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Coronavirus support fund for Scottish coach industry hailed


By Alan Beresford

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STRUGGLING coach firms hit by Covid restrictions can now apply for a share of a multi-million pound support package.

Mayne's Coaches operations director Kevin Mayne is delighted with the new funding for the coach industry. Picture: Daniel Forsyth
Mayne's Coaches operations director Kevin Mayne is delighted with the new funding for the coach industry. Picture: Daniel Forsyth

The pandemic has seen the industry's markets all but disappear since phase 1 lockdown last March, resulting in calls from coach operators – including Buckie's Mayne's Coaches – for government assistance similar to that granted to the bus sector.

However, operators can now apply for a share of a £10 million fund to help support their businesses through the Covid-19 crisis, part of a wider £104.3 million fund for tourism and hospitality financial support package available from the Scottish Government.

The money being made available aims to cover fixed costs that businesses continue to incur when they cannot operate, and to help prepare them for reopening when it is safe to do so.

The Scotland Coach Operators Covid-19 Business Support and Continuity Fund, with development input from the Confederation of Passenger Transport, is one of nine funding streams administered by VisitScotland on behalf of the Scottish Government. The national tourism organisation have redeployed more than 100 staff from other roles to help process applications as quickly as possible.

The news was warmly welcomed by Mayne's Coaches' operations director Kevin Mayne, who has been a stalwart campaigner for emergency funding for the industry.

He said: "I’ve been pushing hard with fellow operators since March to get support for the coach industry, working with the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Scotland coach commission executive team to drive this through to the announcement.

"The initial £5 million has also been doubled to give more hope to the Scottish coach industry. I must pay testament to the understanding of Fergus Ewing [Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism] and the continued work of the Scottish Government team and the CPT office in Edinburgh."

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “We appreciate the devastating impact the pandemic has had on all of our important tourism and events businesses, affecting every corner of our industry and area of the country.

“VisitScotland is diverting our focus from marketing to funding for the next three months to ensure that desperately needed help is delivered quickly, to those most in need.

“Some in the industry have been able to generate revenue as a result of offering digital experiences online or operating within the restrictions to take advantage of the increase in domestic visitors.

“Unfortunately, coach operators have had little or no income through either of these means. Hopefully this fund will go some way to meet their immediate financial needs until coach tours become financially viable again.”

Paul White, CPT Scotland Director, said: "CPT welcomes the launch of the Covid-19 Business Support and Continuity Fund for Scotland's Coach operators.

"This fund will serve as a much-needed lifeline for many CPT coach operator members, many of whom have been unable to trade to any great degree since winter 2019. The fund will help meet some of the substantial costs incurred over these past 10 months of inactivity.

"We look forward to continuing to work with both the Scottish Government and VisitScotland as we navigate the road to recovery for Scotland's coach industry."

Applications are live from 12 noon on Tuesday, February 16 to 5pm on Tuesday, February 23. The one off fund will specifically provide support to Scottish-based businesses in the coach tourism and coach private hire sector, who are operating the newest and most environmentally friendly vehicle fleet, a Euro 5 or 6 grade and M2 or M3 category, with eight or more seats.

To review the guidance notes and to establish whether a business is eligible to apply, go to https://www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/funding/coach-operator-fund

For further information of VisitScotland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic, go to https://www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/advice/coronavirus



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