Episode 1 Tenby 24/7

This time on Tenby 24/7

the life guards on duty for the unexpected holiday crisis.

-All right, sweetheart.

-It's hurting.

Hoteliers Malcolm and Patrick juggle guests and a renovation project.

We want to let it for the weekend.

And the firemen of Tenby put on a carnival.

Look at the crowds. It's absolutely brilliant and it's a nice day, too.

This is seven days in the life of one of Wales' holiday hot spots.

Seven days with the people who work here to make the holidays a treat.

This is Tenby 24/7.

Nestled within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

is the popular seaside resort of Tenby.

Boasting three Blue Flag beaches, during the summer season

the population swells from 5,000 people to a whopping 50,000.

With this many visitors to the small, medieval, walled town

traffic is a constant challenge for civil enforcement officer Barbara Powrie and her team.

If you do South Beach and then walk up to North Beach,

you go round and check the machines and clean the machines.

Everybody know what they're doing?

-What do you do if there's any problems?

-Radio.

During the summer, the walled town is closed to traffic during the day.

It's up to Barbara and her team to enforce it.

You've got five minutes. You've got five minutes to load.

If she's not out in five minutes, can I ask you to park further up?

-There we are, I'm going.

-OK, no problem. Have a safe journey.

Enjoy Tenby, bye.

Six years ago, they did a trial about closing the town

during the six weeks school holidays.

to allow the tourists to walk through the town without the fear of cars.

I just think it runs better if the town is free

so children can run and go in and out of shops without the hassle of the traffic.

I think it works better.

-Good morning.

-Good morning to you.

-Are you aware that today we close at 11?

-Yes, love, we've just rushed in.

-Don't rush.

-All right.

-So long as you're gone by 11, that's fine.

-Don't be rushing.

-Thank you very much.

-OK.

It's a race against time for Barbara and the team

to clear the town centre of traffic by 11 o'clock.

Tenby grew as a holiday hotspot

during the Georgian and Victorian periods

and many of the hotels claim this vintage heritage.

Overlooking the South Beach is the three-star Giltar Hotel.

Business partners Pat Jenkins and Malcolm Brace

have been welcoming visitors to their hotel for the last two years.

A warm welcome to you. I'm sorry the weather isn't more cheerful.

My name is Malcolm, one of the owners, the other owner is Patrick.

You'll see him around and about, he'll be helping with the cases.

Mr and Mrs Chivers.

-"Shivers."

-Think of the weather.

-Yes.

We're going to be having sunshine, you'll be out on the beach tomorrow.

Room 415...

Malcolm moved to Tenby for a quieter pace of life.

Little did he know that two years later he'd be running his own holiday business.

We came down here on a semi-retirement basis.

After a few years, it sort of went from waiter to head waiter to general manager.

Pat is exactly the same. He was teaching.

I taught for 35 years. 30 years in Tenby.

I had a chance of early retirement.

I had six months at home, walking the dog, a bit of decorating.

I thought, "This isn't for me."

I've always done part-time work here.

I had a chance of running the bar

and then the previous owner was selling up

and Malcolm and myself got together

and put our offer in and the rest is history.

-Your bags, sir.

-Lovely.

With so much invested, Malcolm and Pat's dream

is to get their three-star hotel up to four-star quality.

They're juggling a busy renovation

whilst still welcoming guests into the hotel.

-The second bag. Sorry about that.

-That's all right.

If we had the money, we'd shut for eight months

and have the whole lot done in one go.

Unless we win the lottery next week, we have to carry on as we are.

-Hello, love.

-Room 113.

-Have you had a good day?

-Lovely.

Tenby has been called Pembrokeshire's jewel in the crown.

One look at the beaches will tell you why.

Thousands flock here every summer,

keeping the local lifeguards on their toes.

Over on the Castle Beach, a young girl has just injured her foot

and needs urgent treatment from lifeguard Carl Amos.

-All right.

-It's hurting.

She was over there with Dad in the rocks

and she stepped on this sharp fishing hook.

Straight into her foot.

I think it went down to about here. It was quite a lot to go in.

The catch seems worn, which is how it came out so easily

when the dad pulled.

It's fortunate, really, even though the injury is the same.

It actually went right in.

SHE SOBS

-Can you hold that there for me?

-There's a good girl. Hold it there.

Tenby South Beach.

We have a child here who has stood on a fishing hook and hurt her foot.

She needs to go to the minor incident unit.

Would it be possible for a pick-up, as their car is on South Beach? Over.

Nothing like a trip to the hospital when you're on holiday, is there?

Thanks very much.

Come on, darling.

SIRENS WAIL

Accidents and emergencies increase over the summer

with the town swelling with thousands of tourists.

Tenby fire service is on a shout.

In a local caravan park, a car has exploded into flames.

RADIO: Three, one, Alpha, two, over...

The firemen contain the blaze under the experienced eye

of watch manager Dickie Lewis.

There was an electrical fault with the car.

They could smell smoke coming out from the dashboard.

Then it just went on fire.

As you can see, there's not much left of it.

But all these tents are damaged as well with sparks coming off it.

Luckily, no-one was hurt during the incident, due to the fire crew's fast response.

It took a bit of putting out and that's about it, really.

Another job done.

But today is not just about saving lives.

It's also the Tenby Fireman's Carnival.

It's about fund-raising and having fun.

Please don't ever try putting chip pans out using water.

Watch manager Dickie Lewis is determined for today's event

to raise more money than ever before.

Every year we make more.

This year, hopefully, will be our best year.

It's a good day, a bit of cloud, bit of sun, keep them off the beach.

But if we can beat it, we will.

It isn't all about money, it's about putting something on for the town

as it's a seaside resort.

But it's nice to make money as well. I'm now Terry Wogan.

The firemen's carnival parade later on

will attract thousands of extra visitors to Tenby.

BELL RINGS

It's gone 11am. Pedestrianisation of Tenby town centre has begun.

There's a problem going down there...

And things aren't going too well for Babs and the traffic.

Somebody said there's a problem in the harbour.

And it's a pretty big one.

This eight-tonne lorry is stuck and needs to get across town.

What I've got to do, which is against everything I'm supposed to,

I'm going to reverse the lorry back through town

and we'll be walking him through.

Can you watch your backs, please? Can you watch your backs, please?

Thank you very much!

Can you watch your back, please, sir?

There's a lorry coming through and I'd hate for you to get in the way.

There's nobody keeping him down there till five.

He was going to be a problem for us, so let's get him out.

Watch your backs, please!

HORN

A result...

and one less traffic headache for Barbara.

I respect the job and I want to change attitudes

to what people are thinking about CEOs or traffic wardens.

And I just enjoy it, it's just, I do enjoy getting up,

I do enjoy coming into work,

I do love working the hours and I love meeting people,

so it isn't everything, because that would be a lie,

it's not a dream job, but it comes pretty damn close.

Hello. No, it's pedestrianisation now.

If you need to go in, if you go down here,

and follow the signs, there's a park and ride that'll bring you into town.

OK? Thanks very much, have a nice day.

At Pat and Malcolm's Hotel,

they are also trying to get closer to their dream.

Giltar Hotel, good morning, Malcolm speaking.

In his plan for four-star status,

Malcolm has employed an interior-designer.

What I want to do, is I want the furniture in.

-It depends on what welcome tray...

-Furniture?

-..we have.

It depends on what hairdryer goes on.

Linda Hunt is transforming the hotel's standard rooms into deluxe ones.

We're working round guests, so there can't be drilling and banging

while people are having their lunch, or early in the morning or evenings.

We've got a set amount of time to do those sort of things.

And then, of course, you've got a programme in, like dominoes,

when everything's going to happen

and you've got a short space of time to do it.

If it's easier to bring anything up by the lift, lads, you can do that.

We want it ready, so we can let it for the weekend.

And there's a wedding coming in tomorrow, so we've always got that extra room.

It's let on the Saturday anyhow,

so I'm hoping to have it let for tomorrow night too.

-So the bed's going like this.

-It's going that way.

-Yeah.

Such a short space of time to get it ready.

We've really got to get it looking like

it's been like this for a while.

I don't want people coming in and smelling that it's wet paint,

and that sort of thing.

It is always tight, because we've always got

a limited amount of time to get the rooms done.

I'll just get in the bathroom and then out of the way.

Over on the South Beach,

a young crowd is starting to gather.

Tenby is hosting the West Wales Surf Life Saving Club Championships.

They're about to kick off.

Some teams, Whitesands, Aber, they're here for competing. That's what they're here for.

We're here to have a bit of fun, to get back into it, right?

This is Angelo Vecci's second year as Tenby club captain.

If we come back with a couple of good medals,

and good places, then that's good, but at the end of the day

it's just about getting the team back into competitions

and hopefully getting the club back on the circuit, you know.

WHISTLE

But it's not long before Tenby's hopes are dashed.

Local boy, Miles Johnson, is injured.

I got stung by a fish.

-Oh no, does it hurt?

-Yeah.

What are you going to do now?

Go up to the Life Guard hut

and I'm going to get it cleaned up in hot water.

Let's have a look.

On your big toe, isn't it?

Yeah.

How painful is it?

-Really painful.

-Like seven?

-Yeah.

-Really?

You got a good one then, didn't you?

They're like a flat fish, and what they do is burrow into the sand

and they've got three spines on their back fin.

What they do is wait for fish to come round,

and it usually tries to spike them and then it eats them then.

Sometimes you can stand on them, usually on low tide in the shallows.

It does hurt.

I stood on one about a month ago and I definitely knew about it.

-I stood on one three weeks ago.

-Yeah.

To make it better, right, this is going to have to be really, really hot water.

-Yeah.

-But not too hot so it hurts you, OK?

Dip your toe in where it stings.

-It's going to be hot, OK? Because you've got poison in your foot.

-Yeah.

-Does it still feel a bit hot?

-Yeah.

-Who are you competing for today, then?

-Tenby.

-Ah, local boy. You doing the beach races later?

-Yeah.

You said the pain was about seven earlier, how much is it now?

About two.

-You sure you're happy now, yeah?

-Yeah, happy now.

Good luck boys, you have to win now. First and second, please.

-Do it for Tenby!

-Thank you.

-No problem.

-See you later.

-Ta-ra.

The carnival floats are arriving in town.

At the Fire Station,

Dickie Lewis is busy preparing the carnival queen float for the possession.

We're no flower arrangers, but we'll have a good go at it.

It's all hands to the pump. Carnival chairman, Sean Brace, is also on flower duty.

But with Dickie contemplating retirement,

this could be the last carnival the pair organise together.

-This is my 38th.

-I put four flowers into a pot.

I've got two more, and I'm finished. But I'll still come out.

We'll certainly miss him.

As long as we can keep him, really. He did say a couple of years

but hopefully, he'll do a little bit more. We'll certainly miss him.

Last year, this event raised £5,000 for the fire fighters' charity.

It's time for Dickie and Sean to hit the streets with money buckets.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much, cheers.

I appreciate that, thank you.

I've got my own business, I'm a builder in Tenby,

then you've the other side, of being a retained fireman.

It is hard, but it's well worth it at the end of the day.

The things that we do, especially for charity,

and then going out to some shouts, it is well worth it.

Well, well worth it.

Oh, good day, guv. Thanks.

My dad's best mate is Dickie.

He said, "Do you fancy coming to join?", and I was in.

A couple of months of training, I haven't looked back since. I really enjoyed it.

-Thank you, Phil.

-Cheers, Dick.

-Cheers, Phil. Thanks very much.

He's like another dad to me, really.

We get on, I shouldn't say, but a house on fire, you know?

There we are! Oh, a pound coin! Thank you very much.

Parking in Tenby is a county council responsibility.

And Barbara is on the front line.

The trouble is, they all think that we're on commission and we just...

People have got, just a one-track mind on CEOs,

or traffic wardens, unfortunately.

Today, a tradesman is trying to park and do some urgent work.

-What's the emergency?

-A problem with the fire alarm in there.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying, you can park in Five Arches...

I need the van in there. I can't carry the stuff.

But you'll not get through. I'll check...

I got parking on here. They're As useless as everyone else.

-Sorry?

-They haven't got the council on here.

They seem to be useless, they're not able to help.

What do you mean, useless? I don't.. No, no, no, they're not useless.

-I just want to get out for an hour.

-I appreciate that, but as I said,

council, useless, not a nice level to come in at.

-But they are!

-No, no, no! I am here now, trying to help you.

You don't work for them, do you? Sorry, I forgot.

The only thing I can think of is if you come out and if you go down to the bottom of there.

-Yeah.

-OK? Is that a solution?

-Anything, as long as I can get in there, I'm happy.

-So, we're not so useless now, no?

I didn't say YOU were. THEY are.

No, I am the council, you can't be saying that to me.

As I said, opening that the council is useless is not the best of lines.

But, as I said, I would say, when we put tickets on cars,

I'd say 99% of people are going to get frustrated.

Parking issues are emotive, there's no two ways about it.

We just deal with it as we can. I expect abuse.

I don't like it, but part of me expects it.

But I'd rather deal with it and see if we can get over it, which is what that was.

Nice to be important, more important to be nice.

From apartments to B&Bs and traditional hotels, Tenby caters for all tastes.

Malcolm is welcoming his holiday guests to lunch.

-No problems?

-No.

-Good, good.

Everything all right, ladies?

In order to go from a three to a four-star rating,

the hotel needs a top chef.

Everything all right, chef?

We've run out of Yorkshire puddings halfway through service.

I'm going to make some now.

Sack the chef! He's run out of Yorkshires.

Have you ever heard the last of it?

I've run out of Yorkshire puddings cos everybody's had beef.

I'm frantically trying to cook some more in the oven for the privates,

and I've got to cut these ones in half, I have.

23-year-old head chef, Phil Sellars,

joined the hotel just over a year ago.

'We had the Cliff Norton.'

My mum and dad managed it for 21 years.

So I was brought up in hotels from that high, which is brilliant.

Mum, my dad and my brother said I was mad coming into this at my age,

but I'd rather be in it at this age now, a young age,

than being 20 or 30, I mean, 30 or 40,

cos I can then bring more energy into the job

than when you get a bit older, you can't really put much energy in.

To be fair to him, what he's done for us

with his cooking abilities and his presentation,

it's turned us round.

He's young, he's still got a lot to learn,

but he's just passed his, um...what was it you've passed, Philip?

My level 3 NVQ.

His level 3, which I keep forgetting.

But, no, he's fine. He's excellent. He's a good lad.

Phil, I have got more mains.

No Yorkshires!

The Surf Lifesaving Championships are continuing on the South Beach.

And 12-year-old Miles has recovered from his weaver fish injuries.

Watching on and hoping he doesn't have to treat him again

is lifeguard Stefan John.

He's racing again now,

so hopefully he won't stand on any more

and hopefully he'll get a win.

WHISTLE BLOWS

Come on, Miles!

Good boy. Keep it going Miles, keep it going. Go, go!

I came more for the surfing scene rather than the lifesaving scene,

but looking back, I would've loved

to have been part of this, definitely.

I think it's a great way to get involved in lifeguarding.

Even after his weaver fish sting,

Miles has managed to come first for Team Tenby.

First win of the day the day. So we're very pleased with that.

Even surprised me, so...

Even with his weaver fish injury.

In the town centre the fireman's carnival procession

is a bit behind schedule.

We're late, as usual.

But I love it. I love been late. I've been late all my life.

My mother always said I'd be late for my own funeral. Probably will.

It's nice, isn't it? With the princesses and all.

Nostalgic. I'll cry in a minute.

I'll shed a tear.

In true fireman spirit,

this carnival traditionally involves a massive water fight

and it's Sean's job to stop the soaking happening

before they get to the town square.

Of course, the important thing now is to try and keep water off,

especially this float.

You can't stop water at a carnival,

but we don't want to wet the carnival queen.

So they're the most important,

and the walking passers.

No water, please. No water, yeah? No water.

It's going all right so far.

No injuries.

Ah, it's brilliant. Yeah, yeah.

It is, it's lovely.

Look at the crowds, look.

It's brilliant. absolutely brilliant,

and it's a nice day, too.

So, yeah, it's good.

Makes me feel proud.

It does.

Barbara has spotted another problem,

and it's made her see double.

They've just put, um... double yellow lines down here.

10 years this has been without double yellow lines.

They're brand new, so you can't say you didn't see them.

It's a bit like, I've got to stand here now...

-I'm going to move it now, honest.

-Go on then. Come on then.

-Move it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

See? He'll come running out now. You've got two minutes. Go on.

SHE LAUGHS

Another day in paradise.

What's not to love about working here?

It's just so nice.

In the summer, you've got so many different people.

You've got the weather and everything. In the winter, you've got the locals,

but it's every day you walk out and you've got lovely views.

It's just, it's just a lovely place to work. Really nice.

Interior designer Linda Hunt has been hard at work in the bedroom

and is ready to reveal all to Malcolm.

How are we doing, Linda?

-Just about done.

-Super, darling.

-Yeah?

-Super.

I just love that.

-Do you?

-Luggage. Yes. That's super.

And another little teddy.

SHE LAUGHS

Lovely.

-Well done, Linda. Thank you.

-Good. Glad you like it.

Super, absolutely super.

To see this hotel get to a four-star...

I'd just be delighted then.

Really delighted.

Have a lovely summer and hopefully we'll see you again one day.

Pleasant journey, now. Bye-bye, all.

Finally, it's the moment everyone has come to Tudor Square for.

The turning on of the firemen's hose.

I'll bring the water floats in.

No. All right.

It's a Tenby tradition that the crowds look forward to.

The parade has officially made its way to the wet zone.

Argh!

SCREAMS AND SHOUTS

OK, can you make your way to the...

Do you want to make your way to the harbour?

Everybody's enjoying themselves, aren't they?

I didn't get soaked, but just missed it.

Can you ever see yourself leaving Tenby?

Never, ever. No.

I might go to the Narberth Crematorium, but I won't leave Tenby.

If they had a crematorium in Tenby, I'd stay here.

This year's carnival raised over £5,000 for charity.

On the South Beach, it's prize presentation time.

Boys' under-12s - first place, Miles Johnson, Tenby.

CHEERS

Thanks to Miles, it's a proud moment for both Team Tenby and his dad.

I didn't know he was a good runner. I never knew that till today.

-He just... Innit?

-Yeah.

Kept it hid. Hidden talents.

-I beat the Welsh champion...

-With your bad foot.

Yeah, and I had a bad foot.

I beat the Welsh champion and they were all bigger than me

and taller than me. I was just amazed.

And he couldn't have done it

without a helping hand from the lifeguards.

This is a beach safety announcement. The lifeguards are now off duty.

So if you decide to stay in the water, you do so at your own risk

and we shall see you tomorrow from 10am.

# When the night

# Fills my soul

# I'll be home.

# I'll be home.

Whoo!

Next time on Tenby 24/7 -

Malcolm hosts a local wedding...

Everything's set up and no cake.

..the police are on duty for the summer spectacular...

You! Come here!

Bring the car, bring the car.

..and beach cleaner Ron bites off more than he can chew.

Somebody's left a spare set. I found them on the beach.

If he remembers he's lost them, you know who's got them.

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