Outside Story
Pembrokeshire has the edge… ©Nigel Summerley
Back in the days when I was a frequent visitor to the US, I saw a car bumper sticker in the Lone Star State that read: “I wasn’t born in Texas but I got here as quick as I could.”
I wonder if it might be worth producing a Pembrokeshire variation on this theme? Because so many of us who have fallen in love with this place are not originally from these parts. The locals call us outsiders, incomers…and probably other things too. But it’s a fact of life that the majority of us outsiders adore and appreciate Pembrokeshire just as much as anyone fortunate enough to have been here from the beginning of their life.
Not all of the artists, musicians, actors and creatives who are a vital part of Pembrokeshire have come here from elsewhere – but many have. And the outsiders who have embraced this place have done so because they feel at home here – sometimes more so than they do in their place of origin.
The downside of the outsider invasion is of course the people who buy homes simply to rent them out or to leave them empty half the year. Instead of contributing to the vibrancy of the life of Pembrokeshire, they could be accused of sucking it dry through acquisitiveness and selfishness.
Outsiders who respect the “insiders” are less likely to be treated with suspicion or resentment. And mutual understanding is key.
Pembrokeshire.Online is here for everyone who genuinely loves this marvellous county – and it welcomes, as readers and contributors, both insiders and outsiders.
