It’s been a strange year or so for one of Wales’ most popular tourist spots.
Tenby, as much as anywhere in Wales, has been hammered by the coronavirus pandemic. A small town, it relies, almost totally, on holidaymakers, visitors, and anyone who loves frequenting the bars, restaurants, hotels, ice cream parlours and dinghy shops next to one of the nicest stretches of coastline in the country.
In a normal year, this wonderful town would draw in two and a half million people, but the economic firecracker that those people would provide was dimmed almost completely in 2020, save for a few stolen weeks towards the end of the summer when crowds began to return.
Now, with Covid rates down, and vaccination numbers up, Tenby is hoping for a safe and vibrant 2021. And part of that hope is based around the unexpected draw of a walrus. I said it had been a strange year or so.
Back at the end of March, Wally the Walrus first started showing up on the slipway at Tenby Harbour and he has since become something of a regular at the spot. At one point he disappeared, much to locals’ disappointment, but he now seems to have made a bed for himself in view of Tenby’s North Beach.
While his appearance has attracted some unwanted visitors - with volunteers urging people to leave Wally alone and not get too close, fearing that he could become frightened or forced away from the area - scores of people have indeed kept their distance but still enjoyed a glimpse from afar.
This ‘Wally Craze’ has brought a bit of joy back to Tenby, and given locals and visitors alike something to talk about other than the exhausting and challenging quest to bounce back from months of lockdown.
Two Red Dogs is just one of the shops on Tenby’s High Street. It’s been in Tenby for eight years but only opened at its new location once lockdown allowed a few weeks ago. It's fair to say that it stocks a few items that weren’t part of the original plan earlier this year, including Wally the Walrus mugs, cards and t-shirts.
“We design and produce the merchandise all ourselves,” explained Alan Kinsey, the shop’s owner.
“They’re selling well - the kids’ t-shirts are selling like hot cakes! It’s very positive for the town. We found last year, during all that uncertainty, that people still came to Tenby once they were allowed, and this year has been no different, and having Wally around the corner obviously doesn’t do any harm.
"He attracts people from all over; a couple from Newcastle drove seven hours just to see him.”
Many people are doing the same it seems. On a breezy Friday morning the path that goes along Tenby’s RNLI station is packed with people, most of them holding their phones up to catch a snap of Wales’ most famous mammal.
One couple who were eager to catch a glimpse of Wally were Huw and Tracey Davies, from Glynneath. Down in Tenby for a week’s holiday, they were pleased to see the town in good spirits, with something else to focus on rather than the ongoing recovery from a pandemic which has dominated headlines for more than a year.
“Let’s be honest, we don’t see many mammals like this around here do we?” said Huw.
“He’s obviously been a bit of a draw for the area and he’s a bit of a character really. He can’t be very happy because he’s on his own, but at least the food in the water must be good otherwise he wouldn’t be staying here.
“We don’t have a clue how long he’s going to be here but it’s a great boost for the area.”
A walk back into the town centre is halted by two other people asking for directions to the “best spot to see the walrus”. It’s easy to see why shops are selling merchandise, because everyone is talking about Wally.
Clare Griffiths owns Ebb & Flow Tenby, another independent shop on High Street selling all sorts of gifts and homeware. Among the stock on her shelves are prints containing the image of Wally created by artist Dorian Spencer-Davies and local teacher Hari Truman.
“A lot of the locals think it’s a bit sad because Wally is there on his own and we don’t know what’s going to happen to him,” said Clare.
“But we have had a lot of interest - you see and hear people around town talking about him. A lot of people are coming into the shop and asking what’s the best way or the best time to see Wally. I tell them ‘I don’t know, he’s a walrus - he does what he wants!’”
Another Tenby local making the most of Wally mania is John Mather, owner of The Nook on St Julian’s Street, which has been open since 2015. He now sells Wally cushions, hearts, string art, cards and more.
“We have a number of independent people here who think up different things, and one of my members of staff first came up with the idea of doing Wally merchandise a couple of days after he first appeared,” said John.
"It’s proven hugely popular, and is it’s been a really welcome boost for the town after the lockdown. People just love him. He’s here all the time so the good thing is, when people come down they do get a sighting of him.
"He’s been here about six weeks now and he seems to like it here. He’s popped up elsewhere but not for very long. He’s made Tenby his home and he seems to enjoy interacting with the lifeboat crew every day!”
Who knows how long Wally will remain at his new home on the lifeboat’s slipway in Tenby, but one thing is for sure - as far as the locals are concerned, he’s welcome to stay for as long as he likes.
