It is almost “game over” for a number of north east Fife companies which are begging Chancellor Rishi Sunak to do more to support the tourism industry.
Jim Charles, owner of JSC Travel in St Andrews, said he cannot sleep for fretting about losing everything due to a downturn in visitors and a lack of financial help.
He has the backing of Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain, who also called for an extension to the furlough scheme until the middle of 2021, with new figures showing the number of local people relying on Universal Credit has almost doubled in the last year.
Unemployment across the UK is at its highest level since 2018.
Mr Charles, who drives golfers and tourists around Scotland, said his company is struggling to survive.
“When self-employed traders like ourselves can’t work, we lose sleep fretting about losing everything we have and we are not alone in our concerns.
“Big companies get enormous bail outs but small businesses miss out on getting the very little we need to help us survive.”
His wife, and company co-owner, Sarah Charles said she is saddened and frustrated by being left without support.
“I have done nothing but fill out forms for months and we don’t know if they are right or wrong as we have heard nothing back from anyone.
“We contacted Wendy Chamberlain because we need someone to look at this for real people, people who work hard, pay taxes and now are being treated like second-rate citizens.”
Mrs Chamberlain highlighted the couple’s case in Parliament, along with that of a north east Fife hospitality business in danger of going bust unless furlough is extended until events can safely reopen.
“There is still a long way to go until we are out of this crisis.
“Many of my constituents feel they do not have a voice and those who do feel they are not being heard.”
The MP said 2,270 people in her constituency now relied on Universal Credit but claimed the welfare safety net had “many, many holes”.
“The messages from these businesses, and many more in north east Fife, is clear.
“The government’s support has so far worked for them – these businesses are still running and their staff are still employed – but they are all clearly saying that unless there is further support for the tourism industry, it will be game over.
“With so many families in crisis, the government should be doing everything in its power to protect jobs.”
The Chancellor said this week looking for new ways to protect jobs is his number one priority.
He said extending furlough was probably not the right thing to do but that the government had instead cut taxes for business, offered targeted support to the hospitality industry, and launched a job retention bonus for firms that bring staff back.
