A family member wanting to remember her mum’s love for Tenby by requesting a memorial bench be placed in the seaside town, overlooking a favourite spot, has been left ‘distressed and disappointed’ following something of a mix-up from Pembrokeshire Council.
June Jackson from Leigh in Manchester has been trying to arrange for the bench to be situated along The Esplanade, but plans haven’t gone as smoothly as she’d hoped for.
“My mum Susan Darbyshire absolutely loved Tenby. She took us every year, sometimes twice a year to stay at Paragon Court,” said June.
“She even brought my grandparents who also loved Tenby. I like my siblings have since and still continue to take our own children and grandchildren to Tenby. It's such a special place for us all.
“My mum even loved the Tenby Observer and she got a copy every time she came down.”
After June’s mother sadly passed away, the family felt a nice bench overlooking the sea by South Beach would be a fitting tribute, so in March of this year, June arranged with the Local Authority for it to be placed in a spot of their choice.
“I was reassured it would be in place in 12 weeks. I took the whole family, 12 of us to stay in Tenby in August after being informed the bench was there in the gardens by the Esplanade,” she explained.
“We all looked for it, but it was not there,” continued June, who was later advised that the bench was now in place in September.
“This was not the case. I was then asked for the wording I wanted on her bench, so I sent that over and was advised that the plaque would be done ASAP.
“In early October I was sent a picture of my mum’s bench. The plaque was right but the bench was not the one I paid for!
“As you can imagine paying for it in March and it's now mid October and we still do not have a bench in place has caused emotional distress and upset to the family,” she added.