Highland hoteliers add their voices to call for a May reopening as route out of lockdown plans spark 'dismay, confusion and anger'
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Well known figures from the Highland hospitality sector have joined others from across Scotland to call for a UK-wide reopening of the tourism sector in May.
Over 80 hospitality businesses across Scotland have joined forces to form the Hospitality & Tourism Action Group in response to the announcement of the Scottish Government's roadmap out of lockdown earlier this week.
The group has set out its own timeframe for getting the industry back on its feet again after almost a year of government-imposed lockdowns and other trade restrictions. The preferred date is in line with the timetable set out by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the reopening of England's hotel and restaurant sector on May 17, with an earlier open for self-catering accommodation in mid-April.
North supporters of the new group include Dan and Rohaise Rose-Bristow of the five-star Torridon Hotel, Nick Dent, the proprietor of the Original Group which includes Shieldaig Lodge and the Broadford Hotel, Judith Fish of the Applecross Inn, Cathy Field of Tigh an Eilean Hotel and the Sheildaig Bar, Ros Thompson who owns Burn Farm Holiday Cottages on the Black Isle, and Gairloch B&B owners Emma Mackay and Jo Thomson.
The Hospitality & Tourism Action Group claims the First Minister's roadmap demonstrates disdain and contempt, not only for the industry and its employees, but its customers and suppliers, and says it has caused dismay, confusion and anger in the industry.
The group is led by Tanja Lister from Kylesku Hotel in Sutherland, who said: “We’re calling for a more strategic alignment of tourism opening across the UK. The current plans, confusion and loss of confidence risk devastation for our industry and the lives and livelihoods linked to it.
“Also, the financial support on offer in 2021 is very much lacking in comparison to last year. We’re calling for full proper furlough reinstated until their businesses are allowed to open. Anything less risks many of our businesses not reaching the starting line. We need more meaningful grant support that is index linked to the rateable value of businesses. Leaving our businesses with such a significant shortfall now risks some falling at the last hurdle and would result in previous financial support having been in vain.”
The Hospitality & Tourism Action Group is asking for immediate alignment to the dates set out in England, giving businesses the opportunity to plan ahead for reopening.
It is also asking for clarity on both travel and tiers, enabling the industry to maximise the opportunities from within both Scotland and the rest of the UK while international travel restrictions remain in force.
While its members understand the need for caution and importance of a safe unlocking, the group is also urging the Scottish Government to fully recognise the significant damage to Scotland’s hospitality industry as a result of the ongoing lockdown, including the threat to around 285,000 hospitality and tourism jobs.
Many of these jobs are filled by younger people aged 18 to 25 whose lives and careers are on hold until the industry is allowed to rebuild.
The Hospitality & Tourism Action Group is calling for the Scottish Government to act urgently on five key requests:
1. Confirm indicative date for re-opening of sector as happened last summer, on the understanding that date might move if the scientific data changes.
2. Align with rest of UK for strategic four nations approach. Full unlock and reopening of the tourism and hospitality industry on May 17, earlier for self-catering.
3. Clarity on travel and tiers as set out above.
4. Conduct an immediate review of financial support for Scotland’s hospitality sector, which is significantly lagging behind the support given in 2020, and introduce significantly more meaningful grants and replace the employer contribution element of furlough with the full furlough granted in early 2020.
5. Longer term financial help to recognise impact of another shortened season. This would include furlough until 2022, the continuation of the five per cent VAT cut until at least the end of 2021 and postponed repayment of emergency support loans.
Fiona Campbell, chief executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC), said: “The First Minister had the opportunity to provide detail, clarity, and certainty to the thousands of self-catering businesses across Scotland today and the Scottish Government failed completely to do so.
“What makes this muddle even more disappointing to us, and to Scotland’s tourism sector as a whole, is that it effectively means we are lagging behind our colleagues south of the border who already have an indicative date to reopen and as a result have already seen bookings come pouring in for late spring. We are now not only having to cancel and refund existing bookings, but we are also having to turn down bookings from south of the border.
“Worse still, unlike those in other sectors, the self-catering sector has yet to see any of the sectoral support packages announced on December 21st reach the bank accounts of self-catering operators, there is no certainty that ongoing financial support will be forthcoming once we exit Level 4 and with no bookings in the foreseeable future many are in a perilous state.
“As an industry, we stand ready to lead the way for tourism to reopen in Scotland when it is safe to do so, by offering families a safe and managed environment to finally find respite after months of harsh lockdown.”
Dornoch Castle managing director Colin Thompson added: “Last year at the first lockdown, there were several people concerned over a possible three winters effect – the winter of 2019/20, followed by a very poor summer (our second winter), and then winter 2020/21. Many thought that couldn't happen. Of course it did.
“Now with the very late opening suggested for spring and summer 2021, a short season becomes winter four, followed by winter 2021/22, so we have the five winters building up costs in our business. A key concern now will be a lack of funds to survive next winter as it will be difficult to catch up with lost earnings over a short trading period this year.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “There is no doubt that tourism and hospitality are among the sectors worst hit by the pandemic. As the First Minister has set out, given the new, more infectious variant, it is important to be driven by the data more so than arbitrary dates when it comes to reopening the economy and we make no apology for that.
“No one wants these restrictions in place for a moment longer than necessary and we are committed to engaging with the tourism and hospitality sector on the gradual easing of measures, but it is necessary to be cautious and careful in our approach at this time and to prioritise education in the first instance. We will publish updated levels tables for the Strategic Framework in mid-March to provide further clarity on what businesses need to plan for as we exit lockdown.”
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