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Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Wales green lights £33million tourist tax - how much you'll pay
The levy will see people charged £1.30 each, plus VAT, for stays in hotels, bed and breakfasts and self-catering accommodation - while people staying in hostels and campsites would pay 75p per person per night, with under 18s exempt from the lower rate The Welsh Parliament has given the green light to a £1.30-a-night tourism tax in parts of Wales from 2027. Senedd members voted 37-13 in favour of the bill, which will see guests charged £1.30 each, plus VAT, for stays in hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation. Those staying in hostels and campsites would be charged 75p per person per night, with under 18s exempt from the lower rate of the tax, set to be introduced in 2027 at the earliest. The tax could generate around £33m annually if implemented nationwide, but the decision to introduce a local levy will be left to the 22 councils in Wales. So far, only Cardiff and Anglesey councils have indicated plans to implement a levy, while other authorities are yet to decide or have "no plans" to introduce a tax, reports Business Live. The bill also paves the way for a register of visitor accommodation providers operating in Wales, laying the groundwork for licensing plans set to be brought forward separately. Supporters argue that the levy will ensure visitors contribute to the cost of services with revenue reinvested, while critics warn the tax could deter tourists and harm Wales' economy. Tourism taxes are already common on the continent, and closer to home, Scottish councils will gain similar powers next year, while Manchester introduced a visitor charge in 2023. In a pivotal debate leading up to the crucial vote, Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford addressed the Senedd, saying: "By passing this bill, we will give councils the choice to introduce a modest additional charge which would be reinvested to support a thriving, sustainable tourism industry." Prof Drakeford emphasised the Welsh Government's aim to strike a fair balance between the pressures and benefits of tourism, with visitors contributing towards the upkeep of infrastructure and services. Drawing on international examples, the former first minister cited "from Iceland to New Zealand" to demonstrate how similar levies have successfully raised funds without discouraging tourists. Sam Rowlands, the Conservative shadow finance secretary, slammed the bill, labelling it "bad for Wales and bad for the Welsh tourism sector". He warned that the proposed tourism tax could jeopardise jobs and damage the economic landscape, noting widespread opposition from the tourism industry itself. The Welsh Conservatives vowed to scrap the tax if the party wins the 2026 Senedd election. Luke Fletcher of Plaid Cymru, holding the position of shadow economy secretary, has strongly backed his party's stance, declaring: "There is a genuine opportunity here for us to create a sustainable tourism sector that works with both our communities and businesses. "The very same arguments were happening when they were looking to introduce a tourism levy in Barcelona and in other places, so I do really believe we will look back at this as a positive step forward for our communities." Labour's Jenny Rathbone highlighted the influx of fans coming to Cardiff for the Oasis gig and the subsequent costs faced by local communities in backing the bill. She provocatively questioned: "Why should poor people rather than visitors have to pay?".
The Irish Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Heartbreaking moment Ellie Simmonds wipes away tears as she talks to her birth mum about why she put her up for adoption
ELLIE Simmonds was seen wiping away tears as she bravely listened to her birth mum reveal why she was put up for adoption. The Paralympian gold medalist, 30, was Advertisement 6 Ellie Simmonds was seen wiping tears away while she talked to her birth mother on her new ITV doc Credit: ITV 6 Ellie was fostered at the age of three months after being put into care at two weeks old Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 6 Ellie's adoptive parents Steve and Val Simmonds Credit: Business Live When Ellie was just three months old, she was adopted by West Midlands couple Val and Steve Simmonds. She only met her birth mother two years ago, after the swimmer documentary , Finding My Secret Family. In a follow to the Bafta winning doc, last night viewers watched At the end of the powerful documentary brave Ellie chatted to her birth mother - who has remained anonymous - on the phone. Advertisement READ MORE ON ELLIE SIMMONDS The Strictly Come Dancing star wanted to finally ask her why she gave her up for adoption. Before she made the phone call, Ellie said to the camera: "In the two years since we've met, I haven't felt ready to talk to my birth mum about the reasons she placed me up for adoption." Her birth mother was then heard for the first time on TV, as she didn't appear on the first documentary. She then bravely talked about the impact of having Ellie adopted, and the devastating reason why she felt she had to make that decision. Advertisement Most read in News TV Remaining off camera, she said: "It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. "You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right." Ellie Simmonds Finding My Secret Family viewers break down in tears as she meets her birth mum for the first time Ellie's birth mum then revealed how after her daughter was diagnosed with dwarfism, cruel medics at the time said this would lead to ridicule "I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt," she recalled. Advertisement "She said, 'There you go, that's what your baby's going to look like.' "I remember coming back thinking, 'I don't know, I can't cope with this.' "It could have been explained in a nicer manner, because that was my life, you know, that was your life, that was us. "I mean, maybe there was no answers they could have given me, or maybe I wanted a magic wand." Advertisement As she recalled this story for the first time, Ellie could be seen wiping away tears. Her birth mum candidly revealed how she struggled to look beyond 6 Ellie bravely listened to her birth mother recalling her adoption story Credit: ITV "To give your biological child away… it was momentous," she explained. Advertisement "I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. "The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time." MEETING HER MUM Ellie met her birth mum for the first time at the end of her 2023 documentary. The reunion came after the Paralympian read an old letter handwritten by her mother in which she said she wished she'd had an abortion or that Ellie had died. Advertisement With a social worker acting as an intermediary, Ellie wrote to her mum explaining she wasn't angry and that she wanted to get to know her. She sobbed as she read her mum's reply in which she said she had suffered with "guilt and self-hatred". 6 She won two gold medals at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing Credit: PA Ellie then went to meet her mum for the first time - but this wasn't filmed. Advertisement Afterwards she said: "It was amazing. We spoke about everything over the last five hours. We've got the same sense of humour we were laughing so much. "I felt like her face was just like me. What touched my heart was that she thinks about me everyday and she always sees me as a daughter." 6 Ellie also took part in Strictly in 2022 Credit: PA 'AMAZING' LIFE Ellie maintains she has had an 'amazing life' and has never felt anger towards her biological mum. Advertisement She previously told us: 'I wouldn't be who I am today if my birth mother hadn't made that decision. "I could be someone so different and not have had such a positive life, being around people with different disabilities and going to the Paralympics and having all the opportunities my parents gave me.' Ellie's parents At 11, Ellie moved with Val to Swansea to train with Team GB. Advertisement Two years later she became the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, winning two swimming golds.
Scottish Sun
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Heartbreaking moment Ellie Simmonds wipes away tears as she talks to her birth mum about why she put her up for adoption
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ELLIE Simmonds was seen wiping away tears as she bravely listened to her birth mum reveal why she was put up for adoption. The Paralympian gold medalist, 30, was put into care at two weeks old after being diagnosed with dwarfism. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 Ellie Simmonds was seen wiping tears away while she talked to her birth mother on her new ITV doc Credit: ITV 6 Ellie was fostered at the age of three months after being put into care at two weeks old Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk 6 Ellie's adoptive parents Steve and Val Simmonds Credit: Business Live When Ellie was just three months old, she was adopted by West Midlands couple Val and Steve Simmonds. She only met her birth mother two years ago, after the swimmer explored her childhood in the 2023 documentary, Finding My Secret Family. In a follow to the Bafta winning doc, last night viewers watched Ellie Simmonds: Should I Have Children?. At the end of the powerful documentary brave Ellie chatted to her birth mother - who has remained anonymous - on the phone. The Strictly Come Dancing star wanted to finally ask her why she gave her up for adoption. Before she made the phone call, Ellie said to the camera: "In the two years since we've met, I haven't felt ready to talk to my birth mum about the reasons she placed me up for adoption." Her birth mother was then heard for the first time on TV, as she didn't appear on the first documentary. She then bravely talked about the impact of having Ellie adopted, and the devastating reason why she felt she had to make that decision. Remaining off camera, she said: "It's really quite traumatic. It's hard for you to hear. I don't want to in any way upset you. "You're making a decision at the wrong time of your life, because you've just given birth, your hormones are all over the place. You're physically not right, you're mentally not right." Ellie Simmonds Finding My Secret Family viewers break down in tears as she meets her birth mum for the first time Ellie's birth mum then revealed how after her daughter was diagnosed with dwarfism, cruel medics at the time said this would lead to ridicule "I went to a geneticist and she was very abrupt," she recalled. "She said, 'There you go, that's what your baby's going to look like.' "I remember coming back thinking, 'I don't know, I can't cope with this.' "It could have been explained in a nicer manner, because that was my life, you know, that was your life, that was us. "I mean, maybe there was no answers they could have given me, or maybe I wanted a magic wand." As she recalled this story for the first time, Ellie could be seen wiping away tears. Her birth mum candidly revealed how she struggled to look beyond Ellie's disability and said she "grieved" for the child she wanted her to be. 6 Ellie bravely listened to her birth mother recalling her adoption story Credit: ITV "To give your biological child away… it was momentous," she explained. "I just handed you over and that's something you really can never get over. "The guilt is horrendous. You live with it all the time." MEETING HER MUM Ellie met her birth mum for the first time at the end of her 2023 documentary. The reunion came after the Paralympian read an old letter handwritten by her mother in which she said she wished she'd had an abortion or that Ellie had died. With a social worker acting as an intermediary, Ellie wrote to her mum explaining she wasn't angry and that she wanted to get to know her. She sobbed as she read her mum's reply in which she said she had suffered with "guilt and self-hatred". 6 She won two gold medals at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing Credit: PA Ellie then went to meet her mum for the first time - but this wasn't filmed. Afterwards she said: "It was amazing. We spoke about everything over the last five hours. We've got the same sense of humour we were laughing so much. "I felt like her face was just like me. What touched my heart was that she thinks about me everyday and she always sees me as a daughter." 6 Ellie also took part in Strictly in 2022 Credit: PA 'AMAZING' LIFE Despite tearful moments in both documentaries, Ellie maintains she has had an 'amazing life' and has never felt anger towards her biological mum. She previously told us: 'I wouldn't be who I am today if my birth mother hadn't made that decision. "I could be someone so different and not have had such a positive life, being around people with different disabilities and going to the Paralympics and having all the opportunities my parents gave me.' Ellie's parents Val and Steve Simmonds adopted four other children, some of which also had disabilities. At 11, Ellie moved with Val to Swansea to train with Team GB. Two years later she became the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, winning two swimming golds.
Wales Online
15-05-2025
- Wales Online
Man pays fraudster to take his driving test because his 'English wasn't too good'
Man pays fraudster to take his driving test because his 'English wasn't too good' There was one problem. They didn't resemble each other Clarence House in Newport where driving theory tests take place. (Image: Business Live ) An unlicensed driver paid money to a fraudster to undertake driving tests on his behalf because his "English wasn't too good". The impersonator passed a theory test and a practical test using the man's ID, which enabled him to drive legally having never sat a test. Min He, 38, gave his driving licence to an unknown impersonator, who took and passed the theory test in Newport and the practical test in Brecon. The defendant paid the individual due to his belief he did not have adequate English to pass the tests himself. A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard an impersonator pretending to be He attended a theory test centre on August 5 last year and presented the defendant's driving licence. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter. The impersonator ultimately passed the test but CCTV footage was examined by counter fraud investigators who compared the person in the footage with the photograph on He's provisional licence. They did not resemble each other. Four days later on August 9, the same man purporting to be the defendant attended a practical test centre in Brecon and passed the test. A review of the tests were later carried out and it was concluded that the person who undertook the tests was not the defendant. Article continues below He was written to and was told he needed to return his driving licence. The defendant was invited to a voluntary interview in which he made full admissions to the fraud. He said contact had been made with a person on WeChat and they exchanged voice messages. The defendant said they arranged to meet at Newport railway station on August 5 to provide him with his provisional licence and £800 in cash. On August 9, he said they met at Morrisons in Brecon to again provide his provisional licence and paid an additional £1,000 in cash. Prosecutor Justin Davies said He's road safety knowledge and driving skills had not been assessed and he posed a risk to other road users, pedestrians and cyclists. He, of Gwylfa Road, Townhill, Swansea, later pleaded guilty to two counts of making/supplying an article for use in fraud. The court heard he was of previous good character. In mitigation, Hannah Friedman said her client has a wife and two young children who would suffer if he is sent straight to custody. The barrister added the defendant wished to gain a driving licence in order to apply for a job as a delivery driver, which would allow him to earn a higher wage to give his family a better life. Sentencing, Judge Shomon Khan said: "You made some very poor decisions, not only were they foolish but dishonest... "You were trafficked to this country illegally but you have done everything to put yourself in the best position for your family... You have been living, otherwise, a law-abiding life." However, Judge Khan said the importance of providing a deterrent trumped the defendant's personal mitigation as it would send the "wrong message". Article continues below He was sentenced to a total of four months imprisonment.
Daily Mirror
01-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
BREAKING: Beloved restaurant chain Steak of the Art collapses into administration
A restaurant chain is set to close both of its UK branches for good as it has gone into administration. Steak of the Art serve steak, seafood and other meat dishes, such as lamb and game. It is a steakhouse and art gallery concept run by a company called Groupco Ltd. The branches in Bristol and Cardiff had enticed hungry punters for some time but recently the firm has faced challenges. And, according to documents filed at Companies House, Groupco, trading as Steak of the Art, appointed Rob Coad and Sam Talby of Undebt as joint administrators on April 9, 2025. The latest filing shows the company owed £410,347 to creditors as of March 31 last year. It means the Cardiff branch, which had been closed recently, will no now longer reopen and it is believed the Bristol restaurant will also cease trading indefinitely. The administrators and restaurant have not responded to a request for comment from Business Live, which is our sister title. Video Loading Stephen Bowen, a former management consultant, established the business more than one decade ago. Steak of the Art said it offers an "original, fun and entertaining" experience, including the option of Moulin Rouge-inspired private dining. The room has space for up to 20 people and is free to hire. It also has a separate gallery, showcasing work from local and UK artists, and says it offers live music and events, including film nights and fashion show fundraisers. The Bristol restaurant has a 4.2 rating out of five on TripAdvisor, with the last review written on April 5. Regular guests have taken to social media to express their sadness at the expected closure. One customer said: "Steak of the Art!! Gutted!" Another miffed diner commented: "Such a shame, that's the place in Bristol we went." A third complained: "Is there anything left open in the uk? Every day something else is closing." Among the reviews on TripAdvisor for the Bristol eatery, one person praised its atmosphere and service. They wrote: "We threw a surprise birthday lunch at Steak of the Art. They were absolutely brilliant the whole way through. Really helpful with helping with the booking and sorting the private area for us. They also let us serve our own cake for dessert. The steak was absolutely delicious! And the roasts looked amazing, and I'm told were also delicious! I would highly recommend this place!!" The average monthly number of people including directors employed by the company during the period was 38. It is not known if any jobs are at risk due to the administration or whether the company will be put up for sale. Business Live has contacted Undebt and Steak of the Art Bristol for comment.
