**Small Business Owner Says “Enough Is Enough” as Son Forced to Live 65 Miles Away Due to Housing Crisis in North Wales**
A Welsh tradesman’s cry for change has gone viral after he revealed his son is compelled to live over an hour away from both family and work, all due to the worsening housing and economic situation in Gwynedd. Paul Filby, who turns 60 this year, has worked as an electrician in North Wales for 38 years. He recently made public a powerful letter expressing his concerns about the future viability of small businesses in rural Wales—a message that has struck a chord with thousands online.
Mr Filby operates Cambrian Electrical in Porthmadog, with his son William among the company’s eight-strong workforce. Despite the family’s deep roots in the area, William, now 30, is unable to find a suitable home close to work or family and is renting 65 miles away in Bangor-on-Dee, Wrexham. This daily commute is not just a logistical challenge; it’s a poignant emblem of a broader crisis affecting the local workforce and threatening the stability of family businesses like Filby’s.
Paul’s heartfelt letter, penned in both Welsh and English and addressed to local politicians as well as the Prime Minister, lays bare the pressures facing small businesses in Gwynedd. “The response online was overwhelming,” said Paul. “Normally my posts would barely reach fifty views, but this one topped 22,500. Clearly, the issue resonates with many in our community.”
Analysis of the local economy in Gwynedd reveals a landscape heavily reliant on agriculture and tourism, sectors which have been hit hard in recent years. Mr Filby explains that since the last General Election, his company’s turnover has plummeted by half, a drop he attributes to policy decisions such as rises in National Insurance, which alone are set to increase his annual costs by up to £17,000—a burden inevitably passed on to customers. The services they provide, mostly for the tourism sector, are in steep decline as local businesses cut spending, focusing on emergency repairs rather than new projects.
The collapse in confidence among small businesses in Gwynedd is marked. “This is more severe than previous recessions,” Paul said. “The speed at which the downturn is happening is alarming. What used to be a seasonal challenge is now a full-blown crisis.” The situation has worsened as a result of new policies targeting holiday lets. Mr Filby described how changes to Welsh Government rules—such as the need for properties to be let for at least 182 days per year to avoid excessive council tax—have turned viable holiday lets into liabilities. If the property fails to meet the threshold, it is reclassified as a second home, incurring a council tax premium of 150% in Gwynedd.
The intention behind these measures is to address the chronic housing shortage in tourist hotspots and support local language and culture. However, Paul contends the approach is backfiring, with young people and families leaving the area due to prohibitive costs and a lack of stable employment. “We need to retain and nurture local talent,” he argued. “Policies should be creating jobs, not driving away the few businesses left.”
The pressures are both financial and emotional for the Filby family and others like them. A pivotal contract with a local caravan park recently fell through, causing a significant financial setback. “The reasons were familiar: staff shortages, rising wage expectations, and the impact of national policy decisions. It’s frustrating to lose opportunities that would have brought jobs and investment to the area,” Paul explained.
Mr Filby’s story has prompted an outpouring of support from others grappling with the impacts of new council tax rules and housing policies. He highlights cases such as a retiree burdened with unexpected tax bills and local farmers facing ruin after policy-driven diversification became financially unviable. He also references a schoolteacher who faced a substantial tax charge for briefly owning two homes in a single day due to the timing of a move—only managing to have it overturned after a lengthy appeal.
Local property sales in Gwynedd have seen significant declines, with prices at the end of 2024 dropping by 12%—the steepest fall in Wales—before a modest recovery in 2025. Filby argues that government intervention is needed now to prevent further damage, and is calling for an independent review of current policies as well as appeals for practical relief for struggling businesses.
In response, Cyngor Gwynedd has stated that addressing housing inequalities and creating sustainable communities are core priorities. While measures such as higher council tax on second homes and stricter planning controls have been justified as necessary to protect local housing supply, critics like Filby argue that economic sustainability has been sacrificed in the process.
The future for Paul Filby’s business, and the community it serves, remains uncertain. His experience is far from unique—indeed, it increasingly reflects the pressures faced by many rural enterprises in Wales. As debate rages over how best to balance the needs of locals with those of the tourism industry, Filby’s message is clear: “If this continues, there won’t be any businesses left to support the next generation.”