More support will be needed if our pubs, hotels, night clubs and social clubs are to survive into summer next year and the Scottish Government must take this on board.
There needs to be a more strategic and joined up approach to how the money coming from the UK Treasury is allocated through the Scottish Government to the hospitality sector and without this many popular venues in our towns centres will not be there next year if that action is not taken.
I have met with many of these businesses and whilst they welcome the UK furlough which pays 80% of the wages of staff, they point out that running costs like maintenance, utilities and rates still have to be paid. If these businesses collapse then the jobs will not be there when the furlough ends.
Many businesses will have a financial model in place that depends on income to just break even and I am worried that thousands of jobs could just disappear as we move into the first half of next year. I am also concerned that the grants schemes set up by the Scottish government are disjointed with some businesses getting and some not.
I have been meeting with staff and owners within the hospitality sector and the Scottish Government must listen to what these people are saying and work with them to protect thousands of jobs.
