Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales – in the Senedd at 2:20 pm on 27 January 2021.
Thank you, Minister. I can tell you that that money will be not just very welcome, but is needed in Wales. Now, I have a number of small accommodation owners contacting me stating that the only Welsh Government funding they can access is the restrictions business fund non-domestic rate grant. It seems that, for some reason, now, tourism businesses are blocked from the sector specific fund that I thought was initially aimed at them. They cannot apply. This is what one Aberconwy business owner told me last week: 'We are approaching breaking point now. We've taken all available measures to keep our outgoings to an absolute minimum, but our monthly overheads are simply too great for us.' You have to remember that, here in Aberconwy, most of these businesses have been in lockdown since 1 October, and then the series of lockdowns that came afterwards. So, there is reason for hope as a further £200 million has been announced, but we've not been provided with the details as to how this will be used, and the set criteria. So, would you clarify this today? But more importantly, do you think that you could look at small guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, and those that don't have half a dozen employees? Sometimes they're just small businesses, but once their income goes, they are in a real fix. Thanks.