Visitors not wanted in Pembrokeshire

PEOPLE need to stay away is the message from some of the county’s most popular holiday destinations after a “ludicrous” weekend of visitors.

A joint statement was issued by Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire county councils warning visitors that it was not safe to visit the area, risking the further spread of coronavirus.

In Tenby there were large numbers  of visitors a local councillor said, adding social distancing advice was not being followed.

Cllr Michael Williams said: “The way they descended on us his weekend was ludicrous. It was like a summer’s afternoon in Tenby.”

He said there had been issues in some shops with people not keeping their distance and coming in in groups, “it’s bonkers.”

More “draconian” action should have been taken initially added Cllr Williams.

It appeared to be quieter in Tenby today (Monday) said Cllr Jonathan Preston, representing Penally and New Hedges, who said it “beggars belief” that people had not heeded Government advice.

In St Davids Cllr David Lloyd said he had been contacted by a lot of concerned people and he had welcomed the “collective voices” of the three west Wales councils asking people to stay away.

“They are saying please stay away and that’s absolutely right. As is the police and crime commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn’s statement saying ‘it’s not a national holiday, it’s a national emergency’. That expresses all our concerns,” added Cllr Lloyd.

“Once we realised that this is a life and death, it does tend to concentrate the mind. We’ve got to look after one another and be responsible.”

Similar high numbers were in the Havens with hundreds on the beach on Sunday, according to local member Cllr Peter Morgan.

“People have said to me how crazy it is,” he said, adding although it appeared people were keeping their distance and enjoying the fresh air, it became extremely crowded at high tide.