Federation of Small Businesses wants lockdown plan review with 'constant review' of plans to ease lockdown in the Highlands
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Extra support and a constant review of plans to ease Covid-19 lockdown have been called for on behalf of small businesses as they gear up to reopen.
David Richardson, Highlands and Islands development manager with the Federation of Small Businesses, said the lack of a firm timetable was likely to be immensely frustrating for some owners and more had to be done to help them in the days and weeks to come.
“FSB Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government for three things,” he said.
“First, we want more detail about the types of economic activity that can be resumed under the different levels so that businesses can begin to plan.
“Second, as the vaccine is rolled out, we want the Scottish Government to continually review whether its recovery road map timetable can be accelerated, travel restrictions lifted and restrictions on local economies eased.
“And third, we want grants to be made available to prevent businesses that have made it thus far through the pandemic from going under. We don’t want to see precious businesses falling at the final hurdle.”
Colin Craig, who owns Oil and Vinegar in the city centre and is the vice chairman of Inverness Business Improvement District, said it was vital to get businesses open again as soon as possible.
He said everybody understood the need for a cautious approach to easing lockdown as people wanted this to be the last time such a move proved necessary, but added: “It’s in everybody’s interest to get as much open as we can.”
Despite complaints from other quarters, Maggie Blyth, owner of a self-named boutique in Union Street, broadly welcomed the timetable for reopening as set out by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
“At least we’ve got a notion as to when we can open our shops,” she said.
“That’s a bit of good news, so somewhere towards the end of April, maybe sooner she said, if the data proves otherwise.
“I think that’s better in a way than giving fixed dates where people get their hopes up too high and then they are totally dashed.”
