Two qualified paramedics have acquired a popular holiday park and restaurant in Haverfordwest following a £300,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales.
Andrea and Gethin Bateman, formerly paramedics for the Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust, have become the new owners of Pelcomb Bridge Holiday Park including the Rising Sun Restaurant and Grill.
The husband-and-wife team plan to regenerate the three-acre site which comprises a number of caravan and tent pitches, winter storage facilities, three chalets (two of which are utilised as rental units) and a static caravan.
The acquisition has seen four jobs created, including the recruitment of head chef Matthew Cox, in addition to seven existing members of staff. Additional seasonal jobs will be created from April onwards.
Refurbishment work has already started on the Rising Sun Restaurant and Grill and Mr Cox plans to develop new menus and oversee the modernisation of the kitchen to increase capacity.
Environmentally-friendly improvements planned include the installation of a new sewage system, solar panels and planting many different native tree species along the site boundaries.
There will also be a new play park and upgraded toilet and shower facilities.
Ms Bateman, a clinical advisor for the NHS Wales 111 Service, and Mr Bateman, a serious incident investigation manager for Digital Health and Care Wales, said they were both very people focussed and wanted to use their skills to try a new venture that gave them the opportunity to invest in their future.
They said: “A chance conversation led us here and we immediately saw the opportunity to breathe a new lease of life into the business and realise its full potential. The funding from the Development Bank means that we’ve been able to buy the business and crack on with our plans to upgrade the campsite facilities and give the Rising Sun a revamp.”
Although new to running a business, the pair said they already have a five star Trip Advisor rating.
Investment executive for the Development Bank Clare Sullivan said: “Andrea and Gethin approached us needing help to fund the purchase of this well-established and profitable business so that the previous owners could retire. It was an attractive proposition because it provides various income streams and there was the opportunity for us to help safeguard the jobs of seven local people.”
She added: “Furthermore, they’ve certainly got the skills and determination to make it work and we are particularly pleased to see them already investing in biodiversity and energy efficiency measures on site that will help to reduce the carbon footprint.”
The £204 million Wales Business Fund is financed by the European Regional Development Fund, the Welsh Government and the Development Bank of Wales.
Loans, mezzanine finance, and equity investments are available for deals between £50,000 and £2 million with terms ranging from one to seven years for small and medium-sized businesses (those with fewer than 250 employees) based in Wales, or willing to relocate to Wales.
