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Posted: Sun 21st Dec 2025
North Wales Senedd Member Sam Rowlands has raised concerns in about the future of hospitality businesses in the region, calling on the Welsh Government to provide further support in the forthcoming budget.
The comments came after Senedd Members unanimously approved regulations introducing a transitional relief scheme for businesses facing significant increases in non-domestic rates following a revaluation due to take effect in April 2026.
Speaking during a Senedd debate, the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance and chair of the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Tourism urged Mark Drakeford to consider additional measures to reduce pressure on businesses affected by the revaluation.
Conservative MS Mr Rowlands said: “We supported that proposal for those transition payments, because we recognised it was a take-it-or-leave-it proposal, and we think it’s right and proper that that support should be given to those businesses.
“But what we’re hearing now is that, for some of those businesses, it’s a real challenge for them, despite the support that has initially been laid and agreed.
“A particular concern comes from those in the hospitality sector who support our high streets. You have made some particular support available to retail on our high streets, and some of the logic behind that is to mitigate against some online competition. But we know that hospitality on our high streets makes a significant difference in terms of how our high streets thrive and help our retail to thrive also.
“With that in mind, and particularly on hospitality, it’s actually the employment they offer to young people. We know that employment amongst our young people in Wales is particularly poor. There are concerns that fewer young people will go into work as a result of the pressures that they’re facing.
[Sam Rowlands MS]
“There’s an opportunity before the final budget to review what may be able to support the hospitality sector in particular.
“Is that something that you’re willing to do, to give assurance to that sector that their issues are being taken seriously and so we can see young people in the future also being employed?”
Responding in the Senedd, Mark Drakeford said that if the relief scheme proved to be a successful policy tool, it would be something a future Welsh Government would want to consider, including whether it should be extended to the hospitality sector.
Mr Rowlands later said: “We are grateful that the Welsh Government has at least brought forward a scheme that will soften the immediate impact for thousands of Welsh businesses. We understood that if these regulations had not been approved or supported this relief scheme will not be in existence and many businesses across Wales would face steep increases with no protection at all and that is certainly not an outcome we would want.
“However, I remain extremely concerned for businesses up and down Wales who are worried about the increase in rates that they are liable to pay.
“We’ve heard first-hand from many of those in the hospitality and leisure sector, some of whom are facing increases of over 100% in the tax rates they are expected to pay. This is simply not acceptable.”
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