Tourism in North Wales

Part of 5. Questions to the Minister for International Relations and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 2:40 pm on 1 July 2020.

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Photo of Mark Isherwood Mark Isherwood Conservative 2:40, 1 July 2020

Well, although small bed and breakfasts are a mainstay of local tourism economies across north Wales, they're ineligible for the Welsh Government's £10,000 business grant. When I raised this with the economy Minister, he referred to the eligibility checker for the second phase of the economic resilience fund. When it opened, they were ineligible. When I questioned him about this, he said he would have to understand why. I therefore wrote to him with their evidence. In his reply, like you, he said the support package in Wales is the most comprehensive and generous in the UK, yet grants are available to B&B operators in England and Scotland who do not qualify for other COVID-19 grant support, but operators in Wales have been denied equivalent grants. What, therefore, is your message for the genuine B&B business operators who have told me their finances have now run out and they can't go on any longer? I hope it's one of hope.