Updates for Businesses – December

Job Opportunity – Business Development Manager Tourism & Hospitality Sector

An exciting and rewarding opportunity to work with Tourism and Hospitality businesses in one of the most scenic landscapes in the UK on a game-changing project intended to become a model for the hospitality sector.

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is home to many tourism businesses which are experiencing challenges in recruiting and developing employees. An exciting new role has been created to manage an industry-led initiative to improve employee recruitment and retention performance by developing an attractive package of training and other benefits. You will work closely with business contacts and co-ordinators of the Food & Drink Network, setting up the processes and systems of the programme while delivering activities including project website, training, events, marketing materials, business networking and reporting. Full details can be found via the Forth Valley Food and Drink Website

Age Friendly Service Workshops

Age Scotland are delivering free online Age Friendly customer service workshops for tourism and hospitality staff in the new year. The training workshops aim to help businesses offer excellent customer service, and attract and retain lucrative new customers, especially the older market.

Update on Short-Term Let Licensing

The Scottish Government has announced that it plans to extend the timeframe for the short-term let licensing scheme by six months, subject to parliamentary approval, expected in early 2023.  If approved, existing hosts will have up until 1 October 2023 to apply for a short-term let licence.  The change for existing hosts is in response to the impact of wider economic circumstances on tourism businesses. For further information on the update, VisitScotland have created a useful link on their website and the National Park has also created a useful online resource as the implementation of licensing regulations are introduced.

Towards a Net Zero National Park

Climate Action for Business Programme

Business in the Community (BITC) and Be the Business are hosting a series of free workshops with dates in January and February that offer climate action advice and training to small and medium-sized business owners in Scotland. You can learn how to develop a climate action plan for your business, measure your carbon footprint and reduce your emissions. The interactive workshops will help businesses to consider what steps can be taken towards the aims of a Net Zero future.

Energy Savings Trust – Business ChargePoint Funding

To support the uptake of electric vehicles across Scotland, Transport Scotland has made grant funding available through Energy Saving Trust to help organisations install electric vehicle charging infrastructure on their premises.

Funding is currently available for chargepoints for sole use by occupants, staff and visitors. You can access this funding if:

• Your business is a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in a rural area of Scotland – grants are available to cover up to 50% of the cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle chargepoints; or
• Your business is a third-sector organisation – grants are available to cover up to 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle chargepoints.

Funding Opportunities

Perth and Kinross Council – Green Recovery Capital Development Grant: Through the Green Recovery Capital Development Grant, Perth and Kinross Council has made funding of up to £25,000 available for businesses that were financially affected by COVID-19 and now want to make capital investments in developing their business.

Stirling Council – Business Resilience and Growth Fund – Closes 6th Jan 2023. This fund is to support local economic recovery and enable businesses to move towards recovery, growth, adaption and future resilience. The fund will focus on supporting businesses to grow through innovation, use of new technology, creating new employment opportunities, improve business energy efficiency or delivery of carbon savings. Businesses can apply for grants of up to £25,000.