Country sports tourism appealing for help from Holyrood to avert crisis

Country sports tourism businesses say the Scottish Government should do the “right thing” in providing further financial support.

It comes as businesses say the industry has been denied coronavirus funding for a second time.

In an open letter to MSPs Fergus Ewing and Kate Forbes, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) said many country sports businesses are now at “crisis point”.

One Angus sporting agent, who wished to remain anonymous, said his business has been hit hard due to a lack of funding and income.

“We have had no help from the Scottish Government,” he said.

“We have done everything we should have and it is about the government doing the right thing and supporting sporting businesses.

“We are gutted. It’s just not right and we have followed the law.”

An Aberdeenshire commercial shooting business voiced similar concerns.

A spokesman said: “The Scottish Government’s repeated exclusion of country sports tourism businesses from financial support is appalling.

“We have been unable to obtain any help throughout this pandemic.

“The government seems to be completely oblivious to the crucial contribution businesses like ours make to Scotland’s rural economy.”

The BASC claims country sports businesses are being knocked back from the strategic framework business fund, despite being able to demonstrate closed or significantly modified operations.

It says the list of eligible sports and leisure businesses is “too narrow and prescriptive”, which is often leading to support being denied where it is needed.

BASC Scotland public affairs manager Ross Ewing condemned the lack of funding for the industry.

He said: “The exclusion of country sports businesses from muchneeded funding for a second time is bitterly disappointing.

“While we appreciate that the Scottish Government is under unrelenting pressure at present, it does not forgive the recurring exclusion of a vital rural sector from crucial support.

“Country sports are integral to rural Scotland, and the sector plays a crucial role in supporting other rural businesses throughout the tourism off-season.

“Failure to help the country sports tourism sector survive this pandemic will have lasting implications in other sectors.

“The government must urgently intervene to rectify this dire situation.”

The BASC believes there has also been an “apparent exclusion” in the marine and outdoor tourism restart fund, which is designed to help seasonal businesses with restart costs.

The organisation says the decision to exclude country sports businesses from the fund has left it “perplexed”, especially with country sports taking place outdoors.

However, in response to industry concerns, the government says more than £3 billion of funding has already been distributed to support business across Scotland since the start of the pandemic last year.

A spokesman added: “The Strategic Framework Business Fund provides monthly grants for businesses required by law to close or to significantly modify their operations.

“In addition, our £60 million local authority discretionary fund is empowering local authorities to direct funding to specific groups or sectors within their areas.

“The use of this funding is entirely at the discretion of local authorities, based on the specific needs of their local economies.”

Top: A member of a shooting party on moors in Glen Clova, near Kirriemuir, Angus. Above: Ross Ewing, public affairs manager for BASC Scotland.