Sir,

Last Thursday, there should have been a town council election in Tenby, but once again, the electorate apathy prevailed. I will confess that my main objective in standing for election this year was an attempt to create sufficient numbers to force an election.

Instead, the ‘new’ council will comprise the same old faces, three of whom are entering their 30th year in office.

In the meantime, Tenby drifts further towards becoming a dull, dreary retirement town beside the sea rather than a vibrant seaside resort.

Sixty years ago, I can remember standing in Warren Street and watching the trains pull into the station and disgorge over 1,000 passengers who would then trudge off to the holiday digs that they had booked the previous year. In those ‘bad’ days, the retail outlets all stayed open to 6 pm whilst the cafes stayed open to 8 pm and some to 10 pm. The general ethos was if there was potential business, then I am open; I can rest during the winter months.

When I retired and came back to Tenby 25 years ago, Victoria Street and Southcliff Street were shoulder to shoulder guesthouses and B&Bs; now there only about half-a-dozen left. Those halcyon days have long gone and will never return as long as it is quicker and cheaper to fly to guaranteed sunshine in the south of Spain. Talk of regeneration of the High Street is an exercise in futility when the population of a retirement is too small to support it and many of the residents go to Carmarthen or Swansea to do any serious retail therapy.

May I take advantage of this forum to make a few suggestions for the future.

Arriva Trains: Why not an approach to Arriva Trains to seek cheaper, off peak excursion fares to Tenby? Surely a train full of discounted passengers is better than the almost empty trains that arrive in Tenby. This might also have an impact on the parking problems in Tenby.

Pembrokeshire County Council: Why are the county council car parks in Tenby the most expensive in the county? A more level playing field might help, if it only allows visitors a few more pounds to spend in the town.

Business rates: All retailers in Tenby complain about the high rates and it would probably be futile to campaign for an overall reduction, but why not a campaign for a reduction for three/four months of winter when there is no trade? Such a reduction is far better than more shops closing-down and going out of business. Would it not be possible to give any non-franchise retail outlet opening in Tenby the first 12 months free of rates and give it a better chance of becoming established? How many outlets have recently opened and closed within a year?

Pedestrianisation: Pedestrianisation has proved to be a success with the High Street, as long as it was not actually raining, full of visitors enjoying dining al fresco, and happy visitors mean return visitors. So why restrict it to just six weeks for six hours a day? Extend it to three months from mid-June to mid-September and increase the hours to 10 am to 6 pm. There will be some inconvenience for residents, but surely when it is for the benefit of the town, this can be accommodated with some goodwill and compromise.

Harbour concerts: The concerts on the harbour attract up to 1,000 spectators each Sunday and contribute to the holiday experience for visitors, yet the prevailing view is to reduce and restrict them. This is short-sighted when it would be more beneficial to Tenby to have concerts every Sunday night during pedestrianisation, concluding at 10 pm, so that the area is clear by 11 pm, after all it is only one night a week.

Street traders: The street traders do not directly compete with any retail outlet in Tenby and attract their customers from the young generation who would not be spending their few pence in the retail outlets anyway. They add to the holiday ambiance of the streets, and more importantly, if the youngsters are happy, this breeds happy parents and happy parents will want to repeat the experience. I agree that they should not set-up their stalls around iconic sites like the Five Arches, but surely there is room for them in Tudor Square. Perhaps during pedestrianisation they could hire the vacant parking spaces in Tudor Square for a small fee?

Ironman: The Ironman event is a major coup for the town, but we cannot rest on our laurels. There are several other venues who would love to take it from Tenby. Each year it must improve if we are to retain it and this is not helped by the complaints from a minority who feel that their convenience overrides all factors. How many cafés decline to adjust their business hours just for one weekend a year? How many accommodation venues refuse to adjust their meal times to suit the early starts and late finishes of the event?

De Valence: For some years, the De Valence has been something of a white elephant, but recently, thanks to the stalwart efforts of a small band of volunteers led by Clr. Christine Brown, it is beginning to re-establish itself as a viable entity. Why not promote the De Valence as a family-friendly conference centre during the shoulders of the season? A conference package could include a discount on accommodation for accompanying family, discounts on meals in the town’s restaurants, a discount of green fees for delegates playing golf, a family package discount for visits to Folly Farm, Heatherton etc. Surely a discounted footfall is better than no footfall?

If the foregoing can, at least, generate some positive discussion, then this letter will have served its purpose.

John H. T. Griffiths,

3 Scotsborough View,

Tenby.