was “lovely” to meet the broadcaster during filming, posing for a photograph alongside his mother, Beryl Tudor, and sister, Bethan Thomas Price.

Brockway, who is based at BBC Cymru Wales in Cardiff, is widely known not only for his weather forecasts across television, radio and online, but also for his programmes showcasing Wales’ landscapes and coastal paths.

The latest filming in St Davids is expected to form part of an upcoming series highlighting the natural beauty and walking routes of Pembrokeshire, an area long regarded as one of the jewels in Wales’ tourism crown.

Ministry of Defence

Defence families in Wales to save up to £6,000 under new childcare scheme

Published

8 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A MAJOR new childcare support scheme for Armed Forces families will be rolled out across Wales from September 2026, the UK Government has announced.

The initiative is expected to save eligible families up to £6,000 per child each year, providing a significant boost to household finances amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

The scheme will be delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s existing Early Years childcare reimbursement system and will bring Wales in line with the level of support already available to forces families in England.

Today, 19/03/2026 The Secretary of State for Defence John Healey visited Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh, home to 3rd Battalion the Rifles. He met with families to launch a new scheme for Defence Families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ministers say the move is part of a wider effort to improve recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces, with childcare costs identified as a key pressure affecting morale.

The new support will cover children from nine months old until they reach three years of age in Wales and Scotland, and up to four years old in Northern Ireland.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP announced the scheme during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

He said: “Our Armed Forces families are at the heart of our nation’s security. As the demands on defence increase, it is right that we step up our support for those who serve.

“This offer will ensure more military families get the childcare support they need, wherever they are posted.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: “Service families in Wales make huge sacrifices and deserve the best possible support.

“They contribute not only to our national security but also to the Welsh economy. This scheme delivers meaningful help with the cost of childcare.”

The scheme will reimburse the difference in early years childcare costs for eligible working families. To qualify, both parents must be in employment and meet the income thresholds required for a Tax-Free Childcare account.

Hundreds of families across Wales are expected to benefit.

The announcement forms part of a broader package of support introduced since July 2024, including improved military housing, the largest Armed Forces pay rise in two decades, and plans to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

Further details will be provided in the coming months, with families encouraged to begin considering childcare arrangements ahead of the scheme’s launch.

Community

Broad Haven volunteers secure ‘national asset’ status for nature reserve

Published

8 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SMALL stretch of woodland and former opencast coal mine has been transformed into a nationally recognised biodiversity site, in a major first for Wales.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve has been awarded ‘Naturfa’ status, becoming the first community-managed site in Wales to receive the designation.

The recognition, confirmed by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, classifies the reserve as an “Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM). This means the volunteer-led work of the Support the Boardwalk group will now contribute directly to Wales’ 30×30 target – the global commitment to protect 30% of land, freshwater and sea for nature by 2030.

In a further boost, the site has also been included in the National Forest for Wales, recognising its role in strengthening a connected network of woodlands and habitats across the country.

Once a simple local walkway, the Slash Pond has developed into a thriving wildlife haven. The reserve now supports a wide range of species, including critically endangered European eels, otters, ten species of bat, and more than fifty species of birds, alongside diverse aquatic plants and insects.

Huw Irranca-Davies said: “These special places are a testament to the care and dedication of people working on the ground – securing a legacy for future generations. Nature can only thrive where habitats are resilient, protected and effectively managed.”

The new status is expected to unlock future funding opportunities, supporting long-term plans for maintaining the boardwalk, monitoring biodiversity and water quality, installing new signage, and expanding environmental education work with Broad Haven Primary School and the wider Havens community.

Andy Drumm, a volunteer with Support the Boardwalk, said: “We’ve always known how special the Slash Pond is, but this recognition puts it firmly on the map as a national asset. It’s a tribute to years of hard work and shows that local communities can lead the way in tackling the nature crisis.”

To mark the achievement, a Spring Family Fun Day will take place on Friday (May 9) from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Slash Pond car park.

The event will feature guided nature walks, pond dipping, a wildlife treasure trail, live music, and family activities including crafts and face painting. The official unveiling of the Naturfa certificate and new reserve branding will also take place, alongside the launch of a new book, From Culm to Calm: A History of the Slash Pond by local author David Meanwell.

Karen Riggs, a long-time volunteer, said: “This achievement belongs to everyone in Broad Haven who has supported the site over the years. We’re not just celebrating a new title – we’re celebrating what our community has built together.”

The day will also see the installation of new benches at the observation decks and the launch of a floating island habitat to support wildfowl and other bird species. Visitors will also be invited to share feedback on plans for an improved picnic area designed to withstand local flooding.

Naturfa is a Welsh Government initiative recognising areas outside traditional protected sites, such as SSSIs, that are managed in ways which deliver long-term benefits for biodiversity.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve is managed by the Support the Boardwalk group in partnership with The Havens Community Council, and is maintained entirely by volunteers.

Further information and updates are available via the Support the Boardwalk Facebook page.