Business

Rates shock fears reach the Senedd as 100+ west Wales firms back Kurtz briefing

Published

3 months ago

January 21, 2026

BUSINESS rates fears in west Wales reached the Senedd this week after Samuel Kurtz MS warned that hospitality and tourism firms could face “irreversible damage” unless ministers rethink the approach to the 2026 revaluation.

During First Minister’s Questions on Tuesday (Jan 20), the Conservative MS said he and Preseli Pembrokeshire MS Paul Davies would be hosting a business briefing for “over 100 businesses from across west Wales” who were “worried, frustrated and angry” about looming increases.

He told the Senedd one local hotel faced its rates bill rising from “£10,000 to £33,000” — an increase of “230 per cent” — and urged the First Minister to “change course on this immediately, before irreversible damage is done to the hospitality sector”.

***Feeling the pinch: Many hospitality businesses say that the huge hike in business rates will but them under***

The intervention is the clearest sign yet that concern over steep projected increases — particularly among hotels, pubs, restaurants and visitor attractions — is turning into an organised campaign, with businesses swapping draft figures and warning of closures and job losses if the biggest rises go ahead.

***Eluned Morgan: It is wrong to claim that we have not supported hospitality***

Responding, First Minister Eluned Morgan defended the Welsh Government’s record of support for the sector.

She said: “It is wrong to claim that we have not supported hospitality. We have spent over £1 billion since 2020 on business rate support for retail, leisure and hospitality.”

She added: “After April, at least half of pubs will get help with rates and a quarter will pay no rates at all.”

The First Minister also signalled that she could not commit to matching decisions made in England until the Welsh Government had full detail of what was being offered there and what funding consequentials might follow for Wales.

Pembrokeshire concerns fed into wider backlash

In Pembrokeshire, the issue first gained traction after county councillor Huw Murphy raised alarm about the scale of increases some firms were seeing in draft figures ahead of April 2026.

Since then, local businesses have reported proposed rises well into three figures in percentage terms — often in areas where footfall and seasonal trade are already fragile — with owners warning that higher overheads will squeeze budgets for staffing, maintenance and investment.

While some premises are expected to benefit from reductions, the sharpest increases appear concentrated in parts of the visitor economy, where rateable values can rise quickly in line with market evidence and local demand.

Mr Kurtz’s briefing is expected to focus on how the new figures are calculated, what scope there is for appeals, and what further relief—if any—might be needed for firms facing the largest jumps.

With attendance already said to be over 100, the meeting is also likely to act as a barometer of how far concern has spread across west Wales—and whether pressure will build on ministers to revisit support for hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses ahead of April.

The online event, taking place on Monday 26 January 2026 at 10:30am, will bring together key organisations involved in business rates and the local economy, including the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), UK Hospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), PASC, Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC).

The forum is designed to help businesses better understand how business rates are calculated, how recent changes to rateable values may affect their bills, what reliefs may be available, and how to check and challenge valuations where appropriate.

For many firms, the rates issue is landing alongside wider cost pressures, with business groups warning that even a small number of forced closures could ripple outward—reducing local employment, weakening town centres and undermining the rural tourism offer.

Commenting on the strong response, Samuel Kurtz MS said: “The fact that more than 100 businesses have signed up shows just how much concern there is locally about business rates. By bringing together the VOA, industry bodies and the local authority, businesses will be able to get clear, reliable information directly from those involved in the system.”

Businesses from across retail, hospitality, services and the rural economy have registered, highlighting the wide-ranging impact of business rates on the local area.

“Too many businesses only discover there is an issue when their bill arrives,” Samuel Kurtz MS added. “This forum is about helping businesses check their rateable value early, understand what support is available, and take action if something does not look right.”

Paul Davies MS said: “Business rates continue to place real pressure on shops, pubs, hospitality venues, tourism businesses and small employers across Pembrokeshire and the wider region. This online forum is a practical step to help businesses better understand the system and ensure they are not paying more than they should. It also underlines the importance of reforming business rates so they are fair, transparent and do not hold back local growth.”

What is the 2026 revaluation?

NON-domestic rates are calculated using a property’s “rateable value”, which is reassessed periodically in a revaluation.

The new values linked to the 2026 revaluation are due to take effect from April 2026, meaning some businesses will see bills rise while others fall.

If a business believes its valuation is inaccurate, it can challenge it through the Valuation Office Agency process, but firms are being urged to act early and gather evidence—such as comparable rents, trading impacts and property details—before formal deadlines.

Reliefs can also apply, including small business relief and sector-specific support, depending on the size and type of premises.

Business

Bowls club in battle with council over signs put up without permission

Published

3 days ago

April 25, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE town’s bowls club has called on planners to let it keep advertising signs for local businesses erected without permission, which help support its operations.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Fishguard & Goodwick Bowls Club, Wern Road, Goodwick seeks retrospective permission for up to 36 signs on land close to the town’s Pheonix Centre.

The signs had been in place for some 18 months, being removed ahead of a formal planning application.

A supporting statement accompanying the application says: “This application seeks retrospective consent for the display of up to 36 non-illuminated, single-sided advertisement panels mounted to an existing timber boundary fence.

It said the advertisements are modest in scale, facing an existing large car park rather than nearby residential properties and does not project over any public highway or footpath.

It added: “The advertisement signs have been temporarily removed while planning permission is sought. The advertisements and fence had been in place for approximately 18 months prior to their temporary removal, during which time no complaints were received.

“The total number of advertisements has been consciously limited, and not all fence bays display signage, ensuring that the proposal does not result in harm to visual amenity or public safety.

“The income generated from the advertisements provides an important source of revenue for the Fishguard and Goodwick Bowls Club, supporting the ongoing operation and maintenance of local community sporting facilities.

“The advertising panels also offer local businesses an affordable and accessible means of promotion within the community.”

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

Business

Tenby sandwich shop owner Ruby’s celebrates planning victory

Published

3 days ago

April 25, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A SANDWICH shop owner who successfully challenged a national park refusal of plans for a takeaway food kiosk in Tenby’s seaside harbour, has spoken of her excitement at now being able to move forward.

At the March 2025 development management committee, Ruby Goodrick was refused permission from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planners to turn the old RNLI lifeboat store, Penniless Cove, Tenby Harbour, into a takeaway cold food outlet, open 10am-10pm seven days a week.

The application came before committee members rather than an officer decision as Tenby Town Council objected, and was recommended for approval despite being a departure from the adopted development plan.

Since then, Ruby lodged a successful appeal with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), the Inspector’s report, granting permission, focussing on “whether the development would be an appropriate use within this location, the impact on the character and appearance of the area, and whether it would affect Tenby Conservation Area”.

It said that, although the site was just outside the town centre “I consider that a small scale cold food takeaway outlet in this location would not undermine the town centre of Tenby or its retail function and would not have any impact on its future viability and vitality,” adding: “To the contrary, the development would complement the role of the town centre by contributing to having a mix of uses within this edge of centre location, which is encouraged within Future Wales.”

Following her successful appeal, Ruby, who relatively recently reopened her mum’s old sandwich shop in the town’s South Parade said: “It’s been a long journey over the past three years, with plenty of ups and downs, so I’m really pleased and relieved that the appeal was successful in the end.

“As someone who is local to Tenby, it means so much to me to have reopened my mum’s old sandwich shop, Trulys Sandwich Shop, on South Parade seven months ago. To now have the opportunity to open another shop at Tenby Harbour is something I’m incredibly proud of.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sent messages of support and encouragement along the way — it’s meant a lot to me and my family.

“I’m really excited to move forward with the new takeaway at Tenby Harbour and look forward to serving both locals and visitors and bringing something new to the harbour.”

Business

Pembrokeshire’s Nia shortlisted for Women in Insurance Awards

Published

4 days ago

April 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THREE members of staff at FUW Insurance Services have been shortlisted for the prestigious Women in Insurance Awards 2026.

Among them is Pembrokeshire’s Nia Evans, who has been named as a finalist in the Young Insurance Woman of the Year category for small to medium firms.

The awards celebrate the achievements of women across the insurance industry, recognising excellence at all levels and highlighting organisations working to improve diversity and inclusion.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony in London on October 13, 2026.

Nia joined FUW Insurance Services in August 2022 as an account handler and has since gained experience across several portfolios, including Gwent, Glamorgan and Pembrokeshire.

She has completed her Cert CII qualification and was selected as part of the first cohort at the FUW Insurance Services Academy in 2025.

Her nomination recognises her strong professional development, growing expertise and early impact within the business.

Meleri James has also been shortlisted for Claims Professional of the Year. She joined FUW Insurance Services in 2021 as an insurance claims handler before becoming Deputy Claims Manager in 2023.

A Dip CII Level 4 qualified professional, she was appointed Claims Manager in autumn 2025.

Karen Royles has been shortlisted for Insurance Woman of the Year in the small to medium firms category.

She joined the company in November 2015 on a six-month maternity cover contract and has since progressed through roles including Administration Manager and Group Operations Manager.

In 2025, she became the company’s first female director when she was appointed Operations Director.

FUW Insurance Services Ltd Chair, Ann Beynon OBE said: “On behalf of everyone at FUW Insurance Services, we’re thrilled that Nia, Meleri, and Karen have been recognised in the prestigious Women in Insurance Awards.

“Their nominations reflect not only their talent and hard work, but also the progress we’ve made as a business in supporting and developing our female staff within the business.

“The awards are an important way to celebrate the achievements of women in our industry and to promote diversity and inclusion.

“We are proud to support that, and even prouder to see our colleagues being recognised in this way. We wish them the very best of luck.”