Rural businesses miss out on Covid-19 support due to 'shambolic' Government response

Rural stakeholders such as the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Countryside Alliance have had some reassurance support is coming, albeit with very little detail.

Both organisations have raised concern about the lack of support and the impact it is having on businesses trying to stay afloat at a time when bookings are down and staff are losing their jobs.

Ms Hamilton said: “Sporting and self-catering businesses are furious they were not included in the criteria for business support at the beginning, and they are still unclear as to what they are now eligible for several weeks into this crisis.

“If businesses were ‘inadvertently excluded’, why did Fergus Ewing not communicate that to the Finance Secretary Kate Forbes?”

Support

A Scottish Government spokesperson said it was working hard to provide financial support to as many businesses as possible, including those in the tourism and country sports sector that do not operate from business premises.

Diversified farm businesses relying on tourism have been hit hard by the Covid-19 lockdown but some support is now appearing.

Grant Scheme

Freda Scott-Park who runs the Portnellan Farm business on Loch Lomond with her husband David and son Chris was pleased to see £10,000 from the Small Business Grant Scheme in their bank account on Tuesday some three weeks after applying for it.

"We have income from Basic Payment Scheme, our organic beef enterprise, self-catering and glamping accommodation, and moorings on Loch Lomond.

“We are very glad to see the payment in the bank because there is no income from the tourist side of the business and our biomass boiler packed up the other week.

"Fortunately our organic beef sales have been really strong. Living in such beautiful countryside we are luckier than many but it will be great to welcome visitors back to the farm again.”