Deposit Return Scheme should be paused until economy recovers
GOVERNMENTS, whether in Westminster or Holyrood, haven’t got the money to help hospitality businesses through the current economic crisis – but they could stop making life harder for them.
Speaking at a UKHospitality event in Glasgow, chief executive Kate Nicholls suggested that even though there’d be no cash hand-outs to keep businesses afloat, politicians must help ‘clear the barnacles off the boat’ by putting legislation on hold.
“Businesses are stuck in survival mode. We roll from one crisis to another and don’t have time to plan,” said Ms Nicholls.
“We don’t know what alcohol duty is going to be, we don’t know what fuel duty is going to be, we don’t know how confidence will be, or what the energy support is going to be, so how on earth do you plan?
“The whole economy is struggling – so why are they pressing ahead with the Deposit Return Scheme? Why are they pressing ahead with new regulations that are going to add costs?”
The economy wouldn’t be getting out of its current mess for 18 months to two years, she noted: “So put a pause on everything – don’t make matters worse – don’t distract and detract from the time and attention needed to save businesses and jobs by throwing un-needed obstacles in our path.”
UKHospitality highlighted the important role the sector plays in Scotland, employing 200,000 people and adding £9 billion to the economy.
Ms Nicholls noted that the Westminster Autumn Statement had been better than feared: “We were going to see a billion of increases going through on business rates in England, but they cancelled all of that.”
She said that Scottish operators now looked to ScotGov to follow suit in its devolved December Budget.
UKHospitality Scotland Executive Director Leon Thompson added: “Our hospitality businesses are already at the centre of Scottish society and our tourism offering to the rest of the world, but I’m hearing constantly that businesses are worried about their survival.
“In both Westminster and Edinburgh, UKHospitality continues to press for effective and streamlined regulation that provides the support businesses need to survive the winter and also encourages growth.”
