A top Welsh attraction could be forced to close after 100 years in business as coronavirus cripples the country’s vital tourism industry.

The National Showcaves Centre, in Brecon, south Wales, has been run by the same family since 1912, surviving two world wars, the Great Depression, foot and mouth disease and the financial crash of 2008.

But chairman Ashford Price, 78, who has been in charge of the popular site for 45 years, says the pandemic has dwarfed all previous crises by hitting just as summer arrives.

Like most tourist attractions in Wales, the 17-kilometre long cave system has been shut since October, with thousands being spent over the last six months to prepare it for the peak season. With that set to come and go before lockdown ends, Ashford faces the ‘saddest day of his life’ in the coming weeks, as he may have to shut the businesses’ doors for good.

He told Metro.co.uk: ‘They are some of the finest caves in Britain. They have been in the family since 1912. They have been through so much; two world wars, the Great Depression, but we have reached a point now where we can’t go on.

‘It looks highly unlikely we will be able to open this year. We have already been six months without revenue. If [social distancing] goes on for more than six months, we are back into winter, it means it’s 12 months before we will re-open.

‘That’s 18 months without revenue, no business can survive that. ‘

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The granddad-of-two said he accepted the importance of coronavirus lockdown but accused Welsh ministers of ignoring the plight of the country’s tourism industry.

Although struggling Welsh businesses can seek support through the UK government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the vast majority of land owners face astronomical bills to maintain their sites even when they are closed, and there are no specific grants available for companies in the tourism sector.

Ashford’s business, which includes a shire horse centre and farm, costs about £10,000 a week to maintain even at a standstill.

‘If we cannot reopen this year then we would find it impossible to fund the £80.000+ needed to mothball and keep maintained all the essential electrical and mechanical equipment routinely used to keep the caves open to the public’ he said.

‘There appears to be no help, the government is not reacting fast enough. Our MPs should be voicing the fight for the Welsh tourism industry. They are silent on the matter.

‘If we close it would be one of the saddest days of my life. My son is in this, my daughter is. We are having to accept the fact there may not be a light at the end of this difficult tunnel’.

Tourism is estimated to be worth more than £3bn to the Welsh economy, raking in £17.4m per day and employing almost 10% of the population under normal circumstances.

A grass roots survey of 500 businesses suggests 28% of people in the sector are struggling to pay bills now, while 82% don’t believe they will survive beyond September 2020.

Non-essential businesses have been forced to close to contain coronavirus, with social distancing rules expected to be in force way beyond summer.

Ashford said: ‘Every business that has been recently closed [under lockdown] has been open throughout winter so they have a bit of cash to fall back on, but most tourism businesses in Wales won’t have had revenue since October.

‘All of them will have used money doing the site up over the last few months, getting them ready to be open open now.You make it back when the site opens, it’s how tourism works.

‘I don’t think the government realise this. We aren’t getting any revenue so operators can’t pay bills.

‘Welsh tourism is on its knees. In 12 months time, it will be a shadow of its former self’.

A spokesperson from the Welsh Government said they ‘fully recognise’ the unprecedented challenge posed by coronavirus, and said small businesses can apply to a recently announced £500m Resilience Fund.

‘We are committed to doing everything possible to support businesses and have been working with the  tourism industry as part of our ongoing research’ a statement said.

‘The findings of the survey are in line with our feedback from industry across Wales  – which is why we already have a range of support packages in place.’

The relief fund includes the opportunity to apply for a cash grant – though details on who is eligible have not been released .

The statement said ‘further details’ on accessing the new grant element will be made available shortly’.

It added:  ‘We’d like to thank the industry for their cooperation at this difficult time in helping us to ask our visitors to stay home – to save lives.’

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