The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) and the Scottish Hospitality Group (SHG) brought together political candidates, industry leaders and operators in Glasgow for a sold-out hustings event ahead of the Scottish Parliament election, at a critical moment for one of the country’s most important economic sectors.
The scale of what is at stake could not be clearer, with total visitor spend reaching £11.4bn in 2024, with the sector now the single biggest source of employment in the country. The hospitality industry contributes £9bn annually, with a further £1bn from self-catering alone.
The evening opened with a ‘fireside chat’ featuring ASSC Chief Executive Fiona Campbell MBE and SHG Director Stephen Montgomery alongside a panel of hospitality and self-catering operators, providing a candid temperature check of conditions on the ground. In this unique set up, the politicians present were able to hear directly from those running businesses and the pressures they faced on a daily basis.
This was followed by a political hustings featuring the following candidates:
- Ivan McKee, Scottish Nationalist Party
- Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservatives
- Daniel Johnson, Scottish Labour
- Jamie Greene, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Kim Schmulian, Reform UK Scotland.
THE Scottish Greens declined the opportunity to participate.
The debate ranged across the issues most pressing to businesses, including the ongoing burden of non-domestic rates following the recent revaluation, the future of the Small Business Bonus Scheme, as well as the impact of short-term let licensing and planning regulations. Candidates were pressed on what concrete action they would take within the first 100 days of the next Scottish Government, with business rates and the progress of the Gill Review emerging as the dominant theme.
Questions from operators were direct and at times deeply personal, reflecting the very real pressures faced by businesses across the country, questioning the fairness and consistency of the non-domestic rates system, as well as calling for urgent cross-party collaboration to deliver meaningful reform rather than further delay.
Fiona Campbell MBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said:
“Our joint hustings was a remarkable event and the turnout reflected the strength of feeling across our sector and just how much is at stake for Scottish tourism and hospitality sectors. Businesses spoke candidly about the damaging cumulative impact of regulatory interventions, including non-domestic rates and short-term let licensing and planning restrictions. What we heard throughout the evening was clear: our sector does not need more warm words or further delay. The next Scottish Government must therefore commit within its first 100 days to review the methodology underpinning self-catering NDR, alongside a full review of short-term let licensing and planning policy, before further damage is done. At the same time, this event showed what can be achieved through genuine cross-sectoral and cross-party collaboration. Bringing together operators, industry representatives and politicians in one room created constructive and honest dialogue, and we want to see far more partnership policymaking in the next parliament.”
Stephen Montgomery, Director of the Scottish Hospitality Group, said:
“It was a fantastic occasion that proved, beyond any doubt, the strength of appetite among operators for meaningful dialogue with policymakers. Businesses were able to share their first-hand experiences, particularly around the unfair non-domestic rates regime, and the passion and raw emotion from the audience was genuinely humbling to witness. However, this cannot end with words alone. The findings of the Gill Review must not be left sitting on a shelf gathering dust, they must lead to real immediate action. Ongoing engagement with the sector will be essential to ensure non-domestic rates are made fairer for licensed hospitality, and crucially, that progress is delivered well before 2029, and we look forward to working constructively with whoever forms the next government.”