SCT Business Forum - Latest April 2021
Posted on Tue 1st Jun at 4:11pm
Monday 19th April 2021
Saundersfoot Chamber for Tourism:
Business Forum
In Attendance: Dilys Hackett, Phil Baker, Lorraine, Dean Ludlow, Georgia Jones, Alex
Rudman, Michael Slade, Mike, Sue and Dave Griffiths.
Dilys: Following on from last year’s business forum Saundersfoot Chamber for Tourism has
decided to restart the forums to help the businesses in Saundersfoot with re-opening from
the last lockdown as we start the new summer season. The aim is to provide a platform for
owners of businesses in Saundersfoot to get together to talk, gain advice, ask questions and
communicate to enable us all to work together. We all want to get the village working
together and ready to welcome visitors back to the village. SCT feels it is useful to also gain
feedback from businesses on how everyone is doing, challenges we have faced, visitor
responses and changes we have had to make to our businesses. The forum is a good way to
form a picture on how the village is doing overall and SCT is here to help with any issues that
may arise.
* Dilys asked owners to provide feedback. Generally, how has it been going? How have
you found it? Busier than you thought? Quitter than thought?
o Lorraine, Tuk tuk Taxis: It has been quite normal, with a shorter window of
opportunity throughout at day with it going quitter earlier with restrictions
still in place for hospitality meaning it is quite at 7:30pm. They have a new
Tuk Tuk in next few weeks making it a total of three. Concerns of what has
been happening in Tenby with crowds, drinking and poor behaviour
happening to Saundersfoot in the future.
? Phil Baker: Once the pubs open outside it should all calm down and
then be able to be managed more. The behaviour of people surprised
County Hall with the issues not coming from visitors and tourist but
mainly Pembrokeshire residents. As soon as we have outdoor
hospitality (26th April 2021) open it will help with this problem by food
being served, bins provided, and toilets open etc.
o Dean, Little and Large Lite Bites: They are planning to open around the 17th
May when hospitality venues are allowed to open inside and outside open
together.
o Alex, Waters Edge: Bookings are good. They opened for Welsh guests when
they were allowed a few weeks ago then opened to English guests last
Monday. They are almost fully booked with people still enquiring. They have
had some cancellations due to guests receiving appointments for their
second jabs. Water’s Edge are continuing with everything that they put in
place last year. A lot of guests that came this year also came last year
therefore they are familiar with the systems previously put in place for Covid
so this is easier for the guests this year as they know what to expect more
than they did last year. Some comments that the village was very busy, but
everyone is just happy to be on holiday and out again. The village has had a
nice vibe with businesses and the village getting back to more of a normal.
The visitors said it was nice to have the shops back open again.
o Mike, Outer Reef: They opened today and have been very busy running up to
today. They are really excited to be in Saundersfoot and expanding into
Saundersfoot. They have found it pleasantly busy in Saundersfoot over the
last few weeks and are really excited to be a part of what is to come. They
have had a lot of interest, especially with locals over the last few weeks with
their online booking system showing a lot of bookings for the summer
already from locals and people in Pembrokeshire. They are having a retail
outlet in Ocean Square on the harbour selling branded clothing, wetsuits and
to be able to book and send people over to the main building in the Marine
Centre of Excellence. Ocean Square building works have been delayed due to
Covid however, they are hoping to be finished by the end of May. They
traded successfully from June last year with covid restrictions in place so are
feeling excited and confident for the season.
o Sue and Dave: They are not opening until the 26th when hospitality can open
outside. It is a little bit quite between the 26th April and 17th May. They feel
they are quitter because hospitality in Wales is not open indoor or outdoor
yet and England have opened outside. The end of May and June is very busy,
and they are expecting a very busy season.
o Mike Cliff House: They are not open until 17th May when hospitality is
predicted to open inside. Bookings from May onwards are very busy with a
lot of overruns from last year re-booking for this year. They are pretty much
fully booked now until September. Mikes concerns are on the clear up on
building work in the village and concerned with pavements being clogged up
outside the pubs with people drinking take-away beverages.
* Phil Baker:
o There was village ambassadors last year which were leisure centre staff. This
year it is planned that the ambassadors are paid and funded but with some
ambassadors being volunteers too which will ensure a presence of
ambassadors in the village daily. David Lewis, Hean Castle has offered some
of his staff as volunteers to help. The use of volunteers as well as paid staff is
to ensure that there are ambassadors in the village every day throughout
summer. They were received very well last year by visitors, locals and
business owners and it was really nice to have them in the village and
benefitted all. There is also no tourist information centre to be open in the
library this year and also the Coal building on The Harbour would have been a
visitors centre but this is not likely to be complete until end of Autumn and it
is not predicted to be up and running until next Easter making the
ambassadors even more vital this year.
o Also submitted last Friday was an application to put a bid into Welsh
Government to have it a permanent fixture of wider pavement on Cambrian
Terrace to enable Café Culture. Temporary Café Culture seating the same as
last year on Cambrian Terrace is happening again this year commencing in
May. With a temporary outdoor seating application also been submitted for
outside The Tramway on The Strand. The delivery bays on Cambrian Terrace
are planned to be moved temporally to Milford Street.
* Mike Slade: Chamber members can also be useful in regard to tourist information
where packs of information could be put together and given to businesses so they
can also have the knowledge to assist visitors.
o ‘Ask us’ or ‘Here to help’ signs/stickers for businesses?
o Is it possible to launch a Saundersfoot app to provide information on the
village? QR Codes? This can be investigated and used as a foundation, but
personal contact and speaking with visitors is most important.
* Mike, Outer Reef: Was asked where do their customers park? They are the same as
all visitors and have to try and find a space in the Harbour carpark, Coppet Hall
carpark or Regency Carpark.
o People, residents and visitors are getting irritated for lack of parking in the
village as we all know it is well over subscribed. Mike used to work for the
National Trust so is very keen on green travel, Tuk Tuk Taxis is great in terms
of helping with parking issues. A park and ride system would be ideal and is
needed. It is on the Community Councils and PCC County Halls agenda.
o The sports field can be used for 28 days in 12 months for car parking.
Bonvilles court car park is privately owned and unused, but the location is an
issue for the use of park and ride from there. Tuk tuk taxis are happy to help
with park and ride, Lorraine said they are not sure how to help but are more
than happy to help. Their taxis are two customers to a tuk tuk at the moment
but hopefully they will get other tuk tuks which can take more people.
* Developments on the harbour – timetable/ timeline indicative dates are that Ocean
Square is due for completion for the end of May. The schooner and coal office are
due to be completed by the autumn. All the equipment and materials have moved
from the Marine Centre of Excellence to the coal office and carpark. This is reducing
car parking and looks unsightly. Not how we want to present Saundersfoot to
visitors. Therefore, their aim is to get Ocean Square completed and finished first as it
is in the centre of the village.
* Any questions you can phone the harbour office who will help with any queries.
There are three units left to be let out with an up-to date list along with any other
information/updates being posted on their website:
o https://saundersfootharbour.co.uk/media/1573/ocean-square-brochure-v7-
100321.pdf
o https://saundersfootharbour.co.uk/harbour-developments/development-
master-plan/
* SCT will share any information or guidelines we receive around to members via email
and also summaries of the business forums will be sent via email.
* Phil Baker suggested a topic of a one-off meeting for the World Rowing
Championships. It would be good to introduce the business in Saundersfoot to the
World Rowing Championship Community, as Saundersfoot and the businesses need
to know what is going to happen to enable them to start thinking about it and
preparing for October 2022. SCT to arrange a meeting for this.
• Mike from Outer Reef is planning to go around the village with posters and to
introduce himself to the businesses. They are very keen to be a part of the community
and village. They want to compliment the village and are willing and enthusiastic to get
involved.
• Georgia Jones was introduced by Dilys. Georgia is a local resident and met with Dily
during the week as she wants to get involved and support SCT and the village so
attended tonight’s business forum to see a little bit of what we do.
• Dilys: The plan at the moment is to run the business forums once a fortnight on a
Monday at the moment. However, if anyone has any issues, information or questions in
the meantime they can email SCT. A link for the next forum will be sent via email shortly.