An energy giant has been accused of ‘giving with one hand and taking with the other’ after a new contract led to local suppliers being dropped.

South Hook LNG has been criticised by local producers, who say it has turned its back on the Pembrokeshire economy by appointing a new catering contractor which has axed local produce and packaging businesses from the site’s list of suppliers.

French company Sodexo, which was awarded the tender in February, has replaced previous contractor MSS Industrial.

Supplier Nick Ryan, who owns Pembroke-based Wisebuys, said: “It’s all very nice for multinational companies to be based in Pembrokeshire, because God knows we need the jobs, but they need to have a little bit of loyalty towards the local community, and put a bit of their multi-billion pound profit to regenerate the locality.”

Pembroke Dock’s Upton Farm Frozen Foods supplied frozen produce to South Hook LNG for three years.

Managing director Adrian Howard-Cook said: “South Hook gives with one hand and takes with the other – on one hand they say they are giving money and supporting the local community, while with the other hand they are taking it away.”

Mr Howard-Cook said that most local businesses were very competitive in their prices, and provided quality produce without the carbon footprint. “And that’s what MSS was trying to do when it was recruiting,” he added.

“But South Hook LNG moved the goal posts.”

Other local businesses, which have been dropped by Sodexo, include Nigel Williams Butchers, in Haverfordwest, Pembroke Packaging, and local milk supplier Paul Absolom.

A South Hook LNG spokesman said: “The decision to employ a new catering contractor followed a routinely- used competitive tendering process, based on a range of factors including quality of service, delivery and cost.

“In maintaining a high standard of quality and welfare for our staff, a new contractor was selected to provide catering services at a time when the existing contract was due for renewal.

“We encourage all of our service providers to utilise the wide ranging quality goods available locally.”