Commenting on the latest three-week review from Welsh Government, Ben Francis, FSB Wales Policy Chair, said:
“Many firms will be incredibly pleased to hear that we now have some indicative dates for a wider reopening of the Welsh economy today, particularly in the tourism and hospitality sectors. This is something that FSB Wales has been pressing for and we’re pleased to see that this has been listened to. Whilst we all understand that every announcement relies on the situation remaining positive and is subject to change, having an indicative date to work towards will provide a morale boost to many firms that have been closed for four months.
“We are also very pleased to hear that the wider public health outlook is in a positive position due to both the rollout of the vaccine and the action that we’ve all taken to curb the rise of Coronavirus within our communities.
“We are hearing concerns from Welsh businesses about the financial cost of reopening after such a prolonged period of closure and would urge Welsh Government to consider if a Reopening Grant can be introduced to support those firms who face the steepest financial barriers in the course of reopening.
“It is also important that we have these dates and a pathway in place in advance of the coming Senedd election campaign. As we approach the Senedd election, we’d call on all political parties to take whatever action they can to ensure that whoever forms the next Welsh Government is able to take swift action to continue to support Welsh firms and reopen our economy, which will include adequate financial support for those firms who have to wait longer to be given permission to reopen.”