Archive - Tuesday, 29 January 2002


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Businesses awarded £580,000 in rural recovery grants

PEMBROKESHIRE businesses which lost huge chunks of income when foot-and-mouth struck Britain have been reimbursed to the tune of £580,000.

Ninety-seven businesses, ranging from hotels and mobile catering firms to livestock mart operators and haulage companies, bid for a slice of the National Assemblys rural recovery support grants. It is the second wave of grants offered under this scheme.

Judging by the list of applications, pubs and hotels suffered badly at the height of the crisis. Fourteen publicans applied for financial assistance, while bids were received from 11 hoteliers.

In total they were offered £29,000 from the pot of cash administered by Pembrokeshire County Council.

The largest claim came from the haulage sector. Hauliers bid for £35,190, but had their claims cut to £23,691.

Lorries remained at a standstill for weeks last spring when the Government banned livestock movements.

Even when controlled movements resumed, they were only able to offer a limited service because of the restrictions in place. Livestock mart operators have also been badly hit and were allocated £11,080 from the rural recovery plan. It is nearly a year since live auctions have taken place at Haverfordwest, Cardigan and Carmarthen mart grounds.

Auctioneers have instead resorted to using these venues as livestock collection centres and have been holding photographic auctions. It looks certain that limited livestock sales will be reinstated by mid-February.

Pembrokeshire County Councils director of development, Roger Barrett-Evans, believes the £118,000 allocated to tourism marketing will increase opportunities for wide ranging benefits across the whole Pembrokeshire business community.

Originally, 158 businesses had applied for financial aid but dozens were turned down because they were ineligible or simply did not qualify. Eight applicants had been trading at a higher level than the previous year.