Boost for holiday attraction
VISITORS to Pendine Sands in Carmarthenshire will soon be able to enjoy additional car parking and beach-friendly wheelchairs.
An extra 30-plus spaces are being allocated next to the current 90-space car park after Carmarthenshire Council secured funding of almost £128,000 from the Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics programme.
The money will also pay for five beach-friendly wheelchairs which will be suitable for adults and children and enables users to take part in beach activities.
Pendine’s famous eight-mile sandy beach, which for generations has attracted holidaymakers with its unique selling point of still being able to drive a car on the beach, has also been a huge draw for those seeking to make speed record attempts over the decades.
The resort has benefitted from a multi-million-pound regeneration programme by Carmarthenshire Council including the soon-to-be completed Pendine Attractor scheme.
The development, which is also situated on the All Wales Coastal Path, will provide new purpose-built holiday accommodation with up to 42 beds and a 76-seat cafe with further outdoor seating.
This new development will complement a number of completed investments including a traffic-free 500m promenade overlooking the beach, giving easy access to the sands, and a beach-facing commercial centre (Parry Thomas Centre) that is fully let with businesses ranging from kayak hire, coffee and ice cream shops, to a hugely popular first floor Asian Fusion restaurant.
Carmarthenshire Council leader and cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “The resort, like so many other areas in Carmarthenshire, has had a bumper year post lockdown with so many visitors coming. We are delighted to have secured this funding which will further Pendine’s attraction as a major holiday destination, further strengthening the economy of the area and providing much-needed jobs.”
Welsh Government’s Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said: “Following the busy summer we had here in Wales, we’ve seen the important part that local tourism amenities have on making a trip a memorable one. These facilities often go unnoticed but they are an important part of people’s experiences when they visit Wales and they also benefit those who live in the area.
“I’m delighted that we’re able to support this project which will improve the visitor experience in the area.”