Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 11:04 am on 15 July 2020.
Thank you for that response. Holyhead Town Council has done its best over the years to improve facilities for the people of the town and the area, and one initiative that's been very successful is the reopening of the Empire cinema. Like so many businesses, the Empire lost its income entirely because of the pandemic. The council made a bid for funding from the economic resilience fund, but that was rejected, because the cinema was run by the council and wasn't a business entity in and of itself. This has created a major problem for the council. Cinemas will be allowed to open again in a few weeks' time, but I would like you to consider one thing: there will be a limitation on their ability to make money because they can't sell food and drink on the way in. That's one issue that I'd be grateful if you were to look at. But, more generally, I would like you to look at the rules that mean that a town council such as this has failed to access financial support, because I don't think it's fair that a town council like this one should be penalised for having tried to create an enterprise for its own people.