5:16pm Friday 27th August 2010
I read with interest and a tinge of sadness Peter Jones’ letter (Memories shattered, Western Telegraph, August 4th).
It coincided, perhaps prompted, several Pembroke Dock folk to say to me, with feeling, “The Dock has become a dump”. My reply was that that in one sense during my 65 years’ association with the town it has always been on its economic knees but in no way would I consider it a dump.
Rather, Pembroke Dock is a unique community with a unique history and most importantly with a unique culture and full of fantastic open, welcoming, able and caring people.
The warning these exchanges sent me was that we must all be careful how we describe our community. Certainly since the Admiralty Dockyard closed, Pembroke Dock has been struggling for economic survival but in this it has been no different to other UK single industry towns. To its credit, the town has fought to regenerate itself on many occasions only to see its hopes dashed.
I have a long held view that south west Wales in general has not always been dealt a fair hand by the political power brokers, but I recognise that there are no prizes for pushing the victim culture.
Attending the Quins Fete recently with my family I had no sense of a dying and run down community. Instead there was engaged young people and families all having fun.
Come on, let’s talk ourselves up and make the outside world listen.
Thoughts, comments and ideas can be sent to pembrokedock@msn.com.
Chris Morgan,
Pembroke D
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