A new Tenby pub and restaurant will pay homage to a former town crier of the seaside town, one of its best-known characters who previously ran popular toy shop Clarice at the premises.

The ‘’Town Crier’ which is being developed on Upper Frog Street is named as a nod to John Thomas, affectionately known as Yobbler, who was Tenby's town crier for over 30 years and one of the longest-serving in Wales.

John 'Yobbler' Thomas
John 'Yobbler' Thomas pictured in 2002 seen with shell models of town criers he made and presented to participants in the Tenby Town Charter Invitation Town Crier Competition. (Stock image)

Along with his wife Caroline, the couple ran Clarice for many years, before he passed away in 2011.

John was a great ambassador for Tenby, promoting the town throughout the world while attending town crier events, and indeed was responsible for bringing four national crier contests to the resort.

He was rightly proud of his role as town crier, and was especially proud when his wife Caroline herself became Mayor of Tenby.

Town Crier pub Tenby
The new 'Tenby Crier' pub and restaurant on Upper Frog Street is due to pen this summer (Pic supplied)

John was a full member of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Town Criers, serving on its executive committee for many years.

Proposals to turn the former toy shop into a restaurant and hotel were initially given the thumbs up by town councillors back in December of 2021; and now planning applications put forward (Ref: NP/24/0183/FUL and NP/24/0184LBA) for the replacement of shop fronts at 3 and 4 Upper Frog Street were recommended for approval by members of Tenby Town Council at their meeting this month, who felt that the proposal was in keeping with surrounding buildings and sympathetic to the location within the Conservation Area.

clarice toy shop
Clarice was a popular toy shop on Tenby's Upper Frog Street for many years (Stock image)

Georgie Shaw who along with her family and other business partners are behind the new eatery, said that the name would be a fitting tip of the hat to the late great ‘Yobbler’.

“The Thomas family were incredibly helpful when we purchased the property and knowing how much John gave to the community for over 30 years as the longest serving Town Crier in Wales, passionately promoting Tenby and Pembrokeshire across the world, we thought it’d be fitting to tip our hat to the late great man, affectionately known as ‘Yobbler’ and his family,” she said.

Town Crier upper frog street
Plans for the replacement of shop fronts at 3 and 4 Upper Frog Street were recommended for approval by members of Tenby Town Council at their meeting this month (Observer pic)

“A huge thanks to the Thomas family for making this new venture possible and we hope we do ‘Yobbler’ proud.

“Our brand new premises is currently under renovation and we are due to open this Summer, and very much looking forward to bringing this exciting new venture to the community of Tenby.”