A Covid-19 hit hotel whose application for support was rejected by a Welsh Government fund wants “full transparency” on where emergency grant cash is going.
Seamus O’Keeffe, owner of The Chainbridge Hotel, in Llangollen, is one of thousands in hospitality struggling due to the coronavirus lockdown.
He applied for grant support from the Welsh Government’s £1.7bn Economic Resilience Fund (ERF).
This has been rejected.
Mr O’Keeffe now wants full transparency on which businesses, sectors and regions in Wales have so far been successful in obtaining funds.
Welsh Government said this will be published “in due course”.
Mr O’Keeffe said: “Having had our application for help from the Economic Resilience Fund rejected, I think it is fundamental that there is transparency regarding which businesses, sectors and regions are receiving and benefitting from this fund.
“The Welsh Government has repeatedly claimed they are putting in economic measures to support and protect businesses but we must know what criteria they are using to allocate funds.
Most Read
“It is essential that businesses such as ours, which employ local people and use local suppliers, are helped so that we can continue to create jobs and boost the local economy in the future.
“Hospitality in particular is in a difficult situation, having been forced to close first, and reopen last.
“There are still huge questions as to what restrictions will be in place when we are allowed to reopen, and due to the different speed at which the Welsh Government is easing restrictions, we may have to expect a further delay in reopening.
“We need this to be supported, as many rural, independent and popular tourism and hospitality businesses are facing a real threat to their very existence."
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “We are providing a comprehensive £1.7bn package of support for businesses of all sizes, which complements measures announced by the 海角视频 Government.
“We have seen a huge response to our Economic Resilience Fund, which has provided support to people who run small and micro-businesses employing staff.
“We are currently finalising details of the next phase of the Economic Resilience Fund, which we expect to open for applications by the end of June.”
A spokesman added that details of all the successful submissions would be published in due course.