Former Tenby mayor takes action over Imperial Hotel noise
The six-hour club music set runs from midday until 6pm every Saturday and promises cocktails, endless ocean views and Ibiza classics from resident spinner, The Mammoth DJ.
The Imperial reopened in May after undergoing a complete renovation, with Cllr Skyrme- Blackhall cutting the ribbon.
The stunning listed building that has been a hotel for 120 years, opening in 1905.
It closed during lockdown as owners Shearings Hotels went into administration.
(Image: Kayak PR) Last year it was bought by Crest Hotels and since then its 52 ensuite bedrooms have been completely transformed.
The popular DJ sessions on the hotel's sea view terrace overlooking South Beach started on June 28 and have been running every Saturday ever since.
(Image: Western Telegraph) Cllr Skyrme- Blackhall says that she has raised the issue of noise pollution from the DJ sets with officers from Pembrokeshire County Council following complaints.
'They have met with the Imperial Hotel and proposed installing a noise limiter, which they [the hotel] have agreed to do,' she said.
A noise limiter is a device that monitors the level of noise and cut off power if it exceeds a certain limit for more than five seconds.
Pembrokeshire County Council said:
'Officers will work with all parties involved, including the business, to reach a suitable solution.'
(Image: Western Telegraph) Cllr Skyrme- Blackhall said that the council also recommended that residents download the Noise App (2.0) to help monitor the situation.
'I hope that this won't be needed and that the hotel keeps music to acceptable levels so everyone can enjoy our beautiful town,' she added.
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The Imperial's resident DJ, The Mammoth DJ, posted on social media saying that the situation was now under control
'We have worked with the local council and residents to get this right as our intentions were never to upset anyone,' he said.
'We understand our volume level limits now and as this last Saturday demonstrated, we are working within the limits to ensure everyone has a great time.'
(Image: Pexels/ David Bartus) He thanked people for their comments of support, adding:
'Tenby Rocks is a fabulous afternoon, and it really does rock! Why not pop in and see for yourselves?'
Jason Hiley, managing director of Crest Hotels Group said that he had been overwhelmed by the positive response the Imperial had got both from guests and the wider public.
'Our aim was to bring something vibrant and different to Tenby, and we're grateful for the warm support we've received from the local community,' he said.
'As a responsible business, we're committed to listening and responding to feedback, and we want to ensure we strike the right balance for all stakeholders,' he said.
He added that the hotel was 'taking proactive steps' to ensure its events 'enhance the town's atmosphere without causing disruption'.
'We welcome constructive dialogue and are taking steps to address concerns raised,' he said.
'At our core, we are a hotel for Tenby, and the local community remains incredibly important to us.'
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Western Telegraph
a day ago
- Western Telegraph
Former Tenby mayor takes action over Imperial Hotel noise
Cllr Sam Skyrme- Blackhall says she has been contacted by locals complaining about the weekly Tenby Rocks event on the outdoor terrace of the newly renovated Imperial Hotel, Tenby. The six-hour club music set runs from midday until 6pm every Saturday and promises cocktails, endless ocean views and Ibiza classics from resident spinner, The Mammoth DJ. The Imperial reopened in May after undergoing a complete renovation, with Cllr Skyrme- Blackhall cutting the ribbon. The stunning listed building that has been a hotel for 120 years, opening in 1905. It closed during lockdown as owners Shearings Hotels went into administration. (Image: Kayak PR) Last year it was bought by Crest Hotels and since then its 52 ensuite bedrooms have been completely transformed. The popular DJ sessions on the hotel's sea view terrace overlooking South Beach started on June 28 and have been running every Saturday ever since. (Image: Western Telegraph) Cllr Skyrme- Blackhall says that she has raised the issue of noise pollution from the DJ sets with officers from Pembrokeshire County Council following complaints. 'They have met with the Imperial Hotel and proposed installing a noise limiter, which they [the hotel] have agreed to do,' she said. A noise limiter is a device that monitors the level of noise and cut off power if it exceeds a certain limit for more than five seconds. Pembrokeshire County Council said: 'Officers will work with all parties involved, including the business, to reach a suitable solution.' (Image: Western Telegraph) Cllr Skyrme- Blackhall said that the council also recommended that residents download the Noise App (2.0) to help monitor the situation. 'I hope that this won't be needed and that the hotel keeps music to acceptable levels so everyone can enjoy our beautiful town,' she added. Subscribe to the Western Telegraph today for news from Pembrokeshire you can trust. Sign up here: Why subscribe? Unlimited access to news articles Fewer ads and interruptions Reader rewards Puzzles Full access to our app The Imperial's resident DJ, The Mammoth DJ, posted on social media saying that the situation was now under control 'We have worked with the local council and residents to get this right as our intentions were never to upset anyone,' he said. 'We understand our volume level limits now and as this last Saturday demonstrated, we are working within the limits to ensure everyone has a great time.' (Image: Pexels/ David Bartus) He thanked people for their comments of support, adding: 'Tenby Rocks is a fabulous afternoon, and it really does rock! Why not pop in and see for yourselves?' Jason Hiley, managing director of Crest Hotels Group said that he had been overwhelmed by the positive response the Imperial had got both from guests and the wider public. 'Our aim was to bring something vibrant and different to Tenby, and we're grateful for the warm support we've received from the local community,' he said. 'As a responsible business, we're committed to listening and responding to feedback, and we want to ensure we strike the right balance for all stakeholders,' he said. He added that the hotel was 'taking proactive steps' to ensure its events 'enhance the town's atmosphere without causing disruption'. 'We welcome constructive dialogue and are taking steps to address concerns raised,' he said. 'At our core, we are a hotel for Tenby, and the local community remains incredibly important to us.'
Reuters
16-07-2025
- Reuters
How Canada's oil sands transformed into one of North America's lowest-cost plays
CALGARY, July 16 (Reuters) - Giant shovels, driverless trucks and a dog-like robot have all helped Canada's oil sands companies including Imperial Oil and Suncor become some of North America's lowest-cost oil producers, driving down overheads even as the worst inflation in a generation pushed U.S. shale costs up. As the global oil industry enters a downturn due to economic uncertainty related to U.S. tariffs policy and OPEC+ pumping more barrels, Canada's oil sands industry finds itself in a position of strength. In the years following the oil price crash of 2014-15, international oil majors including BP, Chevron and Total sold their interests in Canadian oil sands. At the time, they classified the Canadian operations as among their more expensive, and therefore less profitable, projects worldwide. They directed their capital to cheaper oil production, and favored U.S. shale for its quicker drilling time and returns. Since then, new technology and cost-cutting efforts have driven meaningful improvement in the industry's competitiveness that make oil sands among the cheapest producers, according to a dozen industry insiders and a Reuters analysis of the latest U.S. and Canadian company earnings. While U.S. shale companies are responding to this year's oil price downturn by dropping rigs, slashing capital spending and laying off workers, the oil sands' position of strength means Canadian companies have made virtually no changes to their previously announced production or spending plans. Some Canadian politicians are now calling for a new crude pipeline from Alberta to the Pacific coast, as part of a broader effort to strengthen the country's economy in the face of U.S. tariff threats. The lower crude prices this year have little impact on the Canadian oil sector, Cenovus CEO Jon McKenzie said in an interview earlier this year. "This is an industry that has become much more resilient through time," he said. In one example, two four-legged robots— each nicknamed Spot because of their dog-like appearance — prowl Imperial's vast 45-year-old Cold Lake operation in Alberta, conducting routine equipment inspections and maintenance such as heat exchanger optimizations, and oil/water tank interface monitoring. The Spots free up human workers for other work and save Imperial CDN$30 million ($22 million) a year, the company said. Exxon-owned Imperial ( opens new tab and its competitor Suncor ( opens new tab have also switched to autonomous mining vehicles, eliminating the need to hire drivers to transport oil sands ore. The switch has improved oil output productivity at Imperial's Kearl oil sands mine by 20% since 2023, the company said. Suncor operates a 900-tonne truck at its Fort Hills operation north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, which the company says is the world's largest hydraulic mining shovel. Suncor CEO Rich Kruger said the shovel's larger bucket and more powerful digging force deliver faster ore loading and less spillage. Oil sands producers have also made improvements in equipment reliability and performance. At Kearl, for example, Imperial has reduced expenses related to turnarounds — an industry term for the costly periods of required maintenance that often involve temporarily shutting down production — by CDN$100 million annually since 2021. The company cut the time between turnarounds from 12 to 24 months in 2024, and aims to extend that interval to 48 months in future. Suncor credits efforts including standardizing maintenance practices across mines and improving management of site water to get more production out of existing assets for contributing to the company's US$7 per barrel reduction in its West Texas Intermediate (WTI) break-even price in 2024 to $42.90. This long-term focus on cost-cutting means Canada's five biggest oil sands companies can break even — and still maintain their dividends — at WTI prices between $43.10 and $40.85, according to a Bank of Montreal analysis for Reuters. That means oil sands producers have lowered their overall costs by approximately $10 a barrel in about seven years. Oil sands had an average break-even price of $51.80/bbl between 2017 and 2019, according to BMO. In contrast, a recent Dallas Federal Reserve survey of over 100 oil and gas companies in Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana found that shale oil producers need a WTI oil price of $65 per barrel on average to profitably drill. Back in 2017-2019, U.S. shale producers had a break-even price of between $50 and $52 per barrel. Part of the reason that the oil sands industry has become so cost competitive is the nature of the extraction process. Producing the thick, sticky oil that is found in the sands of Alberta is in some locations more akin to mining than oil drilling. Where the oil is very close to the surface, companies operate massive mines, scraping up huge volumes of sand and clay and then filtering out the oil. When the oil is deeper, companies inject steam underground to loosen the deposits and then use a drilling process. An oil sands mine has big initial start-up costs but once it is operational, it can run for decades with very low production decline rates. Canadian Natural Resources ( opens new tab, for example, at the end of 2024 had proved and probable reserves amounting to 20.1 billion barrels of oil equivalent in its portfolio, giving its oil sands mining and upgrading assets a remaining reserve lifespan of 43 years. The company's Horizon oil sands mine has been producing since 2009. Shale oil wells, by contrast, have low start up costs. Oil output from the wells, however, begins to decline within months. Prices have begun to climb because after years of heavy drilling in the top shale fields, the most productive areas have been exhausted. Drillers are moving onto secondary areas, so they have to drill more wells to achieve the same output and that has driven up costs. Canadian oil sands companies have also paid down debt in the past five years, allowing them to reallocate profits away from shoring up their balance sheets and towards rewarding shareholders with dividends and buybacks. According to the Bank of Montreal, oil sands producers Canadian Natural Resources, Suncor, Cenovus, Imperial Oil and MEG Energy ( opens new tab currently have combined net debt, excluding lease liabilities, of C$33.9 billion after paying down a combined total of almost C$22 billion in debt between 2021 and 2024. As returns grow, Canadian oil sands producers are an increasingly attractive investment for those looking to make money from the energy industry, said Kevin Burkett, portfolio manager with Vancouver-based Burkett Asset Management. "(Canada's oil sands) are not geopolitically risky, and they have some very appealing characteristics around productivity and costs," said Burkett, who has shares of Canadian Natural Resources and Cenovus in his portfolio.
Western Telegraph
13-07-2025
- Western Telegraph
Queues as Crwst Haverfordwest opened in Quay Street today
Crwst Haverfordwest opened in Quay Street at 10am and the customers just kept on coming, eager to sample Crwst's famous doughnuts, bread and pastries as well as to grab a good cup of coffee. The new take away is located at the front of the Blackbear Pembrokeshire estate agents in Quay Street, Haverfordwest. (Image: Western Telegraph) It is now serving takeaway coffee, bakes, doughnuts, bread and toasties focusing on good-quality products and friendly service. Crwst will trail the Haverfordwest venture for a few months and will look at making it a more permanent fixture if it goes well. (Image: Western Telegraph) 'We've been starving in Haverfordwest,' said one happy customer. 'We didn't have [freshly baked] bread. We've had to ship it in from Fishguard. Hoards of people checked out the new bakery this morning, which runs on a similar model to Crwst's takeaway in Newcastle Emlyn. (Image: Western Telegraph) The highly accolade bakery which has been named as one of the best places to enjoy breakfast in the UK by national newspapers The Guardian and The Observer and named among the best in the world by La Liste in 2024. It's flagship café and store is in Cardigan, with branches in Poppit Sands, Newcastle Emlyn and now Haverfordwest. (Image: Western Telegraph) 'It's been amazing,' said Peter Campbell,' manager of the Haverfordwest shop. 'People have been coming in to support us, it's been really busy. Jamie Barnett, of the recently opened Blackbear Pembrokeshire property agency agreed that the response had been overwhelmingly positive. 'We felt that our reception area was rarely used, it is such a big office,' he said. Blackbear offered the space to Crwst and after the bakery has had success at Haverfordwest Farmers' Market and other local food events, the owners jumped at the chance. (Image: Western Telegraph) 'With hospitality these days being as difficult as it is we gave them the opportunity to share the space,' said Jamie. 'This is the way forward for town centres. Getting Crwst into town is a bit of a dream. It's a win for us and a win for Haverfordwest.' (Image: Western Telegraph) It is hoped that Crwst will continue to expand with Blackbear, with opportunities in Swansea currently being explored. 'For a business like Crwst to be evolving out of west Wales is amazing,' said Jamie. (Image: Western Telegraph) Crwst at Blackbear Pembrokeshire, Quay Street, Haverfordwest, is open from 10am to 3pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 2pm on Sunday. (Image: Western Telegraph)
