Tory conference to be held in ‘smallest house in the world', Welsh minister jokes
The home, which sits on Conwy's seafront in north Wales, is believed to be the smallest house in the United Kingdom.
Measuring just 72 inches wide, the house, which has not been lived in for some time, has become a tourist destination.
The minister's comments followed a question about the impact a proposed tourism levy would have on the north Wales economy from Gareth Davies, Tory MS for the Vale of Clwyd.
The Visitor Levy Bill, which is going through the Senedd, will allow councils to charge up to £1.30 per person per night for staying in tourist accommodation, with the money going towards local infrastructure.
Mr Skate's joke also comes 10 months ahead of the next Senedd election, where recent polls have put the Tories in a predicted fourth place.
The Westminster party was also wiped out in Wales in the general election last year, going from 14 seats to zero.
However, Labour is also expected to face a difficult battle in May's elections.
Recent polling by Survation placed them at 27%, with Reform and Plaid Cymru close behind on 24% each, while previous YouGov polling had the incumbent party in third place.
Mr Skates told Mr Davies he visited Conwy following the Welsh Labour Conference, which was held in Llandudno last weekend.
Addressing Mr Davies, he said: 'At the end of the conference, I thought I'd just spend a little more time in the area.
'I actually went over to Conwy as well, which is a fabulous place too.
'You'll be aware that it has the smallest house in the world on the seafront there.
'I was told that your party is going to be holding your post-election conference in the porchway, in that particular tourist attraction next year.'
Mr Skates added that he would be discussing the visitor levy with the north Wales business council on Friday, calling the fee an 'opportunity,' which he insisted had been welcomed in other areas like Manchester.
Mr Davies said he 'appreciates the sharpness and the wit of the Cabinet Secretary' but argued the levy could lead to a decrease in people staying in Wales, with many councils having already ruled out implementing it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
10 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Crown Estate: Westminster holds the power claims campaign group
It follows two letters received by the group. One from Welsh secretary Jo Stevens on behalf of prime minister Keir Starmer, confirming Westminster's refusal to transfer the Crown Estate to Wales. The other, from first minister Eluned Morgan confirming the Welsh Government's commitment to securing control of the Crown Estate. YesCymru chairman Phyl Griffiths said: 'These letters reveal exactly where decisions about Wales are really being made – and it's not in Wales. "The Welsh Government understands that control over our natural resources is key to our economic future, but Westminster's answer is simply 'no'. This is why our campaign will only intensify until the Crown Estate is transferred to Wales.' YesCymru has led a national campaign for transferring the Crown Estate to Wales, which is backed by all 22 Welsh councils. YesCymru director Rob Hughes said: 'It's a farce that YesCymru has to act as a go-between to get clarity on the Crown Estate. "Why are the Welsh and UK Governments not talking directly to each other about Wales' resources? This back-and-forth through us only highlights how little say Wales has in decisions that should be made here at home. "Until we have independence, we will remain at the mercy of a system where Westminster holds the power and Wales gets the leftovers.'
Business News Wales
25 minutes ago
- Business News Wales
Start-Up Support Helps Newport Entrepreneur Launch Coffee Shop
A Newport man has transformed the setback of redundancy into a fresh start, launching an independent coffee shop with help from Business Wales. The Rich Bean Coffee, founded by Richard Collins, is now open at Caerleon RFC Club and is already showing strong signs of growth. Formerly a sales manager, Richard turned his long-standing passion for coffee into a business venture. Motivated by a desire to take control of his future, he used the opportunity to create a welcoming, community-focused space that offers sustainably sourced coffee and locally produced goods. With guidance from Ian Harvey, a Business Adviser at Business Wales, Richard received the comprehensive start up support he needed to develop a robust business plan and financial forecasts. This expert guidance became key to securing a £2,000 Barriers Grant from Business Wales to fund essential equipment and branding. Business Wales' Green Growth and Equality pledges, which enable pro-active businesses to work sustainably and ensure inclusive and fair workplaces, became essential frameworks for Richard's commitment to ensure The Rich Bean Coffee's products are sustainable and ethically sourced. Richard said: 'With my background in business management and years of experience leading teams in the sales industry, I'd always dreamed of building something for myself. When I was made redundant, it felt like the right time to turn that ambition into reality. 'I'd spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted from the coffee shop and what we could do to build a business that provided local customers a quality experience. That said, starting a business from scratch is never easy. The guidance I received from Business Wales made a huge difference. From developing a business plan to understanding what it really takes to launch successfully, their advice gave me the confidence and structure I needed to take this exciting new step. 'Ian was fantastic from the word go. I built a lot of trust with him and really felt confident that the advice he was offering would guide me in the right direction. I credit him with a lot; he's honestly worth his weight in gold.' Less than one year after the shop's launch, Richard is now scouting new locations that will allow The Rich Bean Coffee to grow the shop's loyal local customer base across Newport. Business Wales Business Adviser Ian Harvey said: 'When Richard first approached Business Wales, his knowledge and experienced background was clear. All that remained was to draw on our range of resources to help assist him in building the skillsets and logistics needed to establish The Rich Bean Coffee. 'The success of the coffee shop shows that many Welsh start ups can achieve great success if the right guidance is in place. That might just be having an experienced adviser on hand to take as a sounding board, or to help identify if financial support is available. In this case, I'm sure that Richard's work will soon see new locations arriving across the region.' Business Wales is funded by Welsh Government. For more information and support to help grow your business, or to speak to a specialist adviser, contact Business Wales. Visit or call 03000 6 03000. Rydym yn croesawu galwadau'n Gymraeg – we welcome calls in Welsh.
South Wales Argus
40 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
New logo for Cwmbran Green Meadow Community Farm attraction
The logo will be displayed prominently on a three metre wide and 1.2 metres tall timber welcome sign at the entrance to Green Meadow Community Farm's car park from the Greenforge Way roundabout in Cwmbran. The logo features an 'animal icon group' of the silhouette of a bull and the outline of a goat against it as well as the smaller silhouette of a pig with a rabbit at the bull's front hoofs. The writing, in English and Welsh, states 'Croeso i Fferm Gymunedol Green Meadow Community Farm' with Green Medow in large capital letters while a double sided panel will be used as an 'open' and 'closed' sign. The council's planning department has approved advertising consent for the welcome sign. The new logo for Green Meadow Community Farm that is to reopen to the public in September. The small working farm and visitor attraction has been closed to the public since autumn 2022 when the council agreed to a revamp to make it commercially viable. It had to redraw those plans on cost grounds however in September 2023 when it also agreed to provide a further £1.6 million towards the project, that is still intended to make the farm self-sufficient as an attraction. The redevelopment has cost a total of £3.7m and in July the council confirmed the attraction will reopen on Saturday, September 13 with a planned April opening date already missed. Existing buildings are being refurbished as part of the project which also includes building a new play barn and animal barn and improvements to the entrance while the Haybarn will be an event space for weddings, parties and corporate functions. The council announced earlier in August it has appointed BaxterStorey as catering provider and operator for the farm including the 90 seat 'The Farmer's Table' restaurant which is in a new oak-beam conservatory. It will serve locally sourced produce and the restaurant and takeaway will be available without visitors having to pay the farm entry free. Green Meadow has been a working farm for more than 250 years and enthusiasts who feared it would be would be lost to development saved it in the 1980s.
