Scottish hospitality joins forces to launch new ‘Help Out Hospitality’ campaign

A group of Scottish hospitality businesses have backed a new ‘Help Out Hospitality’ campaign aimed at supporting battling for survival due to rapidly escalating costs.

Edinburgh’s Brewhemia; McKays Hotel in Perthshire; Links House at Royal Dornoch in Sutherland; Ingliston Country Club and Hotel in Renfrewshire; Tyneside Tavern and Mazzoli Italian Kitchen in East Lothian; and Banchory Lodge in Aberdeenshire are amongst over 50 hospitality firms and organisations backing the campaign.

Energy is the biggest reported cost hike on top of massive increases in food and labour bills this winter. Since last year, commercial energy bills are around 400% higher, food bills are up by around 20% and labour costs have increased by around 10%.

The Bank of England’s biggest interest rate rise since 1989 (up by 0.75 percentage points to 3%), is also having an impact on consumers, who are already starting to tighten their belts further and cut spending on eating out.

The ‘Help Out Hospitality’ Initiative has been designed to incorporate every aspect of the hospitality supply chain, including food and drink producers, allowing businesses to create enticing consumer deals on both meals and overnight stays at a time which typically sees a drop in business.

Paul Fraser, owner of Ingliston Country Club and Hotel, Bishopton, Renfrewshire, said: “The hospitality industry plays a key role in everyday life. The time spent together with family and friends are where the best memories are made.

“The world is full of bad news these days, so it’s great to be able to partner on such a positive campaign with support from all our loyal suppliers and collectively being able to give something back to our local community and attract potential first-time visitors.”

Richard Drummond, owner of McKays Hotel in Pitlochry, Perthshire, said: “Help is precisely what the hospitality and tourism industry requires. After the past three years, the closures, the uncertainties, staffing issues, and now spiralling costs.

“The Full Range came up with the ‘Help Out hospitality’ initiative to support our industry, which the scheme sets out to achieve. However, it not only helps our industry, but it also helps everyone, our suppliers, and the end user, it allows us to pass the discount we receive on to our customers.”