Question reference: S6W-05292
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 21 December 2021
-
Current status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what COVID-19 financial support it is making available to catering and events businesses that do not operate within a fixed single venue, and what the expected timeline is for any such funding to reach eligible businesses.
Answer
Catering and events businesses that do not operate within a fixed single venue will be supported through two routes depending on their particular business model.
- The £3 million Scottish Wedding Industry Fund, announced on 17 December 2021, will provide top-up payments to eligible businesses who have previously been supported through this funding route.
A further £19.8 million of funding to support event businesses (including supply chain operators such as catering and events businesses that do not operate within a fixed single venue) which was announced on 3 January 2022.
Scottish Wedding Industry Fund businesses will be contacted directly from week commencing 17 January 2022.
Event funding businesses will be contacted by EventScotland from week commencing 24 January 2022. For the first round of funding, top-up payments will be provided to businesses which were previously supported by EventScotland and VisitScotland under the previous Events Industry Support Fund, Events Industry Support Fund 2 or Pivotal Event Business Fund and have been adversely financially affected by the cancellation or restriction of events between the period from 8 December 2021 to 31 January 2022.
Businesses eligible for support will receive a top-up payment based on pre-COVID annual turnover within the following bands:
£10,000 - £24,999 = £2,000;
£25,000 - £49,999 = £3,500;
£50,000 - £99,999 = £5,000;
£100,000 - £499,999 = £10,000;
£500,000 - £999,999 = £25,000; and
£1,000,000 + = £50,000.
The Scottish Government is currently working with EventScotland and the Event Industry Advisory Group to determine the best way of distributing the remaining funding to support to those event businesses continuing to experience cancellation or postponements in February and March, or who may have previously not had access to COVID-19 event funding support. This will include ensuring that businesses who can demonstrate eligibility for both the Scottish Wedding Industry Fund and the events funding are appropriately funded.