Pembrokeshire County Council are said to have had cause to speak to ‘overzealous’ enforcement officers, tackling those seemingly breaking the beach ban restrictions on dogs in Tenby over the summer.

Beach bans are in place over the summer for a full five months of the year, between May 1 and September 30, across some of Pembrokeshire’s beaches, including parts of Tenby’s South Beach, Castle and North Beaches.

A number of dog walkers have been handed Fixed Penalty Notices since PCC contracted WISE enforcement wardens took over monitoring of the beach byelaws, towards the end of summer 2023.

The dog bans are subject to enforcement with a maximum penalty of £500 for breaches of the byelaws.

However, many of those that have been fined, and even local councillors have admitted that some of the signage pointing out the boundaries, can appear to be somewhat confusing.

A couple of elderly holidaymakers who were on the beach this month opposite Kiln Park, walking their dog, told the Observer that after they ventured about 30ft into the dog restriction area, which they were unaware of, when an enforcement officer, who was ‘lurking in the rocks’ came over and handed them a £75 fine.

Dog ban Tenby
Between May 1 and September 30, there are restrictions on taking dogs onto some of Pembrokeshire beaches, including Tenby’s North, Castle and part of South beach. (Observer pic)

The couple felt that the way they were approached and how they were dealt with was poor.

Another dog walking victim told the Observer that they would never return to Tenby to holiday because of the ‘brutal’ beach restrictions, after being fined by a ‘smug enforcement officer’.

Speaking over the summer, Cllr Laura Crockford had told her fellow town councillors that fines were seemingly being issued on South Beach within areas where people believed they could take their dogs, because the zonal restrictions in place, created difficulties.

Speaking at this month’s meeting of the Town Council, Cllr Crockford gave an update on the dog ban boundaries concerns, on South Beach in particular, after she along with Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall and the Town Clerk had met with Gary Nicholls and beach warden Myrddin Dennis of PCC to look at the signage in place.

Councillors heard that the signage was indeed correct, but it was felt that perhaps enforcers were initially ‘overzealous’ - and PCC had spoken to them.

Next year PCC have agreed to look at altering the maps. By rotating them through 90 degrees the map will provide the same perspective as looking at the beach and may provide a better understanding of where the areas are.