THE historic Hancocks shipyard in Pembroke Dock, which opened as a museum last Thursday after years of hard work, is promising something for everybody.

For some time the West Wales Maritime Heritage Society (WWMHS) has occupied the Front Street premises, which once echoed to the sound of rivetting hammers and the flash of arc welding, but until recently was restricted to repairing and sailing vintage boats.

The Society, backed by many local organisations, applied to site owners Pembrokeshire County Council for consent to open the yard to the public, and recently permission was given.

David James, secretary of the WWMHS, said: “We had a good response at our opening, I think it’s raising our profile, people recognize who we are and what we do. People have often seen the gates shut, and are surprised what we’ve got there.

“The people we had on the opening day were quite intriqued; we seem to have something for everybody.”

Society members have worked long and hard to create the museum, which gives an insight into shipbuilding in the area.

David said: “It’s coming together nicely, we’ve pitched it especially at youngsters, there’s nothing worse than taking a child somewhere and saying: Don’t touch. One of the things we’ve got is a little lifejacket, if it fits the child they’re allowed to sit in the boat and they can ‘fish’ for wooden fish; it’s getting their hands-on experience, it’s catching their imagination.”

The museum will be run as “a pilot” until the end of September.

“It’s a learning curve, when we find out what people want to look at we’ll develop, and maybe put some things on the back burner,” said David.

He finished: “We do not intend to compete with other local attractions but are offering something very different.”

The museum is open 11am-4pm on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.