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Category: Press Release

Press Release: ‘Last Chance to Save Scottish Self-Catering’ Ahead of Parliament Vote

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has warned that an upcoming vote at Holyrood is the’ “last chance” to save the Scottish self-catering sector from a damaging new licensing scheme.

It is expected that on Wednesday, MSPs will decide whether to impose a restrictive licensing scheme on thousands of small businesses across Scotland amid what the association has previously described as a “perfect storm” of hardship experienced by the sector.

If the licensing order is passed, traditional self-caterers will have to stump up for expensive fees at a time during which many are already struggling with impact of COVID-19, as well as the prospect of control areas and a tourism levy making the picture even more dire.

Despite the ASSC’s repeated calls, ministers have so far failed to take their expert advice and copious evidence into account and now seem intent on destroying Scotland’s vital self-catering sector through over-regulation.

Former Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Fergus Ewing MSP, has also weighed-in to the debate, branding his own government’s regulations as “arbitrary, irrational, and draconian” in a stinging attack on the misguided plans.

ASSC members have repeatedly called on the Scottish Government, and MSPs from all parties, to rally behind Scottish tourism and create an environment in which they can continue to help visitors, and Scots seeking a break, to have memory-making holidays rather than continuing this dangerous and damaging course of action.

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said:

“This vote is nothing short of the last chance to save self-catering in Scotland which boosts the economy by £867m per year.

“We are at the end of the line and MSPs have a very clear choice to make; either they can support Scottish small businesses, or they can choose to cave into hearsay, unevidenced claims, and anti-tourism agitators.

“When MSPs push their voting buttons in parliament, they should know that they do so with the future of a vitally important Scottish industry at stake and we urge them to make the correct decision by throwing this out to protect jobs and livelihoods.

ENDS

Press Release: Self-Caterers Condemn Scottish Government’s Short-Term Let ‘Stealth Tax’

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

Press Release:

The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has slammed the Scottish Government’s controversial short-term let licensing scheme, branding it a “stealth tax”.

The trade body which represents the self-catering sector also pointed out that the new scheme, which is proceeding despite failing to attract the support of industry experts, will have a disproportionate impact on rural communities who rely on tourism at a time in which they need more support than ever.

Scottish Government representatives have previously justified the divisive policy by claiming that it would alleviate the housing crisis faced by many communities in Scotland. There is no evidence whatsoever that it will.

However, according to Scotland’s self-catering sector, licencing will merely result in a surge in second homes and would do nothing to correct the failures in government housing policy. Further, licencing is wildly out of step with the EU principals that the Scottish Government is so keen to abide by.

In what the association has previously described as a “perfect storm”, the multi-million-pound Scottish self-catering sector now faces continued uncertainty caused by COVID-19 exacerbated by damaging proposals like licencing and control zones.

Rather than hobbling the sector, which has behaved in an exemplary way both during and before the pandemic, to a satisfy the demands of a few obsessed partisans, the ASSC continues to call on the Scottish Government to take steps that support small businesses and tourism across Scotland.

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said: 

“While this policy is littered with mistakes – the biggest one is in the name; this isn’t really a licencing scheme, it’s a stealth tax on Scottish businesses, especially those in rural areas.

“Many people running legitimate businesses in Scotland’s countryside feel that this Scottish Government does not consider them to be a priority and this ill-considered and damaging stealth tax will do little to change that view nor will it garner support for any further regulatory burden such as a Transient Visitor Levy.

“Rather than continuing to curate this perfect storm of unfortunate circumstance and wrong-headed regulation, the Scottish Government should drop this scheme and work with the small businesses that will be crucial in our recovery and future prosperity.”

ENDS

Editor’s Notes

  • The Scottish Government have previously claimed their proposals for a fee structure were driven by cost recovery. However, the Scottish Government now appears to encourage local authorities to charge fees according to the turnover of the business, despite these businesses already registered to pay business rates, and complying with pre-existing HMRC Furnished Holiday Let, income tax and corporation tax regulatory regimes.
  • This was illustrated in a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing Shona Robison MSP on 23rdDecember 2021 to an ASSC member: “The average fee could be calculated in some way from the total fee revenue per year in relation to the total guest capacity in licensed accommodation.”

This comes on the back of the former Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Fergus Ewing, branding the Scottish Government’s licensing proposals are “arbitrary, irrational & draconian”.:

Herald, SNP MSP Fergus Ewing labels his own government’s Airbnb crackdown plans ‘draconian’, 21/12/21

Express, Nat MSP breaks ranks to describe his own government’s policy as ‘draconian’, 21/12/21

Press Release: Edinburgh Self-Caterers Threatened by “Perfect Storm” of Regulations

Posted on by Fiona Campbell

Self-catering business in Edinburgh are being sent into a “perfect storm” of damaging regulations, the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers has said.

The warning from the trade body representing the sector comes as City of Edinburgh Council prepares to consider evidence submissions for a short-term let control zone for businesses in the city.

The ASSC has made its submission to the Council and has expressed its hope that councillors will take it into serious consideration.

Despite not being anti-regulation, the association has warned that the combination of City of Edinburgh Council’s suggested city-wide control area and the Scottish Government’s impending licencing scheme threatens to “throttle the life” out of small businesses across the area.

Rather than impose further damaging restrictions, the trade body has argued that policymakers should focus on creating a business-friendly environment to encourage post-COVID economic recovery in the city.

Self-catering and short-term lets generate £70million each year for the Edinburgh economy and play a vital role in the capital’s world-renowned tourism offering.

The association also criticised policymakers for so far failing to take evidence-based decisions and for ignoring the detailed testimony of experts in the sector.

Throughout the public debate on regulating self-catering, the ASSC has consistently argued for sensible, proportionate, and effective regulations and has presented detailed proposals for a mandatory registration scheme that works for all.

Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers Chief Executive, Fiona Campbell, said:

“Hardworking and conscientious self-catering businesses are facing nothing short of a perfect storm of regulations, which threatens to derail our businesses and cost us our livelihoods.

“If put in place, a city-wide control zone and a licencing scheme would throttle the life out of our sector and cause irreparable damage to Scotland’s tourism offering.

“However, there is still time for policymakers to do the right thing by listening to our sector and create an environment that will help us survive, recover, and thrive in the post-COVID environment.”

Scottish Business News, Edinburgh self-caterers threatened by perfect storm of regulations, 05/11/21