It is opening in just under two weeks and opinion is divided about whether Pembrokeshire’s newest branch of The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) will be a blessing or a curse for its host town.

The shop in the old Peacocks building on Fishguard High Street is due to open on February 17, after a slight delay to the original opening date.

The new shop will be situated at 8 High Street and will provide customers with a range of bargain-based clothing, pet products, electricals, homewares, a party shop service and reserve and collect.

However not everybody is happy about the store’s imminent arrival.

Local Paul Padget has his reservations.

“TOFS sells many things for which we shop at local shops like Card Cabin, Better Buys and Nichols,” he said.

“These are extremely popular local shops, used by Fishguard and Goodwick residents and visitors to the twin towns.

“They are also the sort of independent shops that make a town centre interesting and more likely to attract shoppers as seems clear from Newcastle Emlyn and Narberth.

“What we need is more such shops rather than chain stores that are basically the same everywhere.”

Mr Padget added that if the old Peacocks store became an outlet for shoes and clothes, that would, in his opinion, benefit the twin towns. However, he is concerned that if they offer what is already available in the twin towns but at a cheaper price, it could prove detrimental.

“The last thing Fishguard and Goodwick need is for the excellent local shops to be driven out of business,” he said. “The end result might be one less empty shop (Peacocks) but multiple existing shops becoming empty and so less choice and less interesting places to shop.”

However, not everybody thinks the shop’s arrival is a bad thing. Jeremy Martineau, secretary to the town’s chamber of trade and tourism, said he personally thought it was a positive step.

Speaking personally and not as a representative of the chamber, he said it was good for such a large empty shop to be filled and that it was hoped it would add to the town’s offer.

“There is buoyant interest in other empty shops which is a good sign that confidence is returning,” he said.

“The Original Factory Shop is a successful business in many other places, and we hope it will add to the range of products that are already available in Fishguard.

“We will be asking the company to focus on product ranges that are not already stocked in the town; in this way it will be welcome and will also bring benefits to our local economy by employing a number of local people and increase footfall which will benefit other businesses.”

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