TESCO in Milford Haven is set to bring back its café after a hiatus of over twenty years. This move is part of a significant refurbishment project aimed at enhancing customer experience and revitalising the store’s offerings.

The new café will serve as a focal point for the store, offering a fresh space for customers to relax and enjoy a variety of beverages and meals. This reintroduction marks a nostalgic return for many long-time shoppers who remember the café from years past.

In addition to the café, Tesco is implementing several updates, including reconfigured aisles and the installation of environmentally friendly fridges and freezers, set for completion by September. A new F&F clothing department is also scheduled to open on 9 August.

The store’s petrol station closed early at 5 PM yesterday (Jun 30) for maintenance, and customers were advised to plan accordingly.

Tesco said that with these developments, they aims to create a welcoming environment in Milford Haven that combines convenience with sustainability.

THE UNITE UNION has decided to call off a strike planned for July 8 to allow for further discussions about the future of the UK’s largest steelworks at Port Talbot in Wales. The Pembrokeshire Herald has been informed that this decision comes amid concerns over the potential accelerated closure of the site’s remaining blast furnaces.

Owners Tata had previously warned of the possibility of bringing forward the closure of both remaining blast furnaces, citing safety concerns due to a staff walkout. Unite’s proposed strike had drawn criticism from other unions, who feared it would hasten the shutdown of blast furnace number four, initially scheduled for closure in September.

Both the Community and GMB Unions were hoping to use the time until September to negotiate an extension of the furnace’s operational life, potentially under a new government.

The UK government has pledged a £500m grant to develop a new £1.25bn electric arc furnace. This new furnace, designed to recycle scrap metal, is less energy-intensive but will require significantly fewer staff. The closure of both blast furnaces would result in the loss of 2,800 jobs, whereas extending the life of one furnace could save 2,000 of those jobs until the new electric arc furnace is operational, a process that could take up to three years.

Sources close to the situation told the BBC that Unite had given Tata an excuse to accelerate job losses by planning the strike. However, Unite officials refuted this, claiming their action “had helped focus minds” and resulted in a victory by ensuring further talks after the upcoming election.

In a letter from Tata to the unions, the company had already agreed to further discussions post-election. Alun Davies, national officer for the Community union, commented: “Tata have confirmed that if the strike is called off they are ready to resume discussions on a potential memorandum of understanding. The truth is Tata never walked away from those discussions, and at our last meeting on 22 May all unions agreed to conclude the negotiations and put the outcome to our members. Community would welcome resuming those discussions, but we regret that zero progress has been made since 22 May.”

Officials from other unions criticised Unite, stating that their actions had caused “nothing but chaos” and financial losses for their members. This comment refers to an earlier overtime ban that Unite implemented without consulting other unions.

Union officials admit there is no guarantee Tata will agree to extending the life of the blast furnace beyond its scheduled shutdown in September. However, they express hope that if Labour wins the election, their manifesto commitment to invest £2.5bn in the steel industry could provide a crucial lifeline.

Samuel Kurtz MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Economy and Energy, commented on the latest developments: “We welcome any discussions that bring both the steelworkers and Tata to the table to iron out how best jobs can be supported in the short term, as an early closure of the blast furnaces will bring additional distress to communities already dealing with enough as it is.”

He further criticised the Welsh Labour government, saying, “The Welsh Labour government have only paid lip service to Tata’s workforce, failing to contribute a penny to the transition board, and UK Labour’s manifesto says nothing on what it would do differently to support Port Talbot’s steelworkers.”

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a significant development in the battle to protect jobs and the long-term future of steel making in South Wales. Investment from Labour secured by Unite will be key to the future of the site. 

“This breakthrough would not have come about without the courage of our members at Port Talbot who were prepared to stand up and fight for their jobs. Workers were simply not prepared to stand idly by while steel making ended and their communities were laid to waste.

“It is essential that these talks progress swiftly and in good faith with the focus on fresh investment and ensuring the long-term continuation of steel making in South Wales.”

THE PORT of Milford Haven is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Siân George as its new Chair. Appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport, Siân took over the role on 22nd June 2024.

Siân brings a wealth of Board level experience, with a notable maritime, energy and safety focus. She is particularly recognised for her experience and knowledge of the marine renewables sector, where she has been a strong voice for UK and European policy and regulatory reform, working with stakeholders to help secure over €300m of public funding initiatives for the sector and overseeing an award winning strategic vision for developing Europe’s marine energy resources. Siân has a strong reputation for fostering constructive stakeholder relationships, and extensive experience working in safety-critical and highly regulated sectors.

Siân succeeds Dr Chris Martin who joined the Port as Vice-Chair in 2012 and became Chair in 2017 overseeing key steps in the Port’s development.

Dr Siân George, Chair at the Port of Milford Haven said “I am delighted to join the Port of Milford Haven and look forward to working with the team to achieve our goals for the business and for the region. I am very much looking forward to building on the great work undertaken during Dr Chris Martin’s tenure and continuing to ensure the Port plays its part in creating a wealth of new opportunities for current and future generations.”

Tom Sawyer, Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven said “Siân joins us at an exciting time. We are making significant investments in our pilotage operations to ensure we keep delivering our Waterway customer’s needs, safely and effectively. We are also focused on expanding the influence Pembroke Port has within the FLOW, wave and tidal industries to become a key hub for green industrial growth. And, through our investment in Milford Waterfront and other areas of hospitality and tourism, we are strengthening Pembrokeshire’s reputation as a must visit destination for UK holidaymakers.”