Businesses still in the dark over port closure support

JUNE has come to an end, and now, the school summer holidays are within sight. I hope you're looking forward to a bit of a break over the coming weeks, and intend to take advantage of many of the activities and opportunities available across Ynys Môn during the summer holidays.

- with Ynys Môn MS Rhun ap Iorwerth

Of course, it is important to support our local businesses and enterprises throughout the year, and on Ynys Môn, local, independent businesses are the backbone of our economy and our high streets - that is true in Holyhead too.

The unexpected closure of Holyhead Port in December caused a lot of trouble for many, and among those who suffered most were small businesses in the town of Holyhead and the surrounding areas.

We're talking about a drop of almost half a billion pounds in trade through the port in December last year, compared to the previous year; the number of visitors down 36%; businesses reporting a 90% drop in trade; and one hotel operator alone losing almost £15,000 worth of bookings overnight - and this during one of the busiest trading months of the year.