The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has spoken out in the Welsh Parliament at the need for Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy, Welsh Government, to step in to save genuine holiday lets from closure.
The Member’s comments come following the consultation on the Draft Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Domestic Property) (Wales) Order 2022, which looks to implement Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru’s idea of changing the Business Rate threshold from 70 days occupancy to 182 days.
Changing the threshold has been met with strong opposition from the Member, stakeholders, and genuine businesses across Wales.
The Chair of the Wales Tourism Alliance, Chair of the Professional Association of Self Caterers UK, and Executive Director for Wales, UK Hospitality Cymru, have warned that the change is expected to drive legitimate small businesses to close.
Across Wales only 16% currently think that they can work with the 182-day threshold.
Speaking after scrutinising the Minister for Economy, Janet said:
“If Plaid Cymru truly want an independent Wales they need to be strengthening the economy and backing business. What we are seeing is the nationalists in cahoots with the socialists pursuing a direct attack on the tourism sector.
“Genuine holiday let businesses here in Aberconwy have made clear that despite being open all year round, an even with discounts applied, they never achieve 6 months occupancy.
“The winter season can be extremely difficult, even in honey-pots like Llandudno and Betws-y-Coed, and I am aware that there is little or no market in some areas for most Sundays to Thursday.
“Plaid Cymru and Welsh Labour are proving again that they do not understand business nor the tourism sector. They are setting us on a trajectory in which the value of hospitality to Conwy County could fall from the current level of around £900 million and over 12,319 jobs.”.
CYMRAEG:
Mae Aelod o’r Senedd Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders AS – wedi siarad yn Senedd Cymru am yr angen i Vaughan Gething AS, Gweinidog yr Economi, Llywodraeth Cymru, gamu i’r adwy i arbed llety gwyliau dilys rhag cau.
Daw sylwadau’r Aelod yn dilyn yr ymgynghoriad ar Orchymyn Drafft Ardrethu Annomestig (Diffiniad o Eiddo Domestig) (Cymru) 2022, sy’n ceisio gweithredu syniad Llafur Cymru a Phlaid Cymru o newid trothwy’r Gyfradd Fusnes o 70 diwrnod o ddeiliadaeth i 182 diwrnod.
Mae newid y trothwy wedi esgor ar wrthwynebiad cryf gan yr Aelod, rhanddeiliaid a busnesau dilys ledled Cymru.
Mae Cadeirydd Cynghrair Twristiaeth Cymru, Cadeirydd Cymdeithas Broffesiynol Hunanarlwyo’r DU, a Chyfarwyddwr Gweithredol Cymru, UK Hospitality Cymru, wedi rhybuddio bod y newid yn debygol o orfodi busnesau bach dilys i gau.
Ledled Cymru ar hyn o bryd, dim ond 16% sy’n credu bod modd iddynt weithio gyda’r trothwy 182 diwrnod.
Wrth siarad ar ôl craffu ar waith Gweinidog yr Economi, dywedodd Janet:
“Os yw Plaid Cymru wir eisiau Cymru annibynnol, mae angen iddyn nhw gryfhau’r economi a chefnogi busnes. Yr hyn sy’n digwydd yw cenedlaetholwyr a sosialwyr law yn llaw yn ymosod yn uniongyrchol ar y sector twristiaeth.
“Mae busnesau gwyliau dilys yma yn Aberconwy wedi dweud yn glir, hyd yn oed o agor drwy gydol y flwyddyn, hyd yn oed gyda gostyngiadau prisiau, na fyddan nhw byth yn llwyddo i sicrhau deiliadaeth 6 mis.
“Mae tymor y gaeaf yn gallu bod yn anodd iawn, hyd yn oed mewn ardaloedd poblogaidd fel Llandudno a Betws-y-Coed, ac rwy’n ymwybodol nad oes fawr ddim galw masnachol mewn rhai ardaloedd ar gyfer y rhan fwyaf o gyfnodau dydd Sul i ddydd Iau.
“Mae Plaid Cymru a Llafur Cymru yn profi unwaith eto nad ydyn nhw’n deall busnes na’r sector twristiaeth. Maen nhw’n ein harwain ar lwybr lle gallai gwerth lletygarwch i Sir Conwy ostwng o’r lefel bresennol o tua £900 miliwn a thros 12,319 o swyddi.”
