Sir,

It is really encouraging to see new investments in Tenby; our society's experience suggests some second thoughts will improve them still more.

Indeed, the brash 'can't miss us' yellow and black shop opening signage of the new £5 Clothing Store in High Street, we understand, is to be replaced more discretely so signage is more in keeping with the Conservation Area, adjoining Listed Buildings and shop front signage. New Look and Ladbrokes first signs (put up without planning permission) had to be replaced by ones more subdued and in keeping with their historic setting. Greggs have similarly toned down their sign in Tudor Square, thanks to pressure from the Civic Society.

We hope the church authorities, having maintained and renovated St. Mary's interior so superbly, will not throw out the Victorian interior of St. Julians fisherman's harbour church, but re-think the clearly needed renovation to electricity etc to retain more of this much-loved harbour church's interior.

Members at our society's general meeting felt strongly that more care was needed. Perhaps it's William the Conqueror who is responsible for the church's power over the building's interior without the planners having a say except about the exterior of this listed building.

Too much of Tenby's historic Georgian and Victorian interiors have been thrown in the skip, like the Georgian staircases and the exterior Victoria Pier and all other original external railings from the Guildhall and Glendower House scheme.

The church has a mission in the present, but also a greatly valued part in our history, culture and a treasure store of historic buildings, as many visitors will testify. If God was a moderniser, all cathedrals and churches would be shards and mini-shards by now.

Renovation of flats above Smiths and County Clothes show that Victorian and Georgian interiors and detail can be retained in renovation schemes.

The school re-building on the Heywood Lane campus is also an opportunity to include extra provision for the additional staff, pupils and parents arriving at the campus and not impose further congestion on the bluntly inadequate streets and pavements in the vicinity.

More parking is clearly needed on the combined sites, including provision for parents cars on the 'kids run'. Full parking will be needed for all staff; few live near enough to walk. 'More of the same' inadequate parking provision just will not do and will increase conflict, hazards and long-term frictions.

The 20mph restriction is a welcome example of what Tenby needs elsewhere; lots of other settlements in the county have already benefitted, but this is a first for Tenby. The Society hope funds will be there for more such speed restrictions.

A second think and consultation did a lot to improve and resolve problems in the first Gatehouse scheme plans; time for those above with the money to 'think on'.

Harry Gardiner,

Chairman,

Tenby Civic Society