Angus Firms Net £5 million From Fishing And Shooting
A new survey has shown that local firms received almost £5 million of spin-off business last year from sporting estates in the Angus Glens.
The results of the poll, which gathered information from six respondent estates offering grouse shooting, stalking and fishing to visitors, were announced on Sunday.
In total £4.7 million worth of trade was generated in 2014, with a total of 941 businesses enjoying relationships with the moorland estates in the glens.
The receipts dwarf the sum Perth and Kinross receives annually from the T in the Park Festival (£2.7m).
But the final sum will underestimate the total contribution of country sports in the area, with the number of estates amounting to over 20.
The survey was conducted by the Angus Glens Moorland Group which hosted its first ever Community Open Day on Sunday at The Glenesk Retreat in Tarfside, attended by councillors, businesses, teachers and local families.
Angus Glens Moorland Group was established earlier in 2015 to showcase the links between estates and the community.
The survey follows an announcement in August by the group that £989 972 in employee wages enter glen households from grouse shooting and country sports.
Lianne MacLennan, Co Ordinator of the Angus Glens Moorland Group said: “After pulling together our earlier poll on employment and wages of the gamekeepers and estate staff, we wanted to learn more about how much of the money that estates spend, stays in the area.
“We were given access to confidential supplier records from last year from six estates that responded to the request and the figures show how many firms benefit through trade.
“The vast majority of these, by far, are in Angus and, given there are few major industries scattered about the glens, this is important when it comes to keeping traders going and helping people stay here to work. To put it in context, it is more than Perth and Kinross businesses benefit from the T in the Park music event.”
Unsurprisingly, the highest spend across all of the surveyed estates was in the form of vehicles, motor repairs and fuel, with vets and kenneling, tackle and game supplies featuring strongly.
Building companies, plant hire, joiners, plumbers and decorators were consistently used, reflecting recent investment in staff and visitor housing.
However, local booksellers, florists, grocery shops, printers, cleaners and electrical goods companies all benefitted from estate work.
One supplier to the estates, Colin Young of family firm, Rosehill Timber, said: “The estates have a lot of buying power and I think it would impact on employment in the area if they were not here. It would certainly have an impact on our business. They bring a lot of money into the community. The shops are well used and it keeps them going.”
Independent Angus Councillor for Brechin and Edzell, Bob Myles, who spoke at Sunday’s Open Day, welcomed the news: “The shooting interests in the Angus Glens bring a huge amount of money into the area that would not be generated in any other way, shape or form and to turn your back on that sort of income, coming from a rural area like the glen, would be very foolhardy.”