This year’s Wales in Bloom event - popular in the past with coastal town’s such as Tenby and Saundersfoot enjoying success - has been cancelled due to the COVId-19 outbreak in the UK.

Last year The Atlantic Hotel along Tenby’s Esplanade scooped the ‘Best Hotel Front’ prize with a Gold medal display, narrowly pipping next door neighbours The Giltar Hotel who were also awarded Gold, while Saundersfoot took a ‘Silver Gilt’ in the Large villages class. Judging for this year’s event was due to take place in July.

“For Wales in Bloom, we appreciate you will have already been preparing to take part in this year’s campaign and so it saddens us to a great extent to cancel at this time,” said the organisation’s chairman Peter Barton-Price in a statement to entrants over the weekend.

“However, your, our and everyone’s health and well-being is paramount and we believe our decision is the right decision for all in Wales – to cancel our Wales in Bloom Main Campaign 2020.

“You will also be aware of the UK Government heightened actions to encourage social distancing and I am mindful as our campaign encourages the opposite of this, I am sure you will understand it would be wrong for us to further promote and run the campaign this year.

“As our motto says we are committed to ‘Helping Communities Grow’ - for this year please concentrate your efforts on ‘Helping your Communities’ in whatever way you can, protecting yourselves and especially those who are most vulnerable.

“All Wales in Bloom main category entries will now be cancelled for this year.

“If you have paid an entry fee for a main category entry please advise us if you would prefer to receive a full refund at this time or are prepared for us to retain and rollover your payment for your 2021 entry.

“This year we have seen a record number of ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ entries in Wales. ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ entries where a fee is not applicable will be placed ‘on hold’. We are currently working closely with the RHS and will update you as soon as we receive any further information with regard to this.

“We hope you all stay safe and well throughout these uncertain times,” he added.