Town councillors have highlighted the need for Tenby to become a more ‘wheelchair friendly’ resort, after a local resident wrote to them pointing out that it was a shame that the town’s beaches were difficult to access for disabled and elderly people.

Correspondence from Rachel Batchelor came before members of the town council at their meeting on Tuesday night, regarding a matter ‘close to her heart’ after her mum Gillian was left unable to walk due to a sudden illness last year.

“It came to my attention that certain beaches have recently had new wheelchair access added to them, allowing people that need a wheelchair to not just look at the beach from a distance, but to be able to go onto the beach and even put their feet in the sea,” wrote Mrs. Batchelor.

She pointed out that her mum had lived and worked in Tenby her whole life, also putting her ‘heart and soul’ into fundraising for the local Red Cross Shop where she was manager.

Since going through a ‘life changing’ experience after coming out of hospital and being confined to a wheelchair, Mrs. Batchelor explained that accessing the beaches in Tenby, something her mum and other abled bodied people would perhaps have taken for granted, was now a real issue.

“I had a conversation last week with a family who used to come to Tenby for a holiday three times a year, but sadly one of their members was now in a wheelchair, and what really saddened me was the fact that they now avoid Tenby due to it being so wheelchair unfriendly (their words, not mine),” she continued.

“Surely this needs addressing. Tenby is such a beautiful place, but surely we should want everyone to be welcomed here.

“There have been lost of positive comments about the wheelchair access ramp leading down onto the beach in Saundersfoot, surely if they can achieve that there, we can here in Tenby too.

“Maybe the whole town could get together and make Tenby as wheelchair friendly as possible, and maybe other towns would join us on such a life changing project,” added Mrs. Batchelor.

Responding to the letter, the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, said it was very sad to hear this for the family involved, and asked if they could be put in touch with the ‘Pembrokeshire Access Group’ to take the points raised further.

Clr. Mrs. Lane and the town clerk Andrew Davies said that the town had previously looked into bringing ‘beach wheelchairs’ to the resort, to help people access the beaches as they do in Saundersfoot, but despite the Tenby and District Lions offering to fund them, there had been issues with where such wheelchairs would be stored.

“This letter is very helpful, I too know how incredibly difficult it is from when my mother visits in getting around Tenby in a wheelchair,” said Clr. Laurence Blackhall.

“It does come back to things like A-boards and also we have got very narrow pavements too. It is easier when the pedestrianisation scheme is in place, but we have to consider long term thoughts on making the town more accessible going forward, and perhaps more dialogue with other ‘dementia friendly’ towns as an objective for the future,” he added.

Clr. Mrs. Lane said that it would be worthwhile inviting the ‘Pembrokeshire Access Group’ and Mrs. Batchelor to a future meeting to speak the town council, and perhaps conduct a walk around the resort, to highlight areas were access issues could be improved.