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Month: January 2022

Press Release: ‘Last Chance to Save Scottish Self-Catering’ Ahead of Parliament Vote

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has warned that an upcoming vote at Holyrood is the’ “last chance” to save the Scottish self-catering sector from a damaging new licensing scheme.

It is expected that on Wednesday, MSPs will decide whether to impose a restrictive licensing scheme on thousands of small businesses across Scotland amid what the association has previously described as a “perfect storm” of hardship experienced by the sector.

If the licensing order is passed, traditional self-caterers will have to stump up for expensive fees at a time during which many are already struggling with impact of COVID-19, as well as the prospect of control areas and a tourism levy making the picture even more dire.

Despite the ASSC’s repeated calls, ministers have so far failed to take their expert advice and copious evidence into account and now seem intent on destroying Scotland’s vital self-catering sector through over-regulation.

Former Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Fergus Ewing MSP, has also weighed-in to the debate, branding his own government’s regulations as “arbitrary, irrational, and draconian” in a stinging attack on the misguided plans.

ASSC members have repeatedly called on the Scottish Government, and MSPs from all parties, to rally behind Scottish tourism and create an environment in which they can continue to help visitors, and Scots seeking a break, to have memory-making holidays rather than continuing this dangerous and damaging course of action.

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said:

“This vote is nothing short of the last chance to save self-catering in Scotland which boosts the economy by £867m per year.

“We are at the end of the line and MSPs have a very clear choice to make; either they can support Scottish small businesses, or they can choose to cave into hearsay, unevidenced claims, and anti-tourism agitators.

“When MSPs push their voting buttons in parliament, they should know that they do so with the future of a vitally important Scottish industry at stake and we urge them to make the correct decision by throwing this out to protect jobs and livelihoods.

ENDS

Short-Term Let Licensing Vote

Posted on by Melanie Allen

We have been advised that the STL Licensing Vote will go ahead in Parliament imminently.

We have prepared final briefing documents and sent them out to all MSPs this afternoon as a final attempt to highlight the significance of the decision that they will be making and the impact on small businesses and their supply chains.

We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

ASSC Briefing on STL Regulations – Highland and Islands

ASSC briefing on STL regulations – North East

ASSC Briefing on STL regulations – Central Scotland

ASSC Briefing on STL regulations – Glasgow

ASSC Briefing on STL Regulations – Lothians

ASSC briefing on STL regulations – Mid Scotland and Fife

ASSC briefing on STL regulations – South Scotland

ASSC Briefing on STL regulations – West Scotland

This short video from our colleagues on Arran illustrates why your MSP  should vote against the legislation and support the legitimate small businesses in their constituency, and protect livelihoods: https://youtu.be/jwdyER6ScbQ

PQ: Small Rural Businesses (Support)

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) asked the following question in Parliament last week:  To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support small rural businesses (S6O-00621).

The Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise (Ivan McKee): Our enterprise agencies and Business Gateway provide a range of advice and funding to small rural businesses.

In addition, we are providing £375 million of funding, targeted at the hardest hit sectors, to businesses impacted by the current additional public health measures. We are working to make payments to affected businesses as soon as possible.

Information on the support available to businesses is available on the Find Business Support website, which is updated daily.

Rachael Hamilton: With its introduction of a licensing scheme, the Scottish National Party is about to put a wrecking ball through the rural short-term letting industry. Some organisations have quit the SNP Government’s working group. In a recent parliamentary survey, more than 60 per cent of respondents said that the scheme will drive up costs for small short-term letting businesses.

Rural organisations such as the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, Scottish Agritourism and the NFU Scotland have all voiced concerns about the impact of this reckless scheme. Is it not time for the SNP to stand up for Scotland’s rural businesses?

Ivan McKee:  We do stand up for rural businesses across Scotland. I have outlined the steps that we are taking to support businesses through the current difficult situation and beyond.

Regarding short-term lets, the licensing scheme seeks to ensure that every short-term let in Scotland meets basic safety standards. I am sure that the member will agree that that is important in urban and rural areas and for large and small businesses. Our proposals deliver national consistency on safety standards by giving local authorities flexibility to tailor the scheme to local needs. Residents in some areas are continuing to experience issues caused by short-term lets and it is right that we are taking proportionate action to give local authorities the ability to take measures in that regard.

I have met many of the organisations that the member mentioned and have listened to their concerns. We have addressed some of those concerns in the legislation that my colleague Shona Robison is taking forward. We believe, for all the reasons that I have indicated, that that is the right measure.