The Scottish Government is being pressed to offer more support to hospitality businesses hit by level three restrictions.
The plea comes amid growing concern for Perthshire’s self-catering sector, with operators facing “blank calendars” during the usually lucrative pre-Christmas period.
Scotland’s oldest hotel has meanwhile announced a temporary shutdown, following in the footsteps of the Gleneagles Hotel and the Atholl Arms in Dunkeld.
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The Kenmore Hotel on the banks of Loch Tay, which dates back to the early 16th century and boasts a handwritten poem by Robert Burns on its bar wall, hopes to reopen in the middle of December, although its self-catering lodges remain available.
The issue was raised to Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop during a meeting with Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser.
He said he had been contacted by several affected businesses.
“Whilst they are legally able to remain trading, in reality their business has all but disappeared,” he said.
“Self-catering accommodation providers have seen a collapse in bookings due to travel restrictions. In addition, suppliers in the food and drinks sector, and associated businesses such as taxis, have been seriously impacted.
“Yet these businesses have not seen the same level of support going to those which have been forced to close.”
The Tory MSP said without extra help “we are going to see real hardship and business failures, with consequential job losses” as he fears £30 million of aid recently announced by the Scottish Government may “come nowhere close to what is required to meet the need.”
Mr Fraser urged Ms Hyslop to use £1.7 billion of UK Government money that was given to the Scottish Government for Covid-related measures.
David Smythe, who has been running self-catering at Methven, Perthshire, for more than 30 years, said extra support could help businesses like his get through a difficult winter.
“Like everybody else, we had to shut down in March and we had to cancel five figures’ worth of bookings,” he said.
“It was looking like 2020 was going to be a good year for us.
“We got some initial grant compensation after a bit of a fight, but that was very welcome. We reopened in July, very nervously, after doing all the accreditation as part of the Good To Go scheme.
“We made sure to put a fallow day in between our lets, to help keep our visitors safe and keep us safe as well.”
Mr Smythe, who is chairman of the Perthshire Tourism Partnership, said: “We were actually really busy. A lot of people wanted to get holidays in before August 11 when the kids went back to the school, and it was very steady until the second week in October.
“When we were level two our market was other level twos and level ones in Scotland, which was fairly reasonable, all things considered.
“But Level Three limits us to visitors from Perth and Kinross and that means that we are not officially closed, but we feel we have been closed by circumstance.”
Mr Smythe said he now has no bookings until February, despite normally being busy over Christmas.
Julie McEwan, a part-time care home worker, recently entered the self-catering sector with Meikleour Beechwood Cottage, near Blairgowrie.
She had been preparing to open earlier this year when coronavirus stalled her plans but took her first booking in September before the latest blow.
Ms McEwan said: “Now everything hinges on what happens in December and if people will be allowed to start moving around.”
She hopes families will continue to support the sector once restrictions ease. “A good slogan for us would be: A sleepover to help us tick over”.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “As the First Minister reiterated on Thursday, we are committed to ensuring no restriction is in place a moment longer than necessary to protect public health and reduce transmission.”
