SCOTGOV has been warned that it has ‘just five weeks’ to save the Scottish hospitality industry from disaster.
Launching its new Save Our Scottish Hospitality campaign, the Scottish Hospitality Group has highlighted the many businesses still struggling to recover from the double economic punch of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of rising inflation and energy prices.
The trade body said that these blows had hit hospitality disproportionately harder than any other sector of the Scottish economy – and called on ScotGov to use its December Budget to provide both emergency support for the sector, and a better long-term deal.
Topping the SHG’s Christmas list is an emergency 75% business rates relief to match the support that hospitality businesses in England and Wales have already received over the last year.
The body also wants to see the creation of a new hospitality category for business rates, which would ‘recognise the unique challenges faced by hospitality and ensure that rates don’t cripple hospitality businesses’.
SHG director, Stephen Montgomery, said: “The hospitality industry – our pubs, bars, clubs, cafes, restaurants and hotels – makes a vital contribution to Scotland’s economy and they are embedded in the heart of our communities.
“But the hospitality industry faces a crisis and we can’t go on like this. Without government support, there will be higher prices for consumers, a loss of jobs, and many of our best-loved hospitality businesses closing their doors forever.
“We need to back our hospitality industry to survive and thrive. A new, fairer deal on business rates would be one step the Government can take in the Budget to give our hospitality industry a fighting chance. A freeze in rates or the status quo won’t be enough. We need both emergency support and long-term reform. This is an SOS – we need help to make sure Scottish hospitality can survive.”
As part of the campaign, both trade and customers are being asked to show their support for Scottish hospitality by contacting their MSPs – and the SHG campaign website sos.scottishhospitalitygroup.com helpfully offers a digital tool that can be used to email MSPs urging them to support hospitality at the Scottish Budget.
