Self caterers feel 'snubbed' by the Scottish Government
Self caterers say they feel "snubbed" by the Scottish Government, saying they've been excluded from the latest round of Covid funding
Last updated 13th Jan 2022
Self caterers have slammed the Scottish Government, saying they've been left out of the latest round of Covid funding.
Some hotels and hostels are eligible for business support funding, but the Association of Scotland's self-Caterers say it's unfair they, as well as guest houses and B&Bs aren't included.
They've accused the government of failing to live up to its claim of "supporting the tourism sector" claiming they've forgotten a major part.
The Association say self caterers have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, whilst also left to face other challenges at the same time, such as restrictive planning control areas and the possibility of a tourism levy.
According to an ASSC survey, over 70 percent of self-caterers reported a negative impact on their business caused by Omicron restrictions announced in early December, with more than 65 percent experiencing financial losses as a result. 73 percent of larger self-catering properties have been directly impacted by the advice to limit households to three.
Moreover, many operators are now facing real questions about the viability of their businesses, with 61 percent saying that they are concerned about the future.
The ASSC has reiterated its calls for the Scottish Government to adequately address the concerns of self-caterers, which are shared by many other small businesses in Scottish tourism and others, and to prioritise a sustainable recovery.
Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said:
“Excluding self-catering businesses from this latest round of financial support is both deeply hurtful to many small businesses who fear for their future and demonstrates the paucity of the government’s commitment to ‘supporting the tourism sector’ in Scotland.
“Self-caterers have been repeatedly ignored and fobbed off by this government and this latest snub hits all the harder given the other restrictive proposals, like licensing, control areas, and a tourism levy, that are currently in the works.
“The ASSC is once again calling on the Scottish Government to take action, quickly and decisively, or run the risk of thousands of small businesses, vital to the health of Scotland’s tourism industry, vanishing altogether.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said:
“We are all too aware of the impact that COVID-19 has had – and continues to have – on business and the Scottish economy, including self-catering accommodation providers. We have announced £9 million for affected businesses in the tourism sector, specifically targeted at those who has been impacted the most by the necessary public health advice to stem the spread of Omicron.
“Business support is intended to mitigate the worst impacts of the pandemic restrictions and cannot make up for all losses. We have finite resource to provide support and B&Bs, guesthouses and self-catering accommodation providers are not in scope at this stage as they are not as severely affected by restrictions as other tourism businesses.
“We recognise that this is an extremely challenging time for businesses of all kinds across Scotland. We will continue to press the UK Government for more comprehensive support.”