YOUR VIEWS: Highland Council 'secrets', hospitality struggles and a plea for positivity
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Planning moves kept secret
The Courier reported on how Highland Council planners are investigating hundreds of potential breaches of planning regulations, but declining to publish such details on their online planning portal. It says there is no requirement to do so – and it may harm their ability to take future action. Critics say the system must be more open.
“It was quite heartening to note the Courier turning the spotlight on the laxity of enforcement of planning and development in the local area. When I lived in my council house in the Royal Burgh I had a neighbour who covered his entire back garden in concrete. He then erected a shed the size of a small aircraft hangar. In no time at all this enterprising chap was running his very own car repair business. Over the next few months he filled up what remained of his back garden with various sheds, lean-tos etc. The finishing touch was a covered walkway, made out of scrap wood, plywood and tarpaulin – so that he could step out of his back door directly into his very own mini industrial estate. I complained to the council – to no avail. I asked my local councillor to intervene. After some several weeks he paid a visit. He took a look at the ramshackle mess and said ‘ yes, I see what you mean. I’ll have a word with the council.’ Needless to say there was no follow up action. And I gave up at that point. The trouble is that nowadays there are some people who simply and brazenly flout all rules and regulations in the sure knowledge that nobody will do anything to curb their behaviour. Many public sector employees – whose duty it is to ensure that all rules and guidelines etc are adhered to – simply turn a blind eye. Their attitude is, as it has always been ‘anything for a quiet life’.” – Jim, Denia
Hospitality sector on its knees
Visitor numbers in the Highlands have been high since Covid, Scots have been travelling overseas but replaced by good numbers of high spending foreigners. However summer’s busy roads and crowded cafés disguise a major problem, within the hospitality industry – cost increases far exceed the ability to increase our income. Scotland is already an expensive place to visit. I’ve heard said that every hotel in the Highlands is up for sale, and am aware that many restaurants are closing. High streets are peppered with unsightly empty shop fronts.
The major cost of a café or bar is staff. Wage bills are 30 per cent higher now than five years ago. The anti-social hours means that hiring staff is a nightmare, especially chefs. It’s appealing to take a cosy 9-5 desk job, perhaps even working from home.
Monthly interest rates have doubled, and banks are tightening their lending requirements. Food and energy bills have also gone through the roof, and business rates are about to rise significantly. Another, often overlooked, issue is the mounting regulatory checks on every aspect of the operation: gas, refrigeration, lifts, emergency lighting, extractor fans, alarms etc. For many services we need to bring expert firms up from the central belt at £1000 a day.
During this period of austerity there is not a lot of spare cash around in locals’ pockets, the hospitality industry is only viable because of tourism. A major issue we have here is the length of the season, basically a third of the year is good, a third alright and a third a disaster. You wouldn’t want to shut in the winter as you would lose your staff and you have fixed costs to pay in any case.
You would think that the Scottish and Westminster governments would want to do what they can to help what is the biggest sector by employee numbers in the Highlands. Here they are doing the opposite. The Scottish Government have announced that business rates will increase to a 25 year high, tax on alcohol has just had a substantial hike, and while one cannot complain about a significant increase in the living wage, in practice the entire work force needs to have salaries increased as a result.
In England the 75 per cent business rates relief for hospitality businesses has been extended for a further two years. Despite a lot of pressure the Scottish Government has declined to follow suit. On March 6 there will be a budget in the House of Commons, the hospitality and night-time industries are calling for a cut of VAT from 20 per cent to 12.5 per cent. Employers and staff in the hospitality industry are being asked to petition their MP to apply pressure. Look up www.ntia.co.uk
I was brought up in the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe, in those days a very good living could be made as a publican. This is rarely the case now. I am involved in two significant restaurants in the Highlands and know many hospitality business owners. I can assure you, many are near breaking point.
Richard Lochhead is the Minister for Tourism. Is he fighting to defend this crucial area of the economy with its hundreds of thousands of jobs in Scotland? It doesn’t feel like it.
Angus MacDonald
Highland councillor and Liberal Democrat Westminster candidate
Can we have a fair budget?
As I read and watch the news I rarely see anything positive.
Rather than hearing of NHS dental treatment for all, I hear of NHS building of new facilities being put on hold. Rather than hearing about pothole repairs being fully funded, I hear councils are struggling to avoid cuts to services. Like many others, I worry when it is time to submit my electricity reading. How much will I be charged this month? The list of negatives is long.
Our councils and our Scottish Parliament can raise some funds but are dependent on the funding which comes from the Westminster government.
That government needs to deliver a budget that works for people in our area and breathes life back into all countries in the UK.
There are rumoured tax cuts – which tend to benefit the very wealthiest.
The Chancellor should make the tax system fairer to invest in all of our communities in areas such as our roads, our energy provision and our healthcare system.
He could raise tens of billions of pounds by closing unfair tax loopholes, and ensuring that super-rich people and companies pay what’s fair. This way, tax can be used for good, so that everyone benefits. Can we expect the Chancellor to do the right thing for once?
John Tracey
Tomatin
Letters should be submitted to newsdesk@hnmedia.co.uk. Please include your address and a daytime contact number. You can also tweet us: @InvCourier or leave a comment on Facebook @invernesscourier
