Pembrokeshire Tourism has challenged members of the Welsh Assembly to face-to-face talks over proposed rises in business rates.

Pembrokeshire’s vital holiday let sector will be hit by an 85% average hike in business rates bills this spring, local AM Paul Davies has revealed.

Business rate bills are rising from April following a rates revaluation, and the Welsh Assembly concedes that the self-catering industry has been hit particularly hard.

However, the Assembly is refusing to offer any special financial help to the sector and there are fears that Pembrokeshire will be severely affected, given that it has the greatest number of self-catering holiday lets of any county in Wales.

Alison Belton, chief executive of Pembrokeshire Tourism, has accused the Assembly of making false promises.

“Despite reassurances that a scheme would be introduced to assist those suffering from unduly high revaluations, this has not been forthcoming,” she said.

“A significant number of self-catering operators, both small and large, have had revaluations of up to 250%, taking them way beyond any assistance currently available.”

She warned that the rises could cause unemployment.

The board has joined the Wales Tourism Alliance in inviting the Local Government Minister Carl Sergeant, to have face-to-face talks with operators.

AM Paul Davies added the rises could lead to local businesses closing down.

“The figures show that Pembrokeshire has more than double the number of holiday lets than any other county in Wales, so we will be particularly hard hit,” he said.

“I fear that these bills will either mean some businesses have to close or put their prices up, which will make Wales a less attractive place to visit.”