TOURISM and hospitality businesses across Scotland have “hugely welcomed” temporary VAT cuts – but have called on the Scottish Government to provide widespread testing for staff before the industry fully re-opens its doors to visitors next week.
Nicola Sturgeon is today expected to confirm that Scotland will move into phase three of its four-step routemap out of lockdown on July 15 – with pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels expecting to welcome tourists once again after months of being forced to close their doors.
In a welcome boost to the Scottish tourism industry, pubs, hotels, B&Bs, campsites and attractions will have their VAT rate cut from 20 per cent to five per cent until January 12 next year – under measures announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak yesterday.
The Scottish Tourism Alliance has welcomed the VAT reduction – stressing that the move “represents a huge catalyst for the tourism economy” and will “come as a huge relief” for traders across Scotland.
But hotel owners in the Highlands have demanded that before accommodation is filled up by visitors once again, the Scottish Government should provide testing for staff to give workers and tourists the confidence that it is safe to explore Scotland.
In a letter to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, Highlands businesses have demanded access to the Inverness UHI test centre, which they claim has space in its capacity for testing.
The plea, co-ordinated by David Whiteford, chairman of the North Highland Initiative, has been supported by a host of traders including Tanja Lister from The Kylesku Hotel in Sutherland and Murray Lamont from Mackays Hotel in Wick.
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The letter says: “Initial testing upon arrival into such a position, coupled with ongoing routine testing would be the single most important act that could be undertaken to give confidence to hotel staff members, hotel guests and most importantly the communities in which they are positioned.
“It would also mean that the chances of a second 'spike' taking hold via the hospitality sector would be unlikely as it would be extinguished at an early stage.”
It adds: “Whilst we understand it would take some time to organise a routine programme of testing, we would ask that immediate access to the Inverness UHI Test Centre be granted to those staff returning from outwith the Highlands whilst further details of a longer term testing regime are considered.
“It is our understanding that there is significant spare capacity at this test site which would resolve this ‘business critical’ issue immediately in the short-term.
“It would be a great pity if all the good work that has been undertaken by the Scottish Government to support the hospitality sector in these dire times would be undone through this currently ‘missing link’.”
The five-mile travel limit for leisure purposes was lifted across Scotland last week – except for some communities in Dumfries and Galloway, where restrictions were only eased on Monday in a bid to suppress a local Covid-19 outbreak.
Nicola Sturgeon said she and the Health Secretary had not yet had an opportunity to consider the letter but would take any concerns seriously.
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She said: “Our testing strategy in terms of testing people who have symptoms continues to develop. We will take account of any representations that are made.
“As we saw in Dumfries and Galloway last week, we have the ability to move testing capacity where there are concerns and that includes widespread testing of particular workplaces and parts of the community.”
Mr Whiteford has stressed that there is a “vital missing link that needs urgent attention” before businesses can safely re-open next week.
He said: “With only a week until hotels are allowed to reopen on July 15, it’s more important than ever that the Scottish Government acts now whilst there’s still time to put a routine testing programme in place.
“Whilst businesses are busily putting in place the required new protocols to ensure the ongoing safety of our teams, guests and communities, we believe it would be of enormous benefit to supplement this with access to testing.”
He added: “Not only do our teams work in close contact with members of the public, but many of these roles are provided with in live-in accommodation.
"As these teams return from their homes to re-join businesses for re-opening, it would seem sensible and prudent to ensure that we can demonstrate they are currently clear of the virus.
“Early Covid-19 testing of staff would also mean that the chances of a second wave of the virus taking hold via the hospitality sector would be unlikely as it would be extinguished at an early stage. It would be a great pity if all the good work that has been undertaken by Scottish Government so far to support the hospitality sector in these dire times would be undone by not addressing this missing link.”
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Tanja Lister from the Kylesku Hotel in Sutherland, added: “Our industry faces very uncertain times.
"Not only do we feel a great weight of responsibility for the safety of our teams, our guests but also for our communities- where there is already a heightened anxiety about the return of tourism.
“Having the ability to test our teams, especially those in live-in positions, would be an enormous confidence boost and reassurance. Crucially, it would allow us to detect any issues very early on, preventing a local outbreak and also a large second spike which would close our businesses down once more. I'm not sure many would survive this scenario.”
With Scots now knowing which countries they can visit without needing to self-isolate for 14 days when returning, Ms Sturgeon appealed for the public to consider taking a holiday at home.
She said: “If you are planning on going overseas on holiday right now, given everything that’s happening and given what we are seeing elsewhere in the world and what we have been through here, I think that’s something people probably want to think quite carefully about right now.
“There is the opportunity to support the Scottish tourist industry by having a staycation instead."
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