Clwyd West MS Darren Millar and North Wales MS Mark Isherwood have both questioned the Welsh Government’s new rules for the hospitality industry, which they say are disproportionate and will hit North Wales businesses hard.
The First Minister announced today that from Friday, no alcohol can be served in bars, pubs, or restaurants, which will also have to close at 6pm., and that cinema, bingo halls, museums and other indoor attractions will have to close completely.
Darren described the move as “a kick in the teeth” for businesses that have worked hard to make their premises covid safe in recent months, whilst Mark criticised the Welsh Government for failing to engage with the sector before making the decision.
Darren said:
"With the virus circulating at wildly different rates in different parts of the country it is difficult to see how these Wales-wide restrictions can be justified.
"The new measures will cause many businesses to throw in the towel and are likely to lead to thousands of jobs being lost the length and breadth of the country. They are a kick in the teeth for those who've worked hard to implement Covid safe environments for their staff and customers.
"North Wales is likely to be particularly hard hit given the relative size of the hospitality industry to our economy and the importance of trade over the Christmas period."
Mark said:
“It is only three weeks since I highlighted the survey on the Impact of lockdowns on the tourism, hospitality, retail, leisure sectors and their supply chains in North Wales, conducted by North Wales Tourism with support from the North Wales Mersey Dee Business Council, in the Welsh Parliament, which found that 39% of tourism, hospitality, retail and leisure businesses in North Wales would cease trading if there were any further national or local lockdowns. I called on the Labour Welsh Government to conduct meaningful regional and local business engagement before any more lockdowns are imposed, yet Mark Drakeford has ignored this.
“We know that most covid infections occur in homes and hospitals, not pubs and restaurants, which have invested massive time and money into making their premises as safe and covid compliant as they can, so Mr Drakeford and his Ministers have hit the wrong target.
“Unlike England, infections in Wales are rising after the First Minister’s ‘firebreak’, he should therefore be asking and targeting the reasons for this instead of imposing these stringent restrictions.”