FSB in Scotland on coronavirus changes

Press Releases 16 Feb 2021

Coronavirus update in Scotland

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the return of some younger children to school, and the reopening of nurseries. However, no further details have been outlined regarding the reopening of the wider economy.

Andrew McRae, the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB) Scotland policy chair, said: “Half of Scotland’s business owners are worried about whether their firm will make it through to the end of this crisis. While self-employed and working parents of young children will cheer the return of early years education, the announcement won’t allay the wider fears of those who are battling to stay afloat.

“We welcome the news that Ministers will detail the conditions that need to be met before a wider re-opening, but we’d urge them to provide dates, however provisional. A draft timeline would allow many debt-laden operators to put in place measures to give them the best chance of surviving. We can’t see local businesses collapse during the final mile of this marathon just because they don’t know the finish line is around the corner.”

ENDS

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