Fishguard, Goodwick And Fishguard Harbour, Pembrokeshire

Fishguard and Goodwick are ideal holiday destinations with Stena Line ferries sailing from Fishguard Harbour to Rosslare in Ireland. Visit the Last InvasionTapestry at Fishguard Town Hall Library and enjoy the facilities of the new Fishguard Leisure Centre with indoor Swimming Pool.

Fishguard Lower Town

Go-Ahead For £100m Marina Plans – Pembroke Dock Not Goodwick

Plans for a £100m marina development with new homes, cinema, hotel and possibly a casino in Pembrokeshire have been unanimously backed by planners. Council leaders said the go-ahead for the Martello Quays scheme was a “red letter day” for Pembroke Dock. It is expected to create hundreds of new jobs and generate over £10m annually for the town’s economy.

Conservationists raised fears it may damage wildlife habitats but developers said they would protect the area. The development will create a marina with pontoons for up to 260 berths along with 146 houses and 304 apartments. The site, opposite Neyland on the Cleddau Estuary between Hobbs Point and the ferry terminal to Ireland, will also house a hotel, multi-screen cinema, gallery, pub and restaurants.

Pembrokeshire Council leader John Davies said: “It’s extremely good news for Pembrokeshire and Pembroke Dock. “It is £100m of private investment that will bring a great lift to the economy and well being of Pembroke Dock. It’s the beginning of exciting times – a red letter day – for maritime facilities in Pembrokeshire.” Councillor Davies said he expected regeneration projects at other coastal towns in the county would follow. “This is just the tip of the iceberg,” he added.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds had written to Pembrokeshire Council’s planning committee objecting to the development. It said the loss of mudflats and eelgrass beds could affect otters and wading birds. But the Countryside Council for Wales said the measures proposed by the developers would protect the estuary. The plans were also opposed by 63 people in the county on the grounds it would increase traffic, block the views of some existing properties and was too large in scale and density.

The development, first unveiled in 2004, is named after the nearby Martello Tower built to defend the town in Napoleonic times.

Story from BBC NEWS

Tesco To Build In Fishguard

The County Council’s cabinet was told on Monday 12th November that Tesco is the preferred company to build a new supermarket in Fishguard. The deal includes a new primary school to be built on the old Education Centre site to replace the current junior and infant schools in the town.

The current junior school site will be demolished to accommodate Tesco’s new 15,000 square foot supermarket together with a car park for 158 vehicles.

This is another step in the regeneration of the town centre which will include a new road system and wider, safer pavements.

Fishguard Last Invasion Tapestry Gallery

A gallery to display the Last Invasion Tapestry, which was prepared to celebrate the bicentenary of the Last Invasion of Britain in February 1997, is incorporated into the recently refurbished Town Hall. This internationally famous tapestry is a must for visitors to the area. OPEN Mon to Sat during Library opening hours. Tel: 01437 776639.

County’s Anger Over Gateway Road

The leader of Pembrokeshire County Council has voiced his concern that the Welsh Assembly Government has no plans to widen the main road into the county. First Minister Rhodri Morgan said the A40 was not busy enough to justify creating a dual carriageway between St Clears and Haverfordwest. Counillor John Davies said that the “short-sighted” view ignored the needs of the county.

The assembly government said there was no commitment to widening the road, but did not rule it out in future. The council has long called for the road to be widened, which would effectively extend the M4 motorway link to Haverfordwest. Studies carried out by the assembly government three years ago put the cost of carrying out the work at about £155m. The county council has proved that traffic growth on these routes in Pembrokeshire is far in excess of traffic growth figures across Great Britain.

Visit BBC News

Rosslare To Get £6 Million Port investment

Rosslare Europort is set to benefit from a £6m investment in the port and terminal infrastructure to cater for future growth. The bulk of the investment will be spent on replacing the linkspan on the port’s Berth 2. Other improvements include the expansion of the trailer compound to allow for future growth.

Expected to be completed in late 2008 the port will then be able to handle a new class of Roll on, Roll Off ship called the Humbermax. Ar around 50,000 tonnes these vessels have a length of 200 metres, a beam of 31 metres and a loaded draught of approx 7.5 metres

Fishguard And Goodwick What’s On

Regular Events

Every Tuesday evening, “Folk at the Oak” at the Royal Oak.

Every Thursday, the weekly market is held at the Market Hall, located in the Town Hall building on the Market Square, Fishguard. Every other Saturday the Farmers’ Market is also held at the Market Hall.

Every Friday morning, the Friendship Circle meets at the Market Hall.

Fourth Monday of the month, the Chamber of Trade & Tourism normally meets at the Fishguard Bay Hotel at 7.30 pm. New members are always welcome.

Town Council meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 7.30 pm (except during August). Check at Town Hall on the location of meetings.

Fishguard Community Learning – Day & Evening Classes

Learning Pembrokeshire offers a wide range of courses, both certificated and non-certificated, catering for students of all ages (16+) and abilities. Why not try something new or improve on your current skills?

Further details are on the Learning Pembrokeshire website.

The Fishguard Community Learning Centre is at Ysgol Bro Gwaun campus and you can call in for a copy of the latest brochure or further details can be obtained by telephoning 01348 872488 or by Email.

“Jemima Nicholas did exist”

Proof that the Last Invasion of Britain’s local heroine Jemima Nicholas did exist appears to have been found at the Records Office in Haverfordwest by a local college lecturer seeking his family’s history.

The records of Mathry Parish Registry show that a Jemima Nicholas had been baptised in the village on 2nd March 1755 making her 41 years of age at the time of the Invasion in February 1797. Contemporary accounts of her age at the time recorded that she was 47.

The baptism record gives her parents as William and Elinor Nicholas from Llanrhian; they also had a son, Isaac, who was baptised two years later at Llanrhian.

A cobbler, or shoemaker, by trade she lived in Main Street, Fishguard and was buried at St Mary’s Church near her home on 16th July 1832. A memorial gravestone was erected in the churchyard in 1897 to commemorate the centenary of the Invasion. See Last Invasion for further details of the Invasion and Jemima’s part in routing the French invaders.

Fishguard Bay Hotel’s £1 Million Spend

Upgrading and refurbishment of North Pembrokeshire’s premier hotel are now complete after a £1 million spent. Enjoying one of the best locations in Pembrokeshire overlooking Fishguard Harbour, the hotel includes new facilities for conferences with state of the art facilities and a major refurbishment of the public rooms and bedrooms.

Fishguard’s Town And Market Halls Catch Up With The 21st Century

At a cost of £1.3 million, work on transforming the Town and Market Halls on Fishguard Square is now complete. Located in the building are the weekly market, fortnightly Farmers’ market, library, Tourist Information Centre, council customer service centre, Registrar’s office and the Town Council Clerk’s office. A first-class improvement on the old facilities.

Fishguard And Goodwick Town Council

Town Council meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 7.30pm (except during August). These meetings are open to the public. The location of the meetings is changeable at the moment and enquiries can be made at the Town Hall. The Town Clerk is available at her office at the Town Hall on Tuesdays 2-5, Wednesday 9-12 and Thursday 10-1, telephone no 01348 874406. Email Town Clerk.

Planning Your Holiday

With more BLUE FLAG beach awards than the rest of Wales put together Pembrokeshire has to be on your shortlist for a family holiday. Here are brief details of two beaches in Fishguard and Goodwick; a list of all the beaches in Pembrokeshire can be found here.

SLADE. The tiny beach at the bottom of the Slade was a bygone favourite, now mainly forgotten, but deserves to be included for its location at the edge of Lower Town, Fishguard – in Welsh ‘Y Cwm’ – surely one of the most beautiful harbours in Wales. Parking and toilets at Lower Town.

GOODWICK SANDS. Winner of the Seaside Award, the sand and shingle beach overlooks Fishguard Harbour and is sheltered by the breakwater and backed by a grassy bank. Safe bathing and popular with families. Ocean Lab features ‘Ollie the octopus’, cyber cafe, ocean quest, coffee shop, soft play area for under fives and tourist information centre. Plenty of parking spaces and toilets. Shops, pubs and Post Office close by in Goodwick.

FISHGUARD AND GOODWICK GUIDE 2008

Our 2008 Guide to Fishguard, Goodwick and District is under preparation. Printed in full colour the Guide will set out to provide holidaymakers and day visitors with the information they need to enhance and enjoy their visit whilst encouraging them to use local businesses.

For further information contact Brian Howells on 01348 874691 as soon as possible.