#cllr-edward-skinner — Public Fediverse posts

LLANELLI: Local councillors welcome Aldi jobs but demand traffic improvements as condition of planning permission for Sandy Road supermarket

The county councillors for the ward where Aldi wants to build a £7m supermarket in Llanelli have given a cautious welcome to the plans — while making clear that managing the impact on an already congested Sandy Road must be a condition of any planning approval.

Aldi is consulting on proposals to demolish the Pinopolis entertainment centre on Sandy Road and replace it with a new store — the German discounter’s first on the western side of Llanelli.

Pinopolis only opened three years ago. Under Aldi’s proposals, the entire site would be cleared and replaced with a single-storey supermarket with 100 car parking spaces, creating around 40 jobs once open.

Hengoed ward councillors Martyn Palfreman and Edward Skinner both acknowledged the potential benefits, with Cllr Palfreman saying a store of this scale would be genuinely useful for residents across a wide area.

“A supermarket on this scale on the western side of Llanelli would undoubtedly be convenient for people in this part of the town and those living in Burry Port, Pembrey and beyond, and that is to be welcomed,” he said.

Cllr Skinner highlighted the employment opportunities. “The opportunities in terms of jobs, both during the construction phase and once the store is open, are considerable,” he said.

However, both councillors stressed that traffic management on Sandy Road could not be an afterthought. The road already carries significant volumes of traffic and the addition of a major supermarket would increase pressure on the junction considerably.

The traffic concerns are not new. Sandy Road has been one of Llanelli’s most persistent congestion blackspots for years — with the junction at Maes-y-Coed only recently upgraded after a long campaign by local councillors. New traffic lights went live in September 2025, though residents warned at the time the scheme did not go far enough.

Early signs suggested the changes were helping — but Cllr Palfreman and Cllr Skinner had always made clear the September improvements were only the beginning, not the end, of what Sandy Road needed.

Cllr Palfreman said that position had not changed. “We fought hard for the improvements to the Sandy lights last year but we have always been clear that these need to form part of a wider scheme to reduce congestion along this stretch of Sandy Road,” he said.

“Permission for this new development must be conditional on further improvements being in place to manage the already large traffic volumes in the area,” he added.

Both councillors are meeting with Aldi managers this week to discuss the proposals directly, and have urged residents to give their views before the consultation closes.

The consultation is open until 11 June. Details are available at Llanelli library and online at aldiconsultation.co.uk/llanelli.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

LLANELLI: Aldi to build £7m supermarket on site of Pinopolis
The full details of Aldi’s plans for Sandy Road.

New traffic lights switched on at Sandy Road as improvement works finish
September 2025 — the junction upgrade and why residents said it wasn’t enough.

Councillors say Sandy Road changes are already easing congestion
Early signs the upgrade was helping — but more work was always planned.

LLANELLI: ‘A bombshell for all concerned’ — community rallies to save the Sandpiper as calls grow for Whitbread to think again

Calls are growing to save the Sandpiper Brewers Fayre in Llanelli after Whitbread confirmed it is among nearly 200 restaurants facing closure – with the local MP, ward councillors and hundreds of customers all urging the company to reconsider.

The Sandpiper sits at the Sandy Water Park end of Sandy Road, on the roundabout junction with the Millennium Coastal Path – making it one of the most scenically positioned restaurants in the area. It has become a firm favourite with local families, dog walkers and visitors, particularly well known for its beer garden overlooking the lake, its outdoor play area and its soft play facilities.

Swansea Bay News revealed on Thursday 30 April that the Sandpiper was among four local restaurants facing closure as part of Whitbread’s plan to exit the restaurant sector entirely and focus on its Premier Inn hotel brand. Staff were informed of the decision on Thursday, with one regular customer reporting that the restaurant was still full that evening – and that staff carried on serving customers professionally despite the shock news. The Sandpiper is understood to be due to close by the end of August.

Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith said the announcement was devastating for staff and visitors alike. “This is such a special location with the lake and the Millennium Coastal Park, and is much enjoyed by locals and visitors, very young and not so young alike,” she said. “I will be doing everything I can to keep a pub open here.”

Councillors Martyn Palfreman and Edward Skinner, who represent the Hengoed ward covering Sandy Water Park, described the closure as a blow the town could ill afford. “Llanelli can ill-afford another blow to its hospitality sector and this announcement will come as a huge disappointment to all those who value everything the Sandpiper has to offer,” said Cllr Skinner. “We call upon Whitbread to think again.”

Cllr Palfreman described the news as a shock. “This news is a bombshell for all concerned, including staff and the vast numbers of customers that visit the Sandpiper throughout the year, both those living locally and people visiting Llanelli,” he said. “To take away such a cherished amenity would be a huge loss to the town and surrounding area.”

The reaction from customers on social media has been overwhelming. Readers described the Sandpiper as always busy and impossible to understand as a closure candidate – with many saying they hoped a buyer would come forward to keep it open. Several highlighted the venue’s importance for families with young children, noting it was one of the few local options with outdoor play facilities and a safe lakeside setting. Long-standing members of staff, described by many as professional and welcoming, were a particular source of concern. One customer noted they had been turned away on Saturday afternoon due to a staff meeting taking place – unaware at the time that staff were being told about the closure.

There is some hope that the site could survive under new ownership. Whitbread has indicated that around 110 of the nearly 200 restaurants being closed will be sold as going concerns rather than converted to additional hotel rooms. However, the Sandpiper sits alongside a Premier Inn hotel – and the fate of a similar adjoining restaurant at Parc Pemberton in Llanelli serves as a cautionary note. The former Beefeater there, which also adjoined a Premier Inn, was demolished to make way for additional hotel bedrooms rather than being sold on as a food and drink venue.

Whitbread announced on Thursday 30 April that it planned to become a “pure-play hotel business,” closing all of its remaining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre branded restaurants. The company said the proposed changes remained subject to employee consultation, and that it hoped to retain a significant proportion of those affected through redeployment across its 15,000 annual vacancies.

Baglan councillors have also written to Whitbread CEO Dominic Paul demanding answers over the planned closure of the Bagle Brook Beefeater in Port Talbot. Whitbread has not yet responded publicly to any of the calls for a rethink.

Our Whitbread coverage

Four local restaurants face closure as Whitbread axes up to 3,800 jobs across UK estate
Our original report on the four local closures including the Sandpiper.

Baglan councillors demand answers from Whitbread CEO over Bagle Brook closure
How Baglan’s councillors are fighting back against the closure of the Bagle Brook Beefeater.

Council rules out BUYING Stradey Park Hotel as staff offered lifeline

The local authority has confirmed it has no plans to procure the building, nor has it received any approaches from the Home Office or other organisations regarding its future use.

This comes as the council moves swiftly to offer a lifeline to hotel staff, who were left reeling by the sudden announcement that the four-star venue had ceased trading.

Officers have made direct contact with employees to provide crucial employability support during what has been described as a “very difficult and worrying time.”

The council’s statement follows a personal video plea from Stradey Park Hotel CEO Ahsan Ullah, who vowed “we are not walking away” and pledged to return the hotel to normal operations.

Crucially, the council has also gained assurance from Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith, following her discussions with the Home Office, that the building is not being considered for any temporary housing plans.

This echoes the earlier “no asylum hotel” pledge secured by the MP, which aimed to reassure the community amid widespread speculation.

Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, Cllr Linda Evans, expressed her “extreme disappointment” at the owners’ decision to close the hotel “in such sudden fashion.”

Cllr Evans emphasised that the council’s “priority is to the staff of the hotel,” highlighting the immediate support being offered to those directly affected.

Local councillors Martyn Palfreman and Edward Skinner, representing the Hengoed Ward, welcomed the council’s measures to help staff.

They also reiterated their relief at the UK Government’s assurance regarding the hotel not being used to house asylum seekers, encouraging residents with concerns to contact them directly.

The shock closure of the Stradey Park Hotel has prompted a wave of community support from other local businesses, offering jobs and alternative venues for cancelled events.

Councillors say Sandy Road changes are already easing congestion

The scheme, funded by the Welsh Government and delivered by Carmarthenshire County Council, added a right‑turn filter lane into Maesycoed, improved pedestrian crossings and altered the traffic light timings in a bid to tackle one of the town’s worst bottlenecks.

Hengoed ward councillor Martyn Palfreman said he had already received calls from residents and regular drivers praising the changes, claiming queues are shorter now westbound traffic is no longer held up by vehicles turning right.

“We are delighted at the early signs that our objectives to ease the appalling traffic congestion in the area have been realised,” he said. “Whilst we are encouraged by this early feedback, we are clear that this scheme is just part of wider enhancements that are needed.”

Cllr Palfreman said further work could include redesigning the mini‑roundabout at Denham Avenue, with the aim of securing funding to carry out improvements next year. He added that promoting walking and cycling to nearby schools and colleges could help reduce traffic volumes in the longer term.

Fellow Hengoed councillor Edward Skinner thanked residents, businesses and road users for their patience during the works, and welcomed the creation of extra residents’ parking west of Maesycoed to replace spaces lost on Sandy Road.

The councillors plan to hold a public meeting in the coming weeks to gather feedback and discuss possible further improvements. Traffic experts from the county council and contractors AtkinsRealis will continue to monitor the junction’s performance over the coming months.

#CllrEdwardSkinner #CllrMartynPalfreman #DenhamAvenue #Hengoed #Llanelli #MaesYCoed #SandyRoad #trafficLights