A shop that has been at the heart of a Pembrokeshire village for nearly a century has closed, citing rising energy prices and food costs as the reason.

Kiel House in Dinas Cross had been serving the community for nearly 100 years. Its most recent owners are husband and wife team Tanya and Gareth Horwood, who took over the business three and a half years ago.

Before them Tanya’s mother and step father, Menir and Phil Simpson, had run the shop for two decades.

“The cost of energy and the cost of buying stuff in has become unsustainable,” said Tanya.

“The cost of electricity has gone up to £1,000 a month and the cost of food coming in has become so expensive that we can’t compete with the big boys.

“We are a little shop and we can’t make the figures work.”

With tears in her voice Tanya said that it was a sad day.

“It has been a shop for a very long time, Mum was here for 20 years. Through Covid we were really busy and the shop kept people going.

“It is really sad.”

However, as one door closes another is opening for Tanya and her family. Next month they are planning to open up Café Croeso at Tabor Vestry just down the road.

The café will be a café and coffee shop and will also sell fresh produce, local milk, cheese, butter, fruit and vegetables and provide a venue for local artists to showcase their work.

“Electricity is so much cheaper there and there is parking,” said Tanya. “We are going to take some of Kiel House over there.”

It is hoped that Café Croeso will open on April 14.

Tanya and her family live above the shop at Kiel House. They have no plans to sell the building and are open to the possibility of leasing the shop out to somebody.

“It is a sad day,” said Tanya. “We’d like to thank our customers for their support over the years for us and also for Mum and Phil.”