Several Members of the Senedd have pledged their support for a campaign to save pubs in Wales, by calling for an immediate practical roadmap forward for their reopening.
Last Friday, Countryside Alliance Wales began a nationwide push to get pubs trading again, after fears many will go permanently out of business unless they can open by Easter.
The launch of #UnlockInnWales, an online campaign which is led by the Alliance, follows revelations in a recent survey of pub landlords that found a staggering six in 10 believing they will go out of business if lockdown restrictions are not sufficiently lifted until the summer.
Landlords also revealed that they had spent staggering sums - between £1,000 - £5,000 on installing features designed to comply with and aid COVID-19 safety guidance: including outdoor heaters, hand sanitising stations and personal protective equipment (PPE) for staff, in the hope of being able to re-open.
Since going live, the public have been signing an e-lobby which asks their local Member of the Senedd to put forward the case to the Welsh Government to allow pubs to start trading again.
With a week to go until First Minister Mark Drakeford's next statement, the campaign has received cross-party backing from several MSs including: Russell George AS/MS, Rhun ap Iorwerth AS/MS, Neil Hamilton AS/MS, Mark Isherwood AS/MS and Darren Millar AS/MS.
The campaign asks the Welsh Government to:
Rachel Evans, spokesperson for Countryside Alliance Wales said: " Pubs in Wales form an integral part of the community, especially in rural areas. They provide a large number of jobs and have big networks of other businesses that rely on them being open for trade. With just under a week to go until the First Minister outlines a way forward, it is vital that the case for reopening pubs and hospitality is made now and louder than ever before. These already fragile businesses desperately need a roadmap forward so they can plan for safe reopening."