Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:21 pm on 18 October 2022.
Hospitality and those small, independent breweries and restaurants that operate within that industry are facing some of the most challenging circumstances. Many are not expecting to make it much further beyond winter. For example, the owner of Ristorante Vecchio in Bridgend told The Glamorgan Gazette how his energy bills have increased to £8,000 a month. Energy prices are simply unaffordable, and, following on from Mabon's question, the cost of energy is one part of this, of course, but this is also about ensuring that we transition to green energy solutions as soon as we can, which would help with both the rising costs and the drive towards net zero. Breweries like Boss Brewery in Swansea have spent their reserves surviving the last couple of years. There's very little, if any, money for capital investment in green technology. Therefore, I would ask the Government what consideration it has given to potential grant funding to cover green energy initiatives for independent businesses, such as solar and voltage optimisation, which could be installed on the sites of these businesses, helping to insulate them from price hikes.