Plans to convert a former bank branch in the centre of Tenby to a restaurant have been refused by National Park planners, with reasons including that it would harm the seaside town’s retail offer.

HSBC in Tenby’s Tudor Square was the only bank in the seaside resort since Barclays shut in November 2022, following the closures of Lloyds, NatWest and Santander.

The HSBC closure announcement was made shortly afterwards.

The Tenby branch was one of 114 UK branches on the closure list.

It was originally planned that the Tudor Square branch would close its doors for the final time in April 2023, but was later announced the branch was to close permanently from August 6 of last year.

Earlier this year, a scheme for a retail use of the former bank by Chris and Barry Walters, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, was granted by park planners.

As a retail use was a permitted development, that scheme just amounted to external alterations to the building, which were approved by planners.

In the latest application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Ion Cernant of Carmarthen, through agent Llangain Designs, sought permission for the change of use of the former HSBC bank, Tudor Square, Tenby, from its most recent use as a shop to a restaurant.

Tenby Town Council has objected to the scheme, asking for its refusal, saying: “This area of Tudor Square already has a number of cafes and restaurants within a 50-metre radius of the proposed development and members feel that the conversion of a shop to a restaurant will have a detrimental effect on the retail offering of the town centre.”

Tenby Civic Society has also raised similar concerns.

An officer report recommending refusal said the scheme “would have an unacceptable adverse effect on amenity and affect the role of the centre in meeting the needs of local communities and visitors by reducing the vitality, viability and diversity of Tenby Town Centre”.

The application was refused on the grounds it “would result in an unacceptable concentration of similar A3 uses and would undermine the retailing character and provision of Tenby Town shopping centre,” and “the proposed development is considered to be inappropriate as it would cause an unacceptable adverse effect on amenity in regard to the role of the centre in meeting the needs of local communities and visitors”.