SPARE

a thought for Scotland’s tourism and leisure industry. Hotels and guest houses are on their knees, with thousands of jobs lost and businesses screaming that they may not survive.

The last thing they needed was counterparts elsewhere in the UK being able to welcome Scots desperate for a holiday while they have to stay shuttered.

But that is what happened last week when the Scottish Government announced that holiday restrictions would stay in place here until nearly two weeks after English hotels could open.

With many people having booked time off for the start of the school holidays, beauty spots south of the Border will cash in. What a missed opportunity for our economy.