MORE than 1500 Scottish pubs have still not received grant money from their local authorities, according to the Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA).
Research from the trade group has claimed that Glasgow has the lowest payout rate in Scotland, with an estimated 384 pubs eligible for grants of either £10,000 or £25,000 and only 96 having received their money.
Pubs in South Lanarkshire are also losing out, with an estimated 156 pubs eligible for grants and only 76 receiving them.
And in Fife just under half of eligible pubs had received grants, with only 154 of 297 pubs being paid.
The most efficient areas for processing and paying out claims from pubs were Scottish Borders, with 110 of 115 eligible pubs receiving grants; and Aberdeenshire, with 158 of 189 eligible pubs having been paid.
“Our research shows that too many local authorities are not paying grants to pubs and other hospitality businesses anywhere near quickly enough, with over 1500 pubs across Scotland estimated to still be waiting,” said SBPA chief executive, Emma McClarkin.
“For smaller pub businesses in particular this grant funding is urgently needed.
“This needs to be rectified immediately. Otherwise, pubs will close for good and the thousands of people they employ will lose jobs.
“Credit must go to those local authorities who are doing the right thing and getting their grants to pubs and other businesses quickly. We need the local authorities to learn from best practice and get the urgently needed support to pub businesses as a matter of urgency.”
