Help for flagging tourism industry

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Campaign and cash to aid businesses affected by foot-and-mouthTourism in the countryside is to be supported with extra money and a promotional...

Campaign and cash to aid businesses affected by foot-and-mouth

Tourism in the countryside is to be supported with extra money and a promotional campaign, to help businesses recover from foot-and-mouth disease and survive the winter.

Lord Haskins (pictured)​, the Government's rural recovery co-ordinator, has published his findings on the state of the Cumbrian rural economy - the area worst hit by the disease.

His recommendations include more government action to help businesses, such as pubs, survive the winter, and ways to revive the rural economy in the long term.

Short-term solutions include:

  • continued support from banks, supported by the Government
  • extension of the deferral of tax and VAT until April 2002
  • financial help to advertise the fact that the countryside is open for business
  • support and funding for the Business Links Service which advises small businesses.

Lord Haskins said: "A combination of continued support from banks and the Government and its agencies during the next few months will enable businesses to fight another day. In order to do so, they in turn will need to be resourceful and enterprising."

The Government's rural task force, chaired by rural affairs minister Alun Michael, has also reported its recommendations.

Its report stressed the importance of tourism to the countryside and recommended an extension of the help already available to pubs and other businesses.

"The measures already put in place by the Government have provided substantial help," said Mr Michael. "The report acknowledges this but identifies a risk of significant damage to the rural economy during the winter without further assistance."

The report was welcomed by Liberal Democrats small business spokesman Brian Cotter.

He warned that if the recommendations were not implemented, many more pubs, hotels and rural businesses would have to close over the winter.

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