BUILDING OUR WORLD-CLASS REPUTATION

Monmouth Bridge

Plaid’s is committed to boosting the tourism sector by doubling the budget for Visit Wales and increasing the Visit Wales budget from £7m to £14m. A Party of Wales government would designate 2018 a Year of Welsh Food and Drink, 2019 a ‘Celebrate Wales’ year, and create a National Academy for the Welsh Tourism sector to provide ‘hands-on’ learning experience for students.

The importance of the tourism across Wales both as an employer and as a way of attracting investment into the country has long been recognised. This is why a Plaid government will double the Welsh Government’s funding for Visit Wales (from £7m to £14m) so that they are better placed to attract tourists to Wales.

The Party of Wales will continue to bring more people to Wales and improve the tourist experience by ensuring joined-up services and knowledge so that tourists can stay close to events, that hotels have access to the latest tourism information, that public transport is available when required and that hotels can provide the best quality of service, including the use of foreign languages.”

Something that will directly benefit the small businesses, food suppliers and food producers in Monmouth constituency is Plaid Cymru’s plan to designate 2018 a Year of Welsh Food and Drink, in order to boost local producers and our vital agricultural industry, as well as support small businesses and sellers who form the stepping stone between farm and fork.

The Welsh Government must also work hard to promote Wales as a world-class, sustainable tourism destination with activities and experiences based on our natural resources, our produce, our unique coast and landscape and our language, culture and heritage. 

We also need to give our young people the opportunity to develop careers and businesses in the hospitality industry. This is why Plaid Cymru will also create a National Academy for the Welsh Tourism sector to provide ‘hand-on’ learning to students in catering and hospitality from apprenticeships up to degree level

TIME FOR A LIVING WAGE

Plaid Cymru has unveiled its first signature policy for the 2015 General Election Campaign - a Living Wage that would secure a pay rise for more than 250,000 Welsh workers. A Living Wage would improve living standards, help create jobs, and boost local economies due to people having more money in their pockets to spend. 

The policy was just one of many Plaid Cymru proposals to help businesses and employers alike such as cutting VAT in the tourism sector, offering SMEs lower business rates, and developing a Welsh Bank to lend to small business. 



Hywel Williams MP, Plaid Social Security spokesperson speaking ahead of the policy launch said:

"Plaid Cymru believes that nobody in Wales should be paid less than they need to live upon. That is why we pledge to give more than 250,000 Welsh workers a pay rise by making the Living Wage a key commitment for the 2015 General Election campaign. 



"In a time when City fat cats are rewarded for failure, and ordinary families are suffering a slump in living standards, this is a policy aimed at tackling the UK's "most unequal state in Europe" status. 



"Currently the UK Government subsidises big business to pay poverty wages by setting the minimum wage too low and then topping them up with tax credits to enable people to afford basic provisions. 


"By raising the minimum wage to be in line with the Living Wage, we will be able to raise living standards and boost local economies as people will have more money in their pockets to spend. 



"Analysis shows that it is more commonly women, the under 30s and part-time workers who suffer most from low wages. A Living Wage would ensure that none of these groups are left behind and improve the lot of entire households, not just individuals. 



"This is just one of a wide range of Plaid Cymru policies designed to help employers and workers alike. These include cutting VAT for the tourism industry, cutting business rates for SMEs, and establishing a Bank of Wales that would lend to small businesses. 



"While Labour, Tories and Lib Dems join in the desperate scramble to save the Union and putting Wales' best interests on the back burner yet again, Plaid Cymru is getting on with the job of delivering a more just and prosperous Welsh nation."


A REAL OPPORTUNITY

Speaking as an occasional amateur archaeologist I can recall the excitement surrounding the discovery of the Newport Ship (a fifteenth-century sailing vessel) when it was discovered (and excavated) by archaeologists back in 2002. The remains of the ship were found on the west bank of the River Usk, during the construction of the Riverfront Arts Centre. The then Labour in Newport Council had no plans to preserve the ship, which save for a highly effective public protest and the thousands of people who turned up and formed a long and  orderly queue to see the excavations (and to show their support) it would have been quietly turned to matchwood.

Flocking to see the Newport Ship (in 2002)

Faced with protests the decision to excavate and preserve the Newport ship (as it became known) was made – this was (and still is) the correct decision for an artefact of such historical significance. As a result all of the ship's timbers were raised and transferred to a dedicated industrial unit, possibly the biggest wood conservation centre in the UK now that that the Mary Rose project in Portsmouth has been completed. Preservation and research continue, despite problems with future funding, iinitial estimates suggested that the preservation process would cost around £3.5 million pounds, this funding stream came from the Welsh Government, Newport City Council and the from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Newport ship was originally around 80 feet (24 metres) long, which made it more than capable of continental voyages.  Recovered artefacts suggest that the ship was trading with Portugal in the fifteenth century. The abundance of artefacts linked with Portugal argues even that the ship was also built there. Dendrochronology has given a likely felling date of 1465 and 1466 for some of the timbers used in both its construction and its repair. Remnants of a cradle found beneath the ship suggested that it had been berthed for repair but then abandoned.

Waiting to see the Newport Ship (in 2002)

Preservation is only part of the process, as the recovered remains (which include some 1700 ship timbers and the artefacts) are too large to be put on display  in the basement of the new arts centre, the Newport Ship needs a new home. As had been said elsewhere the Ship is one of the Europe's most important pieces of medieval archaeology and is an important piece of maritime history. Some eleven years of hard work has been spent cleaning, recording, conserving and studying it. The Ship should be re-assembled and put on public display in Newport in a purpose built new maritime museum.

A new maritime museum with the Newport ship as a central exhibit should provide Newport with a unique selling point, bringing visitors and jobs when completed. Publically reassembling the ship should be a major tourist and educational attraction. South Gwent has moiré than enough potential exhibits including the remains of the Barlands Farm Romano Celtic boat and the other smaller historical artefacts (including the lifeboat of the Anglo-Saxon) which are currently on display elsewhere or sat in storage.

Excavating the Newport Ship (in 2002)

This should be a real and lasting opportunity to begin the process of regeneration of the city, which despite the attempts of the planners still retains plenty of outstanding historical attractions including the Roman Legionary fortress at Caerleon, the Transporter Bridge, Tredegar House, St Woolos Cathedral, the remains of Newport Castle and the collection of finds from Roman Caerwent. With the process of timber conservation estimated to be coming to an end by 2017, there is a need to commit to planning and building a new maritime museum so with a new museum within the city where the process of re-assembling the Ship can take place.

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE

Plaid's Rural affairs minister Elin Jones has announced that projects in Monmouthshire, Torfaen and Caerphilly will receive a total of £6,338,000 from a joint Assembly and European Union fund. This is part of the Rural Development Plan for Wales which supports a variety of projects involving agriculture, forestry, the environment and countryside, as well as projects that are aimed at improving life in rural areas and local development programmes.

Monmouthshire received the largest amount of money, with £2.97 million split between eight different projects, including £565,064 for Origins Monmouthshire, which works to repair and renovate key heritage buildings and sites across the county. Some £311,642 has gone to to Welcome Monmouthshire, which is trying to improve Monmouthshire's competitiveness as a year round tourist destination. A visit Britain Report has revealed that some £8 million pound was spent by foreign tourists in Monmouthshire in 2009.

Two projects in Torfaen will share £718,000, including £429,064 for the redevelopment of Llanyrafon Manor, the Grade II* listed manor house will undergo a £536,000 restoration and adaptation into a rural heritage centre. Once this work is finished, the centre will work in partnership with local schools to teach children about Torfaen's natural heritage, as well as providing costumed tours of the house, re-enactment events and outdoor theatre performances. Taste of Torfaen was awarded £289,155 to support local food producers and artists, as well as encouraging alternative energy sources and recycling. One million pound was spent in Torfaen by foreign tourists in 2009, according to Visit Britain.

In Caerphilly, £2.65 million will be split between five projects, including £756, 000 for a Vibrant Villages, Healthy Harvests initiative, which will encourage local farms and other rural businesses to venture into sustainable energy production, support local food producers to get their goods into local markets, and encourage residents to attend more community events. According to Visit Britain some £2 million pound was spent in Caerphilly by foreign tourists in 2009.

One of the key themes behind funding the projects is that project ideas are run with the help of local people, who are well placed to decide what their communities actually need to improve their local environment, boost their economy and help to develop tourism. More of the same please...