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South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- South Wales Argus
We stayed at the newly renovated Imperial Hotel, Tenby
The clifftop Imperial is a stunning listed building that has been a hotel for 120 years, opening in 1905. It closed as owners Shearings Hotels went into administration during lockdown, but bounced back strongly in the summer of 2021 as part of the Coast & Country Hotel Collection. (Image: Western Telegraph) Last year it was sold to Crest Hotels and since then has undergone an extensive renovation, reopening in April. (Image: Western Telegraph) The hotel now offers 52 refurbished bedrooms and the newly renovated Essence restaurant. (Image: Western Telegraph) The kids and I arrive on a sunny afternoon and head through the be-foliaged entrance way to reception where we are given a warm welcome. Our room is situated on the third floor at the front of the hotel and when we open the door all three of us gasp. The room is well-appointed, beautifully furnished and facing out to sea. (Image: Western Telegraph) Sweeping open the net curtains reveals an uninterrupted sea view over to Caldey Island and miles and miles of beautiful blue sea- it is stunning and truly good for the soul. The room is equipped with some big brand appliances, Smeg mini fridge with welcoming soft drinks inside, Smeg kettle and Dyson hairdryer. (Image: Western Telegraph) A sumptuously comfy double bed and sofa bed await. The ensuite is equipped in gleaming white with double sinks, bath and a shower, all spotless. (Image: Western Telegraph) Tenby-inspired art adorns the walls and we really like the beach-themed carpet. The room is probably better suited for a couple with a child rather than an adult and two kids. It is set up for two people in terms of cups and glasses and we draw straws over who will share the double! (Image: Western Telegraph) On the terrace below, the Tenby Rocks party is in full swing, a Saturday afternoon shenanigan featuring a DJ blasting out Ibiza classics, with cocktails on the terrace. When I pop back down to reception, the floorboards are reverberating under my feet and the older couple checking in look a bit concerned. The music dies down just after six and the girls in their miniskirts and bikini tops and boys in bucket hats head elsewhere. (Image: Western Telegraph) Once the terrace is restored to tranquillity, it is a truly lovely place to be. Nestled into the ruins of the old town walls with sweeping views over South Beach and out to sea, it's the perfect place for a drink in the sun. (Image: Western Telegraph) After settling in, we head to South Beach, a mere few minutes' walk away, and spend a delicious time in the sea. Back at the hotel, we scrub up for dinner in the hotel's Essence restaurant where we have a sea view table - it is a bit like being on a boat with nothing but the sea beyond us. (Image: Western Telegraph) For our starters we order the Tenby Bay Basket to share, two mini baskets of deep-fried deliciousness with a small salad and garlic and thermidor dips. There are cries of 'I'm obsessed' and 'can we have this every week' as we tuck into the baskets of lobster tail, crayfish, tiger prawns , mussels , shrimp and cockles. For my main, I order the herb-crusted sea trout with confit potatoes, samphire and a white wine and laverbread sauce. There are no herbs, but the sea trout (or sewin) is very nicely cooked, just on the verge of rare without being slimy. The salty samphire sets it off nicely but the laverbread in the sauce makes the whole dish a little too salty. I swipe the tween's uneaten salad and the pea shoots balance out the saltiness. (Image: Western Telegraph) The tween has an Imperial chicken burger with extra bacon and proper chips. He particularly likes the dressing and wolfs the lot down saying it's 'an orchestra of flavour in my mouth'. The teen orders pulled crab and lobster pappardelle, ribbons of pasta in a crab and lobster bisque topped with a lobster tail. She is a bit perplexed as to the absence of cherry tomatoes as they are on the menu, but enjoys the pasta and the succulent lobster flesh. (Image: Western Telegraph) We chose our puddings and wait for someone to take our order and wait …. and wait. The restaurant staff are also taking drinks out to a very busy terrace. Eventually I catch the barman's eye and he sends the manager over. We order a chocolate brownie bomb and a Cointreau and orange crème brûlée, only to be told the kitchen has closed. The dessert disaster is somewhat saved by two bowls of ice cream and an affogato. I would have liked to have tried that crème brûlée though. After dinner, we head out through Tenby's bustling evening streets and catch live music at a venue or two before making our way back. We are grateful for the air conditioning in the room and are lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves as the Buck moon reflects in the sea. (Image: Western Telegraph) The next morning, we are in the sea before breakfast, the tide is high but there is a scrap of sand at the beach by the Paragon with only a couple of people on it. The sand is golden, the water clear and I have that real 'on holiday' feeling. It's bliss. (Image: Western Telegraph) Back at the hotel and we find out that check out isn't at ten, as written on the guest info, but at eleven. What a relief! This gives us time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. At Essence there is a buffet with cereal, yoghurt and fruit, pastries and toast as well as a hot menu to order from. (Image: Western Telegraph) After a delicious bowl of yogurt, raspberries and granola (why had I never thought of adding seeds and walnuts to mine at home? Yummy!), we order a full Welsh, scrambled eggs and salmon and eggs royale. (Image: Western Telegraph) All are perfectly-proportioned, not too big to overwhelm but big enough to set us up for the day. (Image: Western Telegraph) The Welsh breakfast is well presented and not at all greasy, there is no laverbread with it - which is a shame as I was looking forward to it - and the poached eggs, though looking gorgeous, were a bit overcooked. However, those are my only niggles and the salmon and eggs in both their breakfast manifestations were very well received. (Image: Western Telegraph) Once packed, the staff kindly say that we can leave our bags at the hotel and we divide a few more jolly hours between the beach and the terrace before heading home. So what of the Imperial? Well, it still needs a couple of tweaks in the kitchen and restaurant, but it's in a cracking spot with unparalleled views, it is child and dog-friendly, the staff are lovely and the rooms gorgeous. I'm still a bit unsure about the incongruity of the Ibiza party on the terrace, but it is only on a Saturday afternoon and finishes early enough. Maybe next time I will have to ditch the mummy dungarees, put on a mini skirt, order a cocktail and join in! (Image: Kayak PR) To stay at the Imperial Hotel, Tenby, visit linked above.
Western Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Western Telegraph
Petition to save Kilgetty Community Centre from Co-op land sale
As the Western Telegraph previously reported, the Co-op has put a parcel of land it owns in Kilgetty on the market. The 2.32 acre site, down the road from the Co-op store on the village's Carmarthen Road, is being advertised as 'a compelling opportunity for developers and investors'. The sale plans have threatened the future of Kilgetty Community Centre, a car park and public toilets, which all stand on the land. A petition has now been launched to save the 'lifeline' community centre, which is used by over 300 people every week and is operated by Kilgetty Begelly Community Council under a licence. Council members have stated they are 'wholeheartedly determined' to retain the facility. Around 550 people have already signed the petition on The centre is home to a variety of groups, including a friendship club.(Image: Google Street View) The petition points out: 'For 30+ years, the Co-op group have done no maintenance or even responded to requests. 'The Community Hall is not just an asset on paper to the villages of Kilgetty and Begelly, but a lifeline for many that use it. 'The Co-op group have made this decision without consulting the community, they have not involved the human factor in their decision or even considered the effects this will have on the clubs that use the hall. "To the Co-op group, the hall and land is profit…profit that hasn't cost them a penny in many many years, all that hard work has been carried out by individuals, groups and volunteers over that time. "Please sign this petition in the hopes that we can attempt to save our hall and as a community, claim our adverse rights to land." The village's public toilets are also on the land for sale. (Image: Google Street View) The area's county councillor, Alistair Cameron, has emphasised the need to safeguard the community facilities. He commented: "There are valued community facilities on this land including the community centre and public conveniences. "The community centre serves many groups, including a friendship club, a club for elderly residents, facilities for disabled residents and is a place where residents can meet and make friends to counter loneliness. "In addition, this land is where you would want the electricity, water and drainage to be connected to the new Men's Shed and Arts and Craft Centre. "All of these community facilities will need to be safeguarded as part of the sale." The Co-op - which has been trading in Kilgetty for over half a century - is advertising the land sale through independent property consultants Hartnell Taylor Cook. The agents state in their sale particulars that the site is an 'ideal location for residential or commercial development'. It is also pointed out that 'licences have been granted on site and can be terminated should the purchaser wish to take vacant possession'.
Western Telegraph
3 days ago
- Western Telegraph
We stayed at the newly renovated Imperial Hotel, Tenby
The clifftop Imperial is a stunning listed building that has been a hotel for 120 years, opening in 1905. It closed as owners Shearings Hotels went into administration during lockdown, but bounced back strongly in the summer of 2021 as part of the Coast & Country Hotel Collection. (Image: Western Telegraph) Last year it was sold to Crest Hotels and since then has undergone an extensive renovation, reopening in April. (Image: Western Telegraph) The hotel now offers 52 refurbished bedrooms and the newly renovated Essence restaurant. (Image: Western Telegraph) The kids and I arrive on a sunny afternoon and head through the be-foliaged entrance way to reception where we are given a warm welcome. Our room is situated on the third floor at the front of the hotel and when we open the door all three of us gasp. The room is well-appointed, beautifully furnished and facing out to sea. (Image: Western Telegraph) Sweeping open the net curtains reveals an uninterrupted sea view over to Caldey Island and miles and miles of beautiful blue sea- it is stunning and truly good for the soul. The room is equipped with some big brand appliances, Smeg mini fridge with welcoming soft drinks inside, Smeg kettle and Dyson hairdryer. (Image: Western Telegraph) A sumptuously comfy double bed and sofa bed await. The ensuite is equipped in gleaming white with double sinks, bath and a shower, all spotless. (Image: Western Telegraph) Tenby-inspired art adorns the walls and we really like the beach-themed carpet. The room is probably better suited for a couple with a child rather than an adult and two kids. It is set up for two people in terms of cups and glasses and we draw straws over who will share the double! (Image: Western Telegraph) On the terrace below, the Tenby Rocks party is in full swing, a Saturday afternoon shenanigan featuring a DJ blasting out Ibiza classics, with cocktails on the terrace. When I pop back down to reception, the floorboards are reverberating under my feet and the older couple checking in look a bit concerned. The music dies down just after six and the girls in their miniskirts and bikini tops and boys in bucket hats head elsewhere. (Image: Western Telegraph) Once the terrace is restored to tranquillity, it is a truly lovely place to be. Nestled into the ruins of the old town walls with sweeping views over South Beach and out to sea, it's the perfect place for a drink in the sun. (Image: Western Telegraph) After settling in, we head to South Beach, a mere few minutes' walk away, and spend a delicious time in the sea. Back at the hotel, we scrub up for dinner in the hotel's Essence restaurant where we have a sea view table - it is a bit like being on a boat with nothing but the sea beyond us. (Image: Western Telegraph) For our starters we order the Tenby Bay Basket to share, two mini baskets of deep-fried deliciousness with a small salad and garlic and thermidor dips. There are cries of 'I'm obsessed' and 'can we have this every week' as we tuck into the baskets of lobster tail, crayfish, tiger prawns , mussels , shrimp and cockles. For my main, I order the herb-crusted sea trout with confit potatoes, samphire and a white wine and laverbread sauce. There are no herbs, but the sea trout (or sewin) is very nicely cooked, just on the verge of rare without being slimy. The salty samphire sets it off nicely but the laverbread in the sauce makes the whole dish a little too salty. I swipe the tween's uneaten salad and the pea shoots balance out the saltiness. (Image: Western Telegraph) The tween has an Imperial chicken burger with extra bacon and proper chips. He particularly likes the dressing and wolfs the lot down saying it's 'an orchestra of flavour in my mouth'. The teen orders pulled crab and lobster pappardelle, ribbons of pasta in a crab and lobster bisque topped with a lobster tail. She is a bit perplexed as to the absence of cherry tomatoes as they are on the menu, but enjoys the pasta and the succulent lobster flesh. (Image: Western Telegraph) We chose our puddings and wait for someone to take our order and wait …. and wait. The restaurant staff are also taking drinks out to a very busy terrace. Eventually I catch the barman's eye and he sends the manager over. We order a chocolate brownie bomb and a Cointreau and orange crème brûlée, only to be told the kitchen has closed. The dessert disaster is somewhat saved by two bowls of ice cream and an affogato. I would have liked to have tried that crème brûlée though. After dinner, we head out through Tenby's bustling evening streets and catch live music at a venue or two before making our way back. We are grateful for the air conditioning in the room and are lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves as the Buck moon reflects in the sea. (Image: Western Telegraph) The next morning, we are in the sea before breakfast, the tide is high but there is a scrap of sand at the beach by the Paragon with only a couple of people on it. The sand is golden, the water clear and I have that real 'on holiday' feeling. It's bliss. (Image: Western Telegraph) Back at the hotel and we find out that check out isn't at ten, as written on the guest info, but at eleven. What a relief! This gives us time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. At Essence there is a buffet with cereal, yoghurt and fruit, pastries and toast as well as a hot menu to order from. (Image: Western Telegraph) After a delicious bowl of yogurt, raspberries and granola (why had I never thought of adding seeds and walnuts to mine at home? Yummy!), we order a full Welsh, scrambled eggs and salmon and eggs royale. (Image: Western Telegraph) All are perfectly-proportioned, not too big to overwhelm but big enough to set us up for the day. (Image: Western Telegraph) The Welsh breakfast is well presented and not at all greasy, there is no laverbread with it - which is a shame as I was looking forward to it - and the poached eggs, though looking gorgeous, were a bit overcooked. However, those are my only niggles and the salmon and eggs in both their breakfast manifestations were very well received. (Image: Western Telegraph) Once packed, the staff kindly say that we can leave our bags at the hotel and we divide a few more jolly hours between the beach and the terrace before heading home. So what of the Imperial? Well, it still needs a couple of tweaks in the kitchen and restaurant, but it's in a cracking spot with unparalleled views, it is child and dog-friendly, the staff are lovely and the rooms gorgeous. I'm still a bit unsure about the incongruity of the Ibiza party on the terrace, but it is only on a Saturday afternoon and finishes early enough. Maybe next time I will have to ditch the mummy dungarees, put on a mini skirt, order a cocktail and join in! (Image: Kayak PR) To stay at the Imperial Hotel, Tenby, visit linked above.
Western Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Western Telegraph
Sir Michael Morpurgo to open Friends of Treginnis fete
Sir Michael Morpurgo and his wife Lady Clare will officially open the annual Friends of Treginnis fete at 2pm this Saturday, July 19. The War Horse author is the co-founder of Farms for City Children and has been known to delight children staying at Treginnis with readings from his books and stories during their stays there. (Image: Western Telegraph) The fete raises essential funds for Treginnis Farm for City Children, which offers children who have grown up in urban settings a 'week of muck and magic' in Pembrokeshire. The fete was put on hold for six years after it was scuppered by Covid and wild weather. It returned last year but without Sir Michael who had had a health scare. The fete is a great way to fundraise for the farm and to visit this spectacular spot at the end of the St Davids Peninsula, one of the the furthest flung farms in the UK. (Image: Friends of Treginnis) This year's fete opens at 1pm. Entrance costs £5 per person, children of school age are free. There will be children's games such as giant Connect Four, hop-scotch, hula hoops, giant noughts and crosses and many more, as well as bouncy castles. There will be plenty of stalls including craft, bric a brac, books, cakes, RNLI, and a tombola and Treginnis Farm will be selling home-grown own vegetables and flowers. There will also be the big raffle with some wonderful prizes to be won. (Image: Western Telegraph) Refreshments include tea, coffee and cakes, beefburgers and hot dogs from the St Davids Penknife Club barbecue, strawberries and cream and beer brewed at St David's Old Farmhouse Brewery. The Pembrokeshire Ukulele Band, Vox Angelica and Mike Chant will provide musical entertainment St David's Fire Engine will make an appearance during the afternoon and St John's Ambulance will be in attendance all day. (Image: Western Telegraph) Four legged friends are also welcome and can enter the dog show to with a rosette for the friendliest face, the waggiest tail or just a lovely temperament. Richards Bros will be running a free bus from the Cross Square to Treginnis, starting 1pm all afternoon. The bus will run all afternoon with the last bus returning from Treginnis at 5.30pm. There is also plenty of parking at the farm. 'This is an important date, please put it in your diary and come along and enjoy an afternoon of fun at Treginnis,' said Mary Edey, secretary of Friends of Treginnis. The friends are always looking for volunteers to help us on the day. If you can you spare a few hours to come along and join in the fun, please contact the secretary Mary Edey on
Western Telegraph
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Western Telegraph
Pictures- Crowds flock to Fishguard Soapbox Derby 2025
Fishguard's ever popular Soapbox Derby was greeted by blue skies and soaring temperatures as visitors and locals gathered to watch the spectacle at the side of Lota Park. The fun kicked of fat midday as each team had a trial run at the course to become acclimatised to its twists, turns, ramps and jumps. (Image: Western Telegraph) There was a strong Round Table present at this year's event with organisers, Fishguard and District Round Table putting in two entries as welk as entries from Llandeilo and Carmarthen Round Tables. (Image: Western Telegraph) Fishguard Ladies Circle entered for the first time ever, as did Goodwick Sea Scouts. Other entries included Wales Blood Bike and the Eat my Pizza crocodile. (Image: Western Telegraph) All were competing for the coveted trophies, sponsored by A&E Nichols; first, second and third prizes as well as a prize for Derby Disaster and one for best design. As well as the action on Penbanc and Ropewalk, the crowds enjoyed a host of stalls and rides in nearby Lota Park. (Image: Western Telegraph) These will include food and refreshments, fairground rides, bouncy castles and stalls. (Image: Western Telegraph) All money raised by the round table during their trio of summer events; the raft race, soapbox derby and carnival, goes back into the local community. In what was the closest derby ever the top two trophy winners were separated by less than 0.15 seconds and the whole field only separated by no more than five seconds. "This shows that the quality of the carts being produced is on the rise in a serious way, amazing said a Fishguard Round Table spokesperson. The trophy winners were 1st - Llandeilo Round Table 2nd - Scorpion 4 The VC Gallery 3rd - Carmarthen Round Table Best Design - Fishguard Ladies Circle Derby Disaster - Fishguard Round Table Slow & Steady - Fishguard Ladies Circle "What a day. What an event. What a community." said the spokesperson. "We want to say thank you to all our competitors and spectators for coming out to support the derby in remarkably warm and challenging conditions. You're all brilliant."
