Lockdown exit: Fife business leader claims questions for firms left unanswered in strategy

The comments by Alan Mitchell came after Nicola Sturgeon unveiled the country’s roadmap out of lockdown to the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

While he praised her positive tone about Scotland getting closer to normality as a result of the vaccination programme, he said it was very much a ‘no’ statement for business with ‘no indicative opening dates’.

Mr Mitchell said: “The First Minister’s positive tone and her messages about the likelihood of returning to near normality because of the vaccination programme are welcome.

"Her caution about giving even indicative re-opening dates beyond the return of all pupils to school and the move to Tier Three of all parts of the country currently subject to Tier 4 restrictions in the last week of April is not unexpected - but it is still disappointing.

"None of the legitimate questions that businesses have were really answered today. They have effectively been told to wait and see.”

He added: “But, waiting and seeing won’t help a company boss, and their staff form a plan to keep the business afloat.

"It won’t let them plan with any degree of confidence what operations they will be able to run in the next few months.

"It won’t allow them to have a discussion with their bank about how much longer they will need their overdraft facility.

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"It won’t allow managers to have a conversation with their furloughed staff about when they might be able to return to work or even reassure them that there will still be a job for them when they do finally re-open.

“This was very much a ‘no’ statement for business. No indicative opening dates."

He said there was also no indication for when live music, theatres or night clubs might be able to open, and no guarantee that the Strategic Framework Business Fund will continue to pay out while restrictions remain in place.

Mr Mitchell added: “We must get more clarity about when they will end and our businesses, communities and lives can resume normally.”

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