12 Apr 2020
Small and medium-sized business across Scotland have hit out at the Scottish Government’s “unfair” approach on emergency support grants.
Firms here operating in hospitality, leisure and retail are being offered a one-off £25,000 grant, even if they have numerous outlets.
But in England and Wales, businesses are given the cash for each property they own.
Now it has been warned that this divergent approach from the SNP could cost jobs and damage high streets as the country battles coronavirus.
The Scottish Conservatives have collected feedback from businesses in Angus, Dumfries and Galloway, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife and Perth and Kinross.
They range from takeaways and coffee shops to clothing stores and pubs.
Stuart Atkinson, who has three fast food business in Angus, said: “Given that my business will only receive a third of the support that is being offered elsewhere in the UK it is highly unlikely to survive. We were promised parity with the rest of the UK, but the Scottish Government’s application of this support falls far, far short of that promise.”
Karen Forret, managing director of nationwide clothing company Wilkies, added: “The idea behind a grant per property is to protect each of our high streets. One per business will simply not achieve this.”
And a bar owner, who runs several establishments in Edinburgh, described the SNP’s approach as “out of touch with business” and that it would be “impossible” for small businesses with more than one premises to stay afloat.
Coffee shop owner Jon Sharp has already expressed his disgust publicly, pointing out if his six outlets were in England, his business would be receiving several times the support being provided by the SNP in Scotland.
Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw said:
“If the SNP doesn’t want to listen to political opponents on this matter, it should at least pay attention to the businesses who are facing collapse.
“All over Scotland, firms of all shapes and sizes are sounding very urgent warnings to this SNP government.
“If it does not change this unfair approach, small firms will go to the wall and that will have a massive impact on jobs.
“We’ve been clear that we would support Nicola Sturgeon in her efforts to help businesses survive this crisis.
“But where her government takes a divergent approach, she has to be able to show why this will be of benefit.
“Instead, this disparity is only making things worse for the Scottish economy at the worst possible time.”
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