Tenby Chamber of Trade & Tourism

Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 20^th February 2008

Apologies

Giles Birt, Joan Beynon, Marian Davies, Tim Brace

Members present

Janet Evans, Judy Courie, Chris Osborne, Mike Thorne, Elaine Rowe

Matters Arising

Membership

As a result of the membership drive 7 new businesses have joined the Chamber.

Website

Virtualtenby became live in April 07 and the promotion of the site started in December 07. CO produced the statistics for the site – January had 1.222 hits and February had 838 to date (20^th Feb)

Tenby Events/Noticeboards

3-4 years ago Tenby Chamber of Trade and Tourism decided to support Tenby Events (whose aim is to promote events for tourists and locals and to support those events already in existence e.g summer spectaculars, paella festival, Tenby Arts Festival etc and to operate the de Valence instead of the town council) Tenby Events was successful in obtaining European money which was available for 3 years, this has now ended and Tenby Events is self funding.

During this time Tenby Events identified the need for notice boards around the town and after much discussion with Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks (PCNP) on design and materials to be used, an application was made for 3 boards to be erected at various points around town. Planning permission has been granted for 2 boards, one on the Norton by the telescope and the other on South Parade towards the Five Arches area.

The cost of each board is £3,500 sponsored by Tenby Town Council and Tenby Chamber of Trade & Tourism and Tenby Rotary Club. PCNP have produced a new town trail, Dragon Discovery, which will feature on the reverse of the boards which should be ready by June.

PCNP are replacing the Fair & Fashionable panels at the Railway Station, the Salterns car park, Five Arches, Tudor Square and Castle Hill. There will also be three new locations, the grass verge by the multi-storey car park, the harbour, beside the parking charges display board and Butts Field, most likely by the pay machine.

Annual General Meeting

This will take place on Wednesday 16^th April at 7.30pm at the Fourcroft Hotel and will be followed by a general meeting.

Correspondence

1. Peter Davies, Pembrokeshire Business Network, had requested a meeting with the Chamber. MT would invite him to the meeting on 19^th March to speak to members.
2. The Mayor, Councillor John Griffiths, had requested sponsorship for a charity night to be held at the de Valence on the 5^th April in aid of the Air Training Corp and Sea cadets. A £50 donation would be sent to Mr Griffiths.
3. Tenby Rowing Club had written asking for sponsorship of £150 or £300 for their forthcoming “Celtic

Challenge”, the Chamber will have to wait for the treasurer’s report at the next meeting before any decision

can be made.

4. The JUDP (Joint Unitary Development Plan) was adopted on the 13th July 2006 as the development Plan for

the County, replacing the earlier Local and Structure Plans. A letter had been received from PCNP asking the

Chamber to become a consultee on the new Local Development Plan (LDP), which is a review of the JUDP.

Full information on the JUDP can be found on the PCNP or Pembrokeshire County Councils website.

A.O.B

1. RNLI wants to demolish the old lifeboat house but have been refused permission by the Welsh Assembly

inspector who stated it should be marketed for alternative use. It is now on the market with a local estate agent.

2. Royal Gatehouse – members are urged to visit the National Park Centre in South Parade to view the proposed

plans.

3. Floral Corner, High Street would be an ideal site for the Tourist Information Centre. A letter will be sent to Mr Neil

Bennett, Cultural Services, Pembrokeshire County Council, Tenby Town Council, PCNP and the local county

councillors with the suggestion.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday 19^th March

at 8.00 pm at The Fourcroft Hotel