Haverfordwest project to bring life back to town centre

The new community hub is in a Grade II listed former post office

A new community venue, designed to aid the regeneration of a town centre, has been opened in Pembrokeshire.

Haverhub, in the centre of Haverfordwest, was opened on Friday after six years of work by local volunteers.

It will host community events and has been chosen by the Welsh government as a pilot site for remote working.

Founding director of the project Gitti Cotes said she was excited about the opportunities it would bring the town.

The new community hub has been developed at the the old post office on Quay Street. The Grade II listed building was bought by Jerry Evans in 2017.

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Ms Cotes said: "Everybody is really excited about it. It will bring people into the town and bring economic benefit, and give people reasons to come here.

"The idea for a hub for the town came from walking past too many empty, special buildings. I got into the whole idea of regeneration. The most obvious thing is to have a central place for people to come together.

"People came together quickly and it has snowballed. Jerry ended up buying the building in 2017 to enable the project to happen, we've had funding from the Welsh government and the local council. It has been a massive jigsaw puzzle."

The site is a pilot for remote working and people will be able to book hot desks

People will be able to book hot desks on a daily basis or for longer periods of time at the site.

Ms Cotes said: "We're excited to be a pilot for post-Covid working. Upstairs, we've got collaborative workspace. People can rent hot desks and wi-fi for a few hours."

The Welsh government is encouraging an increase in remote working and has set a long-term ambition for 30% of the Welsh workforce to work away from a traditional office.

Organisers believe the hub will bring opportunities to the town