Sir,

Recently while travelling in my car I heard that classic song 'Where Have All The Flowers Gone?' and couldn't help thinking that a modern day version might ask 'Where have all the small shops gone?'. I know this is a common theme throughout the UK, with the blame attributed to out of town stores and shopping centres.

Times have changed, we all lead busier lives and 'convenience' has led to the emergence of online shopping and out of town stores. Unfortunately, a knock-on effect has been a reduction in footfall in traditional shopping centres, leaving them struggling for survival.

In two years time Pembroke Dock will be celebrating it's bicentenary - indirectly the town owes its existence to Napoleon, who famously described the British as a nation of shopkeepers, and yet a walk through my home town shows that this is no longer the case.

When I was a child, Pembroke Dock was a vibrant town where it was possible to buy anything that you wanted. The town's many shops spanned from Rees the Bakers in Albion Square along Bush Street into Meyrick Street, Dimond Street and Laws Street. The county's two local newspapers found the town important enough to have offices there - the West Wales Guardian in Bush Street (it later moved to Laws Street) and the Western Telegraph in Meyrick Street.

It was quite a political town - the Liberal Club was at the Albion Square side of Bush Street (now Thorpe's End) and the Labour Party and Conservative Party had premises opposite St. John's Church. Heading west from Albion Square towards the Market you came to Pembroke Street, home to the Maypole and Peglars. Commercial Row also lived up to its name, having a number of businesses. The market was busy with a variety of traders and attracted people into the town from the surrounding areas; it remained such until the 1980s.

Parking tended not to be an issue as there were fewer cars around and people walked into town. I have fond memories of Hunts the Bakers, The Nutshell, Morgans the Borough Store, Mr. Stephen's fishmongers, Mr. Hobbs sweetshop, Woodhouses and Mr. Warren's fish and chip shop in Meyrick Street. Monti's cafe in Dimond Street was a popular meeting place for the town's cinema situated in part where the St. Govan's Centre now stands.

When my own children were small, we were able to do most of our family shopping in town. Sadly the centre of Pembroke Dock has changed in common with shopping centres up and down the country. The cinema has gone and shops have been lost due to a variety of factors - owners retiring, the recession, changing shopping habits and to a certain extent parking charges and restrictions.

A walk around the town centre reveals a large number of empty units - recently two large units (the previous Co-op building and Hardware Centre) have been taken up by betting shops - betting shops have always had a presence on the town's High Street; there were at least two in the '60s, albeit in more secondary locations. While some might object, we must accept that it is more desirable to have full retail units than the demoralising sight of empty shops, and in fairness, both units have undergone renovation work.

It's not all doom and gloom. A walk around Pembroke Dock reveals local traders committed to the town, providing an excellent choice of goods and fully deserving to be supported. Times are difficult for small businesses - business council tax rates are high, money is in short supply, restricted parking and car parking charges encourage people to shop out of town.

If we want to maintain our town shopping centres, we all have a responsibility to spend our money in local shops. Success breeds success and confidence, a lively shopping centre encourages new businesses; it also provides jobs.

Back in 1984 when I was a local newspaper reporter, I can remember South Pembrokeshire District Council welcoming plans for a marina with an entertainment complex based in the town. Sadly, the marina didn't materialise on that occasion, but recently plans have again been submitted for a marina - this would be welcome as it would provide entertainment and hopefully attract people into the town to spend money.

We have just had the council elections and I overheard a lady coming out of the polling station at the Pater Hall commenting that "the local councillors should be ashamed of the state of the centre of town - all the shops have gone."

I heard one of the candidates assure her he was a member of the town council and they were looking at ways to address the situation. I know there are no quick fixes, times are hard and money is not readily available, but the words of another classic song came to my mind and I hope that newly-elected councillors will take it on board, 'A Little Less Conversation and A Little More Action Please!'.

Margaret Harries

MSc Business.