Hotel boss tells FM: Let us trade in March
Crieff Hydro chief says business is losing £25k a day
The CEO of the Crieff Hydro Group of hotels has pleaded with the first minister to let the sector reopen next month.
Stephen Leckie, who is also chair of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, told the PA his business is losing over £1000 every hour during lockdown.
And it is having to borrow money from the bank simply to stay closed.
Mr Leckie said he understood the position the Scottish Government was in and said there had been useful talks with Nicola Sturgeon, as well as the likes of finance minister Kate Forbes.
But he said the industry was ready to trade its way out of the COVID nightmare.
He said: “This isn’t about anyone moaning, and it’s not anyone’s fault.
“We all have a role to play as residents of the country and we do as an industry.
“But the biggest thing the government could do for us now is to let us trade - let us trade in March.
“Do not keep us locked up and closed an hour longer.
“We are losing £25,000 a day. We’re now borrowing money just to stay closed, which goes against any business acumen - that’s the pill we’ve had to swallow.”
Mr Leckie said it was impossible for him to arrange a payment plan with the bank for his loans, as he is unable to make any projections for the year ahead.
And he said he hopes the vaccination programme will see hotels open back up in early spring.
But he added: “No one wants to get COVID or pass it on.
“I understand why the government do this. The first minister has got to protect the health of the nation, but at the same time, we can’t stop trading forever. We have to be allowed to trade at some point.”
Hospitality in Perth and Kinross has been badly impacted by the pandemic.
As well as Crieff Hyrdo, the likes of Gleneagles also shut its doors even before the current lockdown came in on Boxing Day.
Mr Leckie, who said his hotels could reopen at just a few days’ notice, told the PA he was confident the industry would survive, but said that may depend on visitors from outside the UK.
International travel has proved controversial, with many blaming it for a resurgence in the virus back in the autumn.
He said: “The domestic market is only 65 per cent of our trade - we need that international trade to return.
“If that returns, we can get going again very quickly. We are a fast recovering sector.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government told the PA: “No one wants these restrictions in place a moment longer than absolutely necessary.
“Every decision we take has the sole objective of trying to keep the country as safe as possible, with as little harm to health – and to the overall economy – as possible.
“We are totally committed to working with business, especially in the most effected sectors of tourism and hospitality, as we have been doing throughout the pandemic.
“The tourism secretary continues to engage with the sector and individual businesses on a daily basis.
“Restrictions are being regularly reviewed, however at the moment it is not possible to indicate a date for which hospitality businesses may reopen.
“We know how difficult conditions are for businesses and have put in place a package of support to help them through these challenging times.
“The Strategic Framework Business Fund is already open to businesses required to close or modify their operations by law.”