‘Enough is enough’: Scottish Hospitality Group launches nationwide billboard campaign

An association for hospitality professionals has launched a billboard campaign across Scotland calling on the Scottish government to “stop killing jobs”.

The campaign, launched yesterday, comes as licensed hospitality businesses across the country from today begin paying what the group described as “financially crippling” non-domestic rates bills, with some reportedly rising by more than 500%.

The Scottish Hospitality Group, which represents many of Scotland’s largest family-owned licensed hospitality businesses, including Signature Group and the DRG Group, said the increases were “not sustainable”, “not manageable” and were already costing jobs.

Stephen Montgomery, director of the Scottish Hospitality Group, said: “These increases are costing jobs, it is as simple as that. What we are seeing is an out-of-date system that is completely disconnected from the reality of running a licensed hospitality business.

“Discounts are of course welcomed for those with a rateable value of under £100,000, but transitional relief is simply a slow injection towards the inevitable failure of businesses already under pressure.”

He added: “Enough is enough, and we are calling on the Scottish government, ahead of the elections, to intervene now and halt these revaluations immediately, before the blame for lost jobs, failed businesses and empty high streets lands firmly at their door.”

Earlier this year, the Scottish government confirmed plans to increase its rates relief to 40% for licensed hospitality premises. The relief will apply to Scottish operators for the next three years and will be capped at £110,000 per business.

While the measures were met with a cautious welcome, Leon Thompson, executive director of UKHospitality Scotland, said the scale of rateable value increases means rates bills will still rise for the vast majority of operators.

He added that this is particularly acute for businesses in the higher property rate bracket, which have not been included in the relief.

Photo: Scottish Hospitality Group Facebook page