The ice-cream parlour based in former public toilets in the Pembrokeshire village of Newgale applied for a change of useJoanne Ridout Property Editor, Bruce Sinclair and Local Democracy Reporter
19:33, 19 Oct 2025Updated 19:33, 19 Oct 2025
The beachside venue can celebrate a new phase of development(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
A request to permit a Pembrokeshire coastal ice cream and coffee shop housed in a former public convenience to serve alcohol and hot pasties has been approved for the next eight years.
During an application recommended for consent at the October 15 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Mike Harris requested permission for amended conditions on a previously-approved proposal for an ice cream and coffee shop at The Landsker Line former public toilets, adjacent to Newgale Camping Site, Newgale.
Consent for the original proposal was granted by park planners in 2024, which featured an accessible toilet and disabled parking space. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter.
The applicants have subsequently obtained an alcohol licence for the site from the county council; the application before the park aimed to “regularise the planning position to accord with the licensing situation and enable hot food such as pasties to be sold”.
A report for planners noted, however, that policy considerations relating to the original permission at flood-affected Newgale had been reviewed and updated Welsh Government guidance on flood risk taken into account.
A report commissioned by Pembrokeshire County Council has determined that the shingle bank at Newgale “will become increasingly unstable and vulnerable to failure, with a likelihood that by 2030 the current situation may become unsustainable,” the report stated.
The Lansker Line ice cream parlour in Newgale(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
It continued: “There is significant uncertainty based on Pembrokeshire County Council’s position regarding the highway and shingle bank as to whether or not highway access will be achievable post 2030.
“Based on the previous advice a condition was placed on the existing permission requiring the use to cease in 2034 and the land to be restored. Officers consider that based on the information available, this condition is also necessary once more in relation to this Section 73 application.”
The local community council Nolton and Roch, in its submissions, questioned whether there had ever been “any intention to operate the property as an ice cream parlour,” noting that the earliest promotional posts on social media were about bar prices.
It also emphasised the importance of maintaining a disabled parking space, expressed concerns about picnic benches being positioned along the village’s pebble bank for customer use, and raised worries about the size of music events organised by Landsker Line.
“Large numbers of people are gathering on the pebble bank, moving back and forth to the venue which has resulted in disruption, including pebbles being displaced onto the road. Whilst safety of the customers was discussed at the initial planning application, the level of increased footfall has surpassed my expectations.”
Addressing the meeting, applicant Mike Harris expressed his gratitude to the committee for approving the overall scheme in 2024, stating it had turned the abandoned building into “a thriving local business employing 12 local staff in high season,” with more access to the toilet facilities than ever before.
He contested claims of noise and disruption, stating there had been “vexatious” complaints about waste, adding the transformation of the building had been “overwhelmingly positive,” and: “The popularity has exceeded expectations, with local support outside the tourist season, we’re closing only in January and February.” The application was unanimously approved by the members.