Two of Scotland’s leading country sports organisations are calling on the Scottish Government to adopt a more consistent approach to coronavirus restrictions for accommodation businesses.
The Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group has moved to clarify the regulations governing social distancing measures and the operation of country sports.
A number of country sports and land management organisations in Scotland have now published their guidance for employers, employees and practitioners to allow these activities to move forward following lockdown.
The First Minister has today announced, at her latest briefing with regard to the easing of lockdown restrictions, that self-contained holiday accommodation such as holiday cottages, with no shared services, will be permitted to open on 3rd July, at which point the 5 mile travel restriction will also be eased. The tourism sector as a whole is due to open up on 15th July.
A senior Scottish Government minister has today assured sporting businesses that Covid-19 financial support will be made available in the near future following a concerted lobbying campaign by fieldsports organisations.
Following the Scottish Government’s announcement last week of financial support for businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic, Chair of the SCSTG Sarah Troughton has written to Cabinet Secretary for Finance Kate Forbes querying the exclusion of country sports businesses such as ‘deer forests’, ‘game larders’ and ‘shootings’ from the list of businesses qualifying for both the Small Business Support Grant and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Support Grant.