Leaky roofs, poor central heating...and now being left in the dark - not literally on the latter...but once again, the failings of our Local Authority to be transparent with those that it matters to most has come to the surface once again - and traders at Tenby’s historic market hall deserve much better than this.

An application to change part of the market hall, along with the former town hall has now been amalgamated with plans to turn the former TP Hughes department store next door, into to a luxury spa hotel and restaurant.

Traders at the market hall have said that there has been a lack of communication forthcoming from the Local Authority who own and run the building.

So why are those whose livelihoods this could have an impact on the most, seemingly the last to know?

Last year it was revealed that PCC were said to be ‘engaged in discussions’ with the hotel developers working nearby, in the hope it would help achieve required repairs to the market’s roof.

“Market Traders are being kept informed and we will remain in contact with them as discussions progress,” yet another faceless PCC spokesperson stated.

Those traders clearly weren’t ‘kept informed’ - and it seems that there was more than meets the eye to those ‘discussions’.

PCC put forward a promotional campaign to push opportunities for more pop-up stalls at the market in the lead up to Christmas, but it seems that they’ve neglected once again those that currently run their businesses there.

PCC has admitted that even though officers have been in discussions with the developers, ‘no agreement’ has been reached.

Traders have spoken to PCC’s property department but as yet have had no ‘firm proposals’ regarding their future put to them, they say - yet this fully formed revised planning application was submitted to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority mid-December.

County Councillor for Tenby’s north ward Michael Williams remarked: “The traders have made the commitment, isn’t it a pity that the Local Authority over many years has failed to do so.”

How long can Pembrokeshire Council keep failing it’s supposed ‘jewel in the crown’