A town councillor claimed this week that she would be 'delighted' to see the concept of 'café culture' scrapped in Tenby, as it brings nothing to the table.

Since the summer pedestrianisation scheme was introduced in the town, pubs, cafés and restaurants have been encouraged to create a 'café culture' style atmosphere in the streets of the walled town, with tables and chairs put outside to enable customers to eat and drink in the open.

However, Clr. Mrs. Trisha Putwain told her colleagues at Tuesday night's meeting of the town council that she felt the concept of 'café culture' in the resort should be abandoned.

"We've tried to beat the stag and hen culture in recent years that came into Tenby, so I'd be delighted to see 'café culture' go too, as all it seems to do is encourage people to drink and smoke openly on the streets of the town," she said.

Clr. Trevor Hallett felt that the 'café culture' needed to be monitored properly to make it work, as some businesses were taking advantage of the situation and were practically taking over the whole street and pavements when they were allowed to put out their tables and chairs.

Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown said that the majority of food and drink businesses were responsible and respectable with their trading during the 'café culture' period, bar one or two premises.

"Unfortunately, some people take it too far, harming the reputation of those that do it correctly, so the ones that aren't doing it right should be told," remarked Clr. Paul Rapi, who pointed to an incident early one morning in Upper Frog Street where a large group of revellers got out of hand, which proved quite frightening and intimidating for children and families.

Clr. Mrs. Putwain also wished to see a further clampdown on illegal street trading in the town ahead of the busy summer season.

"People set up by the Five Arches and stay there all day, blocking the way, when I thought they were supposed to move on every 15 minutes, while the pan pipers are there for hours at a time in Tudor Square; they annoy me after five minutes, so I don't know how others who work in the centre cope," she remarked.

Clr. Mrs. Brown said that councillors had fought long and hard for years to get 'consent streets' introduced to allow festivals, markets and charity stalls to be put up for events in the town and also to allow the concept of 'café culture' to take place.

"The balance has to be struck, otherwise, if you want to put a stop to it all, the streets of Tenby will be deserted," she remarked.

"I honestly think that the street trading problems last year were much less of an issue than in recent years. We're not going to stop it altogether, that's the responsibility of the police and county council," added Clr. Mrs. Brown.

Clr. Rapi felt that street traders and pedlars who had been issued with legitimate licences by the county council should be made to display them so that it was easier to clampdown on illegal selling.

The Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Julie Evans, thought it would be a wise idea to write to the county council ahead of the summer season to voice councillors' concerns.

"We just hope that the county council's officers, along with the police, enforce the rules in relation to street trading and 'café culture'. All we can do is monitor it ourselves and report our concerns to them," she said.