tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9519520105160209672024-03-20T15:09:19.867+00:00B&B BlogNews and updates from the Bed & Breakfast AssociationDavid Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-70457079399952980172022-01-31T17:10:00.001+00:002022-01-31T17:10:17.900+00:00The Bed & Breakfast Association unveils its new branding<p> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFoBmFUXMTt4ffXDC8_Uy-vGWHTv3WbqlILHGRLQg21iop5vFRiTUYa1gfXMKvZPcNYcqWJtTq7rhh1gTACcFVeBk7WKVCZQmh47f7Z5L1SBQ7Av9Ke1IO9UQqQXbVPEZafzM6uO5cO8mFLgRKiGF2tLkrZ0_msvuxoSsS2GTvC29C6xQBqIjW4Nix=s1000" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="1000" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgFoBmFUXMTt4ffXDC8_Uy-vGWHTv3WbqlILHGRLQg21iop5vFRiTUYa1gfXMKvZPcNYcqWJtTq7rhh1gTACcFVeBk7WKVCZQmh47f7Z5L1SBQ7Av9Ke1IO9UQqQXbVPEZafzM6uO5cO8mFLgRKiGF2tLkrZ0_msvuxoSsS2GTvC29C6xQBqIjW4Nix=w571-h169" width="571" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;">The Bed & Breakfast Association has unveiled its new branding including a new logo (above), which better reflects us as we now are, long established as the national trade association for B&B and guesthouse owners, and an award-winning and respected membership association, with a 'seat at the table' with the Governments of the UK and of Scotland.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;">We are a not-for-profit membership organisation, with no shareholders, so all of our income (after running costs) goes on serving our members. In our early years, we were highly thrifty on our marketing spend, but after 16 years our original logo was no longer doing justice to what the Association has become. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;">So we are proudly unveiling our new branding - the work of a creative young designer who has worked on our member magazine - as part of a transformation of the Bed & Breakfast Association during 2022.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;">This is stage one. Further stages will see us launch an all-new website, "Host Hub" and member online community, and several major new member benefits. Watch this space!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto; font-size: medium;">We welcome comments about our new branding - email us at <a href="mailto:comment@bandbassociation.org">comment@bandbassociation.org</a>.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Roboto;"><br /></span></div><p></p>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-21615546974142118892021-07-28T15:51:00.003+01:002021-07-28T16:03:56.272+01:00P&G Professional partners with Marco Pierre White to help holidaymakers 'safecation' this Summer<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Promoted Content</span></span></span>
</p><h2 class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="line-height: 107%;">Hospitality sector icon to help
industry back on its feet as restrictions ease</span></i></span></h2><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oCH2DzwLcqBA_1i_tZYeGo6zuvjiaV3M4-6kMQ1iBWjvy6H3nY7lR68MLvnegJBPn_IVOJNGhtdrS9mGFv_c612EayWpUFbnhijXrifJRNxa-rAoF63HC0kgmDmqKoY3U6hTnUdbfng/s725/Marco-PGP.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="725" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8oCH2DzwLcqBA_1i_tZYeGo6zuvjiaV3M4-6kMQ1iBWjvy6H3nY7lR68MLvnegJBPn_IVOJNGhtdrS9mGFv_c612EayWpUFbnhijXrifJRNxa-rAoF63HC0kgmDmqKoY3U6hTnUdbfng/w385-h254/Marco-PGP.png" width="385" /></a></span></i></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN"> </span></span></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN"> P&G Professional, the away-from-home division of
Procter and Gamble, is partnering with legendary hotelier and restaurateur
Marco Pierre White to help holidaymakers enjoy a ‘Safecation’ across the UK
this summer. </span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">With the country experiencing a boom in staycations while
Brits opt to stay closer to home<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><sup><span><sup><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></sup></span></sup></a>, P&G
Professional is on hand to help the industry get back on its feet with business
driving tools, as lockdown restrictions gradually continue to lift. </span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">Marco Pierre White, owner of The Rudloe Arms, a hotel set
in 14 acres of Wiltshire countryside, is joining forces with P&G
Professional to encourage business owners to try the CleanPLUS Experience. This
stamp of approval from P&G Professional’s trusted household name brands –
now including NEW Microban 24 Professional – serves as a mark of assurance for
guests. </span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">Independent hotels, guest-houses and B&Bs can
prominently display the CleanPLUS Experience sticker – both physically and
digitally – as a gold standard in hygiene, reassuring customers that an establishment
has been cleaned to the highest levels using known and trusted brands. </span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">Just as well since new research from P&G Professional
reveals <span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; mso-highlight: white;">22%</span><a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><sup><span><sup><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></sup></span></sup></a><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; mso-highlight: white;"> are more likely to book a hotel
or B&B if they know staff are using cleaning brands they trust. Cleanliness
is clearly a top priority for holidaymakers enjoying a staycation in the UK
this summer, with 70%</span><a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><sup><span><sup><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></sup></span></sup></a><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; mso-highlight: white;"> researching comments on a venue’s
hygiene before booking, compared to 40% pre-pandemic</span><a href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><sup><span><sup><span face=""Arial", sans-serif" lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></sup></span></sup></a><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; mso-highlight: white;">.<span>
</span></span>In fact, the poll showed that despite one in two (52%) Brits being
desperate to take a summer staycation, 50% have put off making a booking
because of concerns over the hygiene and cleanliness of hotels and B&Bs³.</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">As part of the Safecation campaign, White will also
leverage his years of experience to demonstrate what steps hoteliers can take
to prepare their properties for increasing volumes of guests, at a time when
cleanliness and hygiene is paramount.</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">Marco Pierre White said: “As all in the hospitality
industry will know, the health and safety of our guests is of the utmost
importance, which is why I’m partnering with P&G Professional to highlight
the support the sector needs right now. Following a challenging time for many
business owners, it’s fantastic to be able to reassure customers with a gold
standard of excellence when it comes to cleanliness.”</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
<span face=""Arial", sans-serif" lang="EN" style="line-height: 115%;">Greg Elmore, UK & Ireland Country Sales Lead at
P&G Professional, said: “Holidaymakers are eager to enjoy the summer but
want assurances they can do so safely. As such, we’re launching </span>
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">our Safecation initiative with Marco Pierre White as part
of our ongoing efforts to help the hospitality sector after a tumultuous year. </span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">“We hope to see the industry bounce back stronger than ever
as it emerges from lockdown and we’re delighted to play our part through
guidance and knowledge sharing, as well as our best-in-class products.”</span></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span lang="EN" style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; font-size: medium; mso-highlight: white;">To find out
more about the CleanPLUS Experience, </span></span><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">from P&G
Professional’s trusted household name brands – Fairy, Flash and now NEW
Microban 24 Professional-<span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; mso-highlight: white;">
including applying for complementary materials and signage, call 0800 716 854
or visit </span><a href="http://www.pgpro.co.uk/cleanplus"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; color: blue; mso-highlight: white;">www.pgpro.co.uk/cleanplus</span></a></span></span>
</span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><style><font size="3">@font-face
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</span><div style="mso-element: footnote-list;"><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><sup><span lang="EN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">[1]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8pt;"> ‘UK Staycations 2021: A Year of
Opportunities’, Colliers, May 2021 </span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><sup><span lang="EN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">[2]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8pt;">One
Poll survey of 2,000 UK adults, June 2021</span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><sup><span lang="EN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">[3]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8pt;">One
Poll survey of 2,000 UK adults, June 2021</span></p>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><sup><span lang="EN"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" lang="EN" style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">[4]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 8pt;">One
Poll survey of 2,000 UK adults, July 2019</span><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-11100280097861581662021-02-25T14:29:00.004+00:002021-03-25T10:44:25.096+00:00Covid-safe B&Bs are "self-contained" accom so should open on 12 April - delaying to 17 May will cost us £350 million<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We believe that B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels operating under the Covid-safe protocols developed last year should be allowed to open on <b>12 April</b> rather than 17 May. That five weeks makes <b>£350 million</b> of difference to B&Bs and guesthouses in England.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Under the Government's "Roadmap" to opening for England,</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"> in Step
2, on 12 April earliest (p34 of <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/963491/COVID-19_Response_-_Spring_2021.pdf" target="_blank">Roadmap document</a>): <i>“Overnight stays away from
home in this country will be permitted and <b>self-contained accommodation</b> - those
that do not require shared use of bathing, entry/exit, catering or
sleeping facilities - can also reopen </i>[same household only]<i>".</i></span></span></span></p><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">Five weeks later on </span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">Step 3, on 17 May earliest (p37): <i>“Remaining accommodation, such as hotels, hostels and B&Bs”</i> [can open]</span></span></span><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/" target="_blank"><b>B&B Association</b></a> has told UK Government officials that <span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">hotels,
B&Bs and guesthouses have self-contained accommodation under the
Covid-safe protocols agreed with Government last June.
These allow NO shared bathrooms or shared catering facilities (eg
shared kitchens).<br /><br />The key issue therefore turns on the phrase
“shared entry/exit” - which alone makes the difference (in the Government's official Roadmap)
between opening on 12 April (if no shared entry/exit) and opening on 17
May. That difference is five weeks of the Spring season - a huge
amount of potential sales turnover for hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs. Based on the ONS figures for our sector from 2019, we estimate that this five weeks equates to some <b>£350 million of booking value</b> (sales turnover) for B&Bs and guesthouses in England.<br /><br />On
a STRICT interpretation of “shared entry/exit”, ie that guests use the
same entrance to access the building, almost all hotels, guesthouses and
B&Bs do have “shared entry/exit”. However:<br /><br /> • The entrance and corridors are subject to Government-agreed Covid-safe cleaning Protocols; and<br />
• Exactly the same criteria (shared entry/exit) applies to indoor leisure
(including gyms), personal care premises, non-essential retail, indoor
parent & child groups, and libraries and community centres - ALL of
which ARE allowed to open in Step 2 on 12 April.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Last April, May
& June a vast amount of work was undertaken on this, primarily by UK
Hospitality, who developed Protocols for Covid-safe operation for
hotels, which were agreed with the Cabinet Office. We worked with them
to adapt these to a B&B and guesthouse context - the <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/BBA-COVID-19-Secure-Guidelines-V1.pdf" target="_blank">guidance document is here</a>.<br /><br />It
is designed to ensure social distancing in properties, and entails radical changes to breakfast service etc to ensure Covid
transmission risks are minimised.</span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="css-1dbjc4n"><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1s2bzr4"></div><div class="css-1dbjc4n r-1s2bzr4"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So we question whether hotels, guesthouses and B&Bs following the Covid-safe operating protocols agreed with Government should be subject to a further five weeks delay on reopening and lose a further £350 million, simply because guests use the same main entrance? They pass through corridors cleaned to Covid safe standards, and stay in individual rooms, not mixing with other guests.</span></span></span><br /><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"></span><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />The management of such businesses will be ensuring that all touchpoints are cleaned appropriately, on the entrance itself and in corridors to guest bedrooms.</span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Guests
arrive via a main entrance, whose cleaning of touchpoints is subject to
Government-agreed Covid-safe protocols, before going through a
Covid-safe, socially distanced check-in procedure then proceeding to
their individual self-contained accommodation in guest bedrooms with
dedicated bathrooms. The coridoors and common ways are also of course
subject to Government-agreed cleaning regimes under the Covid-safe
protocols.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"></span></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"></span></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"></span></span>Finally of course, the Government is itself currently placing guests in “quarantine hotels” which have “shared entry/exit”, so clearly this is not seen as unsafe <i>per se</i> in the context of a Covid-safe hospitality property.<br /><br />So we believe that hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses following Covid-safe protocols should be classed as “self-contained” accommodation for these purposes, and so <b>should be allowed to open from 12 April</b> rather than 17 May.</span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span><span><b>UPDATE 12 March:</b> The Welsh Government </span></span></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span><span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">has now announced that, subject to a review on 25th, <b>B&Bs, guesthouses & hotels will open on 27th March in Wales</b>. The Welsh Government</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> count B&Bs as “self-contained” accommodation for the purposes of opening on 27 March - as we have been arguing (see above) to the UK Government should be the case in England. We continue to put this case via officials at the tourism department (DCMS).</span></span></span><br /></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b><span style="color: red;">UPDATE 23 March:</span> Government confirm 17 May date for B&Bs & hotels</b></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The UK Government have finally confirmed that, despite the lobbying by the B&B Association and UK Hospitality, hotels and B&Bs will still be classed as NOT "self-contained" for the purposes of the reopening roadmap, so <b>cannot reopen for leisure guests before 17 May</b>. The full explanatory text we received from an official at the Tourism Department (DCMS) is below:</span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><br /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Accommodation and Step 2 of the Roadmap</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2021/364/contents/made"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps) (England) Regulations 2021</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have been published in relation to the roadmap steps. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I would like to clarify some queries that have been raised regarding the reopening of accommodation and can confirm the agreed Government position is that:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><ul style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From Step 2, no earlier than 12 April, separate and self-contained accommodation will be open for leisure stays. This is defined as accommodation in which facilities (kitchens, sleeping areas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0b0c0c; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, bathrooms and indoor communal areas such as: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lifts, staircases, lounges, sitting areas</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0b0c0c; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and internal corridors for entry and exit</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) are restricted to exclusive use of a single household/support bubble. A reception area is not to be treated as a shared facility or indoor communal area if they are required in order to be open for check-in purposes.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /><br /></span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What can open:</span></p><ul style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 10.3465pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At Step 2, accommodation in which all facilities listed above are for the exclusive use of a single household/support bubble may open. This will mean that holiday parks, ‘standalone’ holiday lets such as houses and cottages, chalets, yurts, holiday boats, and motels which do not rely on sharing those facilities listed may open.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 36pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><ul style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Campsites and caravan parks will be permitted from Step 2 provided that the only shared facilities used by guests at the campsite or caravan park are washing facilities, toilets, water points and waste disposal points. These facilities should be operated so as to ensure no household mixing takes place. This would involve e</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0b0c0c; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ither assigning shower facilities to one household group/support bubble, (i.e. making them private), or running a reservation and clean process (whereby one household can exclusively book the shared facilities for a fixed time, and the facilities are cleaned between reservations and kept well-ventilated).</span></p></li></ul><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><ul style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All accommodation may continue to open for the current permitted reasons, such as to provide accommodation for those who are unable to return to their main residence; for the homeless; for those who need accommodation for work, education or training purposes; for those who need to attend medical appointments; or for those self-isolating as required by law including for the Managed Quarantine Service for high risk international arrivals.</span></p></li></ul><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What cannot open:</span></p><ul style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This phased approach to reopening means that the rest of the sector will follow at Step 3. We recognise that between now and Step 3 <span style="background-color: #fcff01;"><b>this means a continued closure of hotels, hostels, B&Bs, guest houses and any other accommodation that relies on sharing these facilities.</b></span> This will also require the continued closure of any holiday lets or serviced accommodation within apartment buildings that share any of the facilities listed above.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><ul style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">From Step 3, no earlier than 17 May, all remaining accommodation will be permitted to reopen for leisure stays</span>.</span></p></li></ul><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Step 2 will also see the reopening of non-essential retail; personal care facilities and close contact services such as beauty salons, </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0b0c0c; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">spas and massage centres (except for steam rooms and saunas); and indoor sports and leisure facilities such as gyms and swimming pools. Where these facilities are located within a hotel or other guest accommodation, they are permitted to reopen and can be accessed - if necessary - from inside the building i.e. without the requirement for direct street access, though businesses should continue to comply with COVID-Secure guidance to mitigate transmission risk. Outdoor hospitality which is permitted to open at Step 2, located on a hotel premises or other guest accommodation, may also reopen, and customers will be permitted to use indoor toilets as required.</span></p><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;" /><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #0b0c0c; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rationale:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The government recognises the significant contribution that hotels and similar accommodation have made by providing their services for managed quarantine, sheltering rough sleepers and other vulnerable groups, and providing safe accommodation for a variety of legally permitted reasons throughout the last year. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, the Government has set out its plan to allow cautious and gradual reopening of the economy. This is a phased roadmap and we are not opening the sector in one go, meaning leisure stays in different types of accommodation will be permitted gradually alongside the phased reopening of other businesses and services. This is because we need to act cautiously to keep prevalence low and avoid the need for re-escalation. As TIC members have indicated, reopening and then having to close again would be far more damaging than a phased reopening. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although cases are in decline, the SPI-M scientific modelling shows that opening too early or too quickly risks a further surge which could overwhelm the NHS, leading to another lockdown. As a result, accommodation that relies on the shared use of indoor facilities will not open for leisure stays for a further 5 weeks until Step 3 while we assess the impact of reopening at Step 2. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Further, in aggregate Step 2 prioritises outdoor activity over indoor activity, and activity within households rather than between them. The likelihood of transmission is substantially lower in the open air rather than indoors. Travel and tourism inherently involves a lot of travel across the country, as well as household mixing. Allowing both the opening of all guest accommodation and household mixing before more of the population is vaccinated would substantially increase the risk of the NHS being put under unsustainable pressure. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The approach we are taking is slow and cautious, to ensure it is irreversible. A number of measures have been put in place to assist the sector prior to reopening and to return to profit upon reopening. These include the extension of the furlough scheme, VAT cut and business rates relief, the new restart grants, a new loan scheme and the Help to Grow scheme.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our</span><a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/hotels-and-other-guest-accommodation"><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">guidance for Hotels & Other Guest Accommodation</span></a><span face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will be updated in advance of each step of the roadmap with further detail.</span></p></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">* * * * * * *</span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/">Bed & Breakfast Association</a> is the UK trade association for owners of B&Bs, guesthouses and small independent hotels. We are here to inform, support and represent our members. Membership is just over £1 a week and you can <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/subscribe.htm">join us online here</a>. </span><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="css-901oao r-18jsvk2 r-1qd0xha r-1blvdjr r-16dba41 r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-bnwqim r-qvutc0" dir="auto" id="tweet-text" lang="en"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-m0bqgq r-1loqt21 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" data-focusable="true" href="https://twitter.com/BandBassoc/status/1364111079962509312" role="link"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"></span></a></p>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-3282231395360873152021-02-11T20:01:00.000+00:002021-02-11T20:01:13.648+00:00Scottish Government "Support for B&Bs Paying Council Tax" fund - operational from Mon 15 Feb 21<p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Financial support for B&Bs in Scotland paying Council Tax </b></span><br /></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Scottish Government have just informed us (the <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/scottishbandbassociation.htm" target="_blank">Scottish B&B Association</a></span>) that <b>its new "Support for B&Bs Paying Council Tax" fund will be operational from next Monday</b> (15 February 2021), and that details of the fund have gone live today on <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/service/funding/support-for-bed-and-breakfasts-paying-council-tax-grant" target="_blank">the Scottish Government's "Find Business Support" website here</a></span>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Scottish Government emphasise <span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">that <b>there is no need for businesses to apply</b> - "local authorities (LAs) will identify those that are eligible". </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">They tell us: "LAs will contact the 450 B&Bs that were paid out to under the predecessor fund". </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">"The Scottish Government is aware that there may be some eligible B&Bs that, for one reason or another (EG technical issues) did not get funded in 2020, and each LA will also have a ‘wash up’ application process, that will ensure these are picked up. This will be done individually by LAs."</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If you are a <b>Scottish B&B Association </b>member (or member of the <b><a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/index.html" target="_blank">UK B&B Association</a></b> based in Scotland) and believe you should be eligible (<a href="https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/service/funding/support-for-bed-and-breakfasts-paying-council-tax-grant">see here for criteria</a>) but did <b><u>not</u></b> receive funding last Summer - IE you are not one of the 450 referred to above - please <b>email the B&B Association</b> with details, and we will do our best to put your case to the authorities for funding.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We will keep our subscribing members fully informed of any further developments.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Not yet a member of the B&B Association? membership costs only around £1 a week and there are <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/whyjoin.htm" target="_blank">many member benefits</a> - and your <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/subscribe.htm" target="_blank">options for joining us now are here</a>. <br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></p>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-74135718217337853332021-02-04T17:06:00.004+00:002021-02-04T17:13:11.189+00:00Support for B&Bs in Scotland: message from the Scottish Government to B&Bs and guesthouses<p class="MsoNormal" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">The <b>Scottish B&B Association</b> has, throughout the Covid crisis, been pressing the Scottish Government on behalf of our members for financial support. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Successive recent Government announcements have caused confusion, and we have asked for clarification so we can give you the full picture. </span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;"><i><span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #2b00fe; font-size: medium;"><i><span><span style="font-family: georgia;">Government officials have just given us the statement below:</span></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></i><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">We hope the following information will help provide clarity around some of the funding issues that your sector is currently raising, and the rationale behind the way support has been targeted. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Support for B&Bs and self-catering businesses</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">W<span style="letter-spacing: 0.1pt;">e are doing everything we can with the limited powers available to us to support the tourism sector and accommodation providers in particular. Since the start of the crisis we have provided almost £</span>3 billion to assist businesses of all kinds across Scotland, including the self-catering and B&B sector. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">We have also provided 100% non-domestic rates relief for holiday accommodation providers, amongst other businesses. Previous targeted support for the B&B sector included a fund of up to £3 million to support those B&Bs with no business bank account (now closed).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">All self-catering properties, B&Bs and guest houses that are on the NDR roll, are eligible to apply for Level 4 support from the Strategic Framework Business Fund, which provides grants for businesses required to close by law as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. In most cases this will be payments of £2,000 every four weeks (</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN">£2</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">,000 if your business premises has a rateable value of up to and including £51,000. £3,000 if your business premises has a rateable value of £51,001 or above). </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Support equivalent to the Strategic Framework Business Fund will also now be available to B&Bs which do not pay Non Domestic Rates but pay council tax. This support will be paid by local authorities. Support packages have been designed in response to business needs and have been agreed with sector representatives. Details of how businesses can access the support will be published shortly.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">Larger self-catering premises (accommodating 7+) and exclusive use properties will also benefit from an additional £7 million fund to mitigate against the impact of the single household restrictions. <br /> <br />This is in addition to the previous targeted VS led Coronavirus support scheme for self-catering businesses fundwhich allocated £1.5 m (now closed) to self-catering businesses in Scotland with a rateable value of up to £50,999 (and paid NDR) who had not received any funding from any other Scottish Government Scheme following COVID-19.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b>Hospitality, retail and leisure top-up fund</b><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">The hospitality top-up fund is targeted at restaurants, bars, pubs, licensed social and sports clubs, cafes and hotels. Scottish Government resources are limited and this means we must take targeted action. We continue to call on the UK Government to transfer the fiscal levers required to enable us to respond fully to the needs of Scottish businesses.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">B&Bs and self-catering properties are not, and never have been, in scope for the retail and hospitality top up grants. The hospitality top up grants are targeted at restaurants, pubs, bars, licensed sports and social clubs and hotels as they tend to have more employees and higher fixed costs which isn’t entirely covered by furlough.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Business support cannot, and is not intended to, make up for all losses. Funding is allocated to provide essential lifeline assistance and support businesses through to recovery. We expect the self-catering and B&B sector to recover strongly in due course, and recovery in this sector may more rapid that that seen in other in other sectors. </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Island Businesses support<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">From January, Islands businesses in Level 3 are also eligible for support to the equivalent of Level 4 Strategic Framework Business Fund. This is in recognition that with the near nationwide lockdown and travel restrictions Islands businesses will require support. The grants available are based on the same terms and conditions as businesses on the mainland in level 4 and are not more generous. The Strategic Framework Business Fund offers businesses that are required to close at level 4 a temporary closure grant for every four weeks of restrictions depending on the size of business:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: #333333;">£2</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">,000 if your business premises has a rateable value of up to and including £51,000. £3,000 if your business premises has a rateable value of £51,001 or above. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><b><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Scottish Government approach<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">Each of the UK nations are choosing to take a different approach as suits their unique circumstances. In addition to the regular Strategic Business Fund support we have developed tailored support to meet the need of tourism businesses, in development with sector leads. We have also<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">established a £30 million local authority discretionary fund, which is empowering local authorities to direct funding to specific groups or sectors within their areas, including supply chain businesses.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 12pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">We<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>recognise</span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that this is an extremely difficult time for businesses of all kinds across Scotland.</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" lang="EN"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif">None of the decisions taken have been done so lightly. We will continue to review the support that is in place and will keep making the case to the UK Government for more support for the whole economy right across the UK.<span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif">More information available at<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span face="Arial, sans-serif"><a href="https://www.visitscotland.org/news/2021/sc-and-bb-support#:~:text=Details%20of%20support%20for%20larger%20self-catering%20properties%20and,%C2%A3104%20million%20tourism%20and%20hospitality%20package%20in%20December." style="color: purple; text-decoration: underline;"><span>Support for larger self-catering properties and B&Bs - News | VisitScotland.org</span></a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #44546a;"> </span></p>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-78668244728709461602021-02-02T15:10:00.003+00:002021-02-02T15:33:47.863+00:00Scottish Govt "Short-Term Lets" Licensing proposals: our message to the Committee<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> The Scottish Government plans to regulate "short term lets" by means of a licensing scheme that will also affect all small B&Bs (those in Use Class 9, ie "homes").</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our <span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/SBBA-submission-on-STL-proposals-22Jan21.pdf">latest submission to their consultation can be read here</a></span>. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The <span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Local Government and Communities Committee are discussing this tomorrow (Wed 3 Feb).</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">This is the message the Scottish B&B Association have sent today to the Convener of the Committee, James Dornan MSP:</span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mr Dornan,</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">May I request that you put this to tomorrow’s Committee meeting, as we are concerned that Kevin Stewart’s letter to the Convener of the Committee may be misleading?</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">I refer to this letter from Kevin Stewart MSP to James Dornan MSP (1 Feb 21):</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><a href="https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Local_Gov/General%20Documents/20210201shorttermlets.pdf" title="https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Local_Gov/General%20Documents/20210201shorttermlets.pdf">https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Local_Gov/General%20Documents/20210201shorttermlets.pdf</a><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">And in reply I would like to refer you and the Committee to my email to Kate Forbes MSP [<span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.assc.co.uk/letter-from-bb-association/">this can be read here</a></span>]. <br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As you can see, we felt Ms Forbes’s reply to a constituent was misleading, and pointed out how. We asked her and her colleagues not to make similar statements implying that we agreed with the STL licensing proposals.</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Unfortunately in his letter above, Kevin Stewart has again repeated the same misleading statements. This is to correct those, so the Committee can make fully informed decisions.</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">May I also add the folowing points about Mr Stewart’s letter (using his numbering):</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>1) Mr Stewart says of the licensing scheme requirements: “we do not consider them to be onerous”.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b> We strongly disagree, as our latest submission makes clear. The requirements regarding EPC certificates, maximum occupancy, sound insulation (changing floor coverings etc), arrival time curfews, reporting etc ARE potentially onerous for micro-businesses - and are unnecessary to impose on rural B&Bs which are not causing the problems the Committee is seeking to address. These will impose costs over and above the license fee.</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>4) “B&Bs have always been excluded”:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> regardless of what was intended, the wording put out was less than clear. Mr Stewart's letter points out that "Our 2019 consultation paper proposed excluding<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“<span style="font-style: italic;">licensed hotels and B&Bs and self-catering properties on their premises</span>”.<span>”</span></span></span></div><div class="page" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Many read this as excluding (a) licensed hotels and (b) B&Bs. I have to say that many MSPs and even ministers have expressed surprise that B&Bs were ever intended to be included. As soon as we heard that one of the options was to include B&Bs in UCO 9, we flagged this up as a problem issue in our formal consultation rsponse at the earliest stage possible. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><b>5. "Average indicative fees are estimated to be in the range £223 and £377 for a three year licence”:</b></span></span></span></p></div></div></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>These figures are misleading, as there is NOTHING guaranteeing they will be in this range - and in fact there will be a equirement for Local Authorities to cover their costs, so depending on what Local Authorities choose to spend, and how many license fee payers are in their area, the fees may be much higher.</span></span></span></p><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some comparable fees are £800 and more, and the STL Licence fee may possibly reach £1,000 in some areas. In any case, fees of several hundred pounds are disproportionate for microbusinesses with one or two guest bedrooms - and unnecessary, considering that (as Mr Stewart concedes) the established B&Bs are already complying with key existing safety legislation.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>As you will know by now, the ASSC’s very recent survey (also sent to our members) of B&Bs across Scotland found the following:</span></span></span></p></div></div></div><blockquote style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><li style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">88% are rural / semi-rural / island</span></span></li></div></div></div></div><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><li style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">78% have been operating 3+ years, with 20% over 15 years, one 37+ years</span></span></li></div></div></div></div><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><li style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">76% are UCO9 (residential) compared to 24% UCO7 (Guest House), which means that 76% will be required to obtain a licence</span></span></span></li></div></div></div></div><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><li style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">39% believe that any additional licence fee would render their business unviable, 55% believe it would have a negative impact</span></span></span></li></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div class="page" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Mr Stewart’s letter also repeats Ms Forbes’s potentially misleading statement to her constituents, saying:</span></span></span></p></div></div></div><blockquote style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>"The Scottish B&B Association responded to both our 2019 and 2020 consultations, highlighting that their members adhered to safety standards and that they were in favour of levelling the playing field between B&Bs and properties listed on platforms such as Airbnb.</span><span>”</span></span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div class="page" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As I said to Kate Forbes when she had used those words to her constituents:</span></span></p></div></div></div><p style="margin-left: 40px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">We did give written responses to Scottish Government consultations in July 2019 and October 2020 (the latter a very limited consultation, as a licensing scheme had by then been decided upon). However you omitted the significant fact that both times, we made very clear that a licensing scheme would be the WRONG way to go, and explained why. And in October, we specifically warned of the danger of bringing in B&Bs into the definition of “short-term lets”. Again we were ignored.</span> </span></span><br /></p><blockquote style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><div><div class="WordSection1"><div><div><div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>Yes we have long been in favour of levelling the playing-field between B&Bs and properties on “platforms” such as Airbnb - and we have made very clear to the Scottish Government (since 2017 when we gave evidence to your Expet Panel on the “Collaborative Economy”) that this “playing field” distortion was a matter of ENFORCEMENT. To put it simply, traditional B&Bs are subject to the enforcement by regulators of health & safety rules, and properties on platforms like Airbnb are in practice <u>not</u>. The way to bring the same level of enforcement to both is to bring in a no or low cost <u>accommodation registration scheme</u>, <u>not</u> an onerous, costly, inflexible and unwieldy licensing scheme.</span></span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">As regards the consultation excercise, as I told Ms Forbes:</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><blockquote style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><div class="WordSection1"><div><div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>In any case, seeking written submissions from voluntary trade associations is<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>not</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>sufficient as a consultation excercise before changes of this scope and scale - if your Government had intended<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>every owner of a house (ie UCO 9) in Scotland who offered even one room as B&B</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>to be subject to a licensing regime, it would have been incumbent on you to carry out a near population-level consultation and communications excercise.</span></span></span></div></div></div></div></div></blockquote><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="WordSection1" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>Whether the consultation excercise was legally watertight is, I understand, a question worth asking. Unlike Acts of the UK parliament which (generally since leaving the EU) cannot be challenged in the courts, Scottish Acts can be challenged in the Scottish Courts if they are outwith the scope of the legal powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament. But there are much wider grounds for challenging subordinate legislation (ie legislation like this Order made not by Parliament but by Ministers in exercise of powers given to them under an Act of either Parliament). These include procedural impropriety etc. which may be wide enough to include failure to properly consult key sectors affected, particularly in the context of published “best practice”. As I told Ms Forbes and the Committee should be aware, this is something we are looking into at present.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><span>We ask the Committee to set aside the current proposals pending a review, full economic impact assessment and appropriate scale of consultation.</span></span></span></span></b></div></div></div></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; color: black; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Regards,</div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><br /></div><div style="color: black; font-style: normal;"><b>David Weston</b></div><div style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><i>Chairman</i></div><div style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><span><b>Scottish Bed & Breakfast Association </b></span><i><br /></i></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></div></span></span></span></span></span></div><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-38784589131546458142021-01-07T10:24:00.006+00:002021-01-20T09:00:06.522+00:00B&Bs in Scotland: the new 'Short-Term Lets' licensing law may affect YOU: act before 22nd January<p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">As we told members at the end of last year, we are very concerned at the way the Scottish Government is choosing to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011HVG9YA6jlzD45hQR8Zb1dFYZQrcIRthScgzx19Q89LJ026Zbk8_7y7HeG1tlBeYVgVQcLHsD2eC1pw7f4qLfTjVZb-6-Wqgb1pVcVElRSQNgAFveDrzuUU2KHSXbaWdcbTKaemu1MdWEsF_7J_6CTu66X1qbJTYM2y6kzglE90vtzPp684LQ5WFL48jiSshwWrhOoAIe1w=&c=&ch=" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">regulate "short-term lets"</a> (STLs).</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The original intention was to tackle the very real problems which have arisen (especially in cities like Edinburgh) as a result of the explosive growth of unregulated accommodation on platforms like Airbnb. These represent a danger to consumers, a nuisance to neighbouring residents - and of course, very unfair competition to B&Bs who comply with existing rules and are checked and inspected for fire safety etc.<br /></span></span></p><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">As our members will know, one of our<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0011HVG9YA6jlzD45hQR8Zb1dFYZQrcIRthScgzx19Q89LJ026Zbk8_74RNYnfooPGll4pWZyzwEYznWbDYyhuGYkTN3qPwkX4-a3jXmr1Z6oB6TlJarN7Msl-SFQ1Kk0T2lgvunucTy31H9xm5Rim8ygNoNlvuiiAgx0J9rLmSoXU=&c=&ch=" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">campaigns</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>since 2012 has been to<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">level the playing-field</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>between bona fide B&Bs and platforms like Airbnb. We urged the Scottish Government (including in our original submission to their consultation process back in July 2019) to look at the option of a low-cost, light touch accommodation registration scheme.</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our fear was that the Scottish Government's</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> preferred option of a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">licensing scheme</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>would be unwieldy, expensive and onerous, and would be likely to have unintended consequences.<br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">Despite our clear submissions in 2019, the Scottish Government then decided to proceed with a licensing scheme for STLs, and asked for further comments on this last October. In our submission then, we answered as follows:</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><blockquote style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span>We made a fuller submission at an earlier stage of this process (July 2019), and <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">are NOT generally in favour of the approach now chosen</span>; hence this brief submission confines itself to remaining points within the remit of the current consultation.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span>As we understand it, UCO "Class 7" (Hotels and hostels) are excluded from the definition of a "short term let" under 4.7. These are premises used "as a hotel, boarding house, guest house, or hostel".</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">We would like to clarify that this means that "traditional" B&Bs and guesthouses are NOT subject to the proposed legislation on short-term lets</span>.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">Should a B&B or guesthouse happen NOT currently to be classed under "Class 7", we would like it clarified that the application for change of use class to Class 7 will be expedited by the appropriate planning authority, to avoid businesses not intended to be subject to these regulations being drawn in</span>.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><br /><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">3 Please identify any issues with the proposed licensing order as set out in chapter 6, and how to resolve them.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span><span style="background-color: #fcff01;">We have never been in favour of a licensing scheme, preferring a low-cost registration scheme</span>. However, if a licensing scheme has been decided on, we strongly advise that thought be given to <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">making it affordable to micro-businesses</span>. The regulations seem to provide for the relevant department to decide how much to spend, then divide that figure by the number of properties and charge accordingly.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span>To us, <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">that is a recipe for over-spend in cost and consequently for very small enterprises to be hit with punitive charges as the price of doing any business at all. That would be unfair, disproportionate and damaging to Scotland's economy and to tourism</span>.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span>The main purpose of this regime (we believe) should be to bring accommodation on "peer to peer platforms" - which come within the definition of "short term lets" - into a comparable safety compliance, inspection and enforcement regime as that currently applied to our members (B&Bs & guesthouses). The licensing scheme should NOT be aimed at being financially punitive.</span></span></p></div></div></div></div><div><div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span>The license fee for the smallest properties/businesses should be set bearing this in mind, and <span style="background-color: #fcff01;">after consultation with industry representatives</span> - and kept under review. </span></span></p></div></div></div></div></blockquote><br /></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">We understood that the Scottish Government's original intention had been to target the new STL rules at the risky short-term lets causing the problems - ie those on the platforms which are unchecked and unregulated. <span style="font-weight: bold;">But the legislation they have now drawn up<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>will catch small B&Bs too</span>: ie those of "Class 9" (houses) under the Use Class Order (UCO). </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">UCO 9 allows a householder in Scotland to offer bed and breakfast without planning permission "where no more than two bedrooms are used for this purpose or, in the case of premises having less than four bedrooms, only one bedroom is used for that purpose". <b>It looks as if all small B&Bs in this category will have to apply for the new licence</b>. We are very disappointed that the Government has taken this course, and will be pressing for changes. </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our colleagues at the Association of Scottish Self-Caterers (ASSC) - who also represent thousands of existing home-based micro-businesses in Scotland - have similar views to us on the principles of this issue and the mistaken (in our view) path the Scottish Government has embarked upon.</span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>The ASSC has written a very useful summary of the implications for B&Bs of the Scottish Governemnt's STL regulations, which we urge you to read - it is here</b>:</span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.assc.co.uk/information-for-the-bb-sector-on-the-scottish-governments-short-term-let-regulations/"><span style="font-family: georgia;">https://www.assc.co.uk/information-for-the-bb-sector-on-the-scottish-governments-short-term-let-regulations/</span></a></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.assc.co.uk/information-for-the-bb-sector-on-the-scottish-governments-short-term-let-regulations/"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></a></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span>Do particularly look at the licensing scheme's onerous demands such as around <b>EPC certificates</b> - this will be a disproportionate and unnecessary burden on small B&Bs in older or historic buildings. The ASSC outlines these requirements on the page linked above.<br /></span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span> </span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><b>A catastrophic "Double Whammy": </b></span></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><b> </b><br /></span></span></span><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">All the B&B owners in Scotland we have spoken to are understandably very concerned that the poorly-drafted “Short-Term Lets” licensing legislation would be hugely onerous to microbusinesses across Scotland, and would be a catastrophic “double whammy” after these very same small family businesses have been so disproportionately hit by Covid-19.</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Our (UK-wide) member survey in December found that on average, B&Bs had their sales turnover in 2020 <b>down 60% </b>on 2019; the ONS showed UK GDP* was down 8.6% in 2020 - so that means that <b>B&Bs and guesthouses have been hit </b><b>seven times harder</b> than the economy as a whole. Hence the need for very targeted support measures to aid recovery, NOT for onerous and costly new burdens on micro-businesses that are already complying with health and safety regulations.</span></span></div></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: right; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* 3rd quarter 2019 - 3rd quarter 2020, ONS</span></span><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">The Bed & Breakfast Association told the Scottish Government from the beginning that a simple, low or no-cost, light-touch registration scheme for tourism accommodation would enable consumers to be protected and level the playing-field between B&Bs and the currently unregulated accommodation on platforms like Airbnb. The core problem this licensing scheme was aimed at solving was a very localised one, largely in Edinburgh - but the scheme as drafted will damage small businesses right across Scotland and damage Scottish tourism.</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Some comments from our members show the strength of feeling:</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><blockquote style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>“There is no way on gods earth we could continue to trade if this comes into force.</b> <b>Plus in these uncertain times, where we have had no bookings for the past 3 months, despite still being open, is just ludicrous.</b></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>If this does go ahead we ( and I’m sure many others) we will have to stop trading, we would be running at a loss.”</b></span></span><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A B&B owner in Orkney</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div id="yMail_cursorElementTracker_1610045875331"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><b>“This will be damaging to our business and others alike… Having been closed for most of the past 12 months and only having one grant from the Government to cover our costs, this will truly put another strain on our already struggling business.”</b></span></span></div></div><div><div id="yMail_cursorElementTracker_1610045875331"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">A B&B owner in Moffat</span></span></div></div></blockquote><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></span></div></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">We hope the current proposals are set aside for a fuller consultation and proper impact assessment before being reviewed and reconsidered. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: georgia;"><br /></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: georgia;">What <u>you</u> can do:</span></b></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"> </span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;">1) Please <b style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none medium; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><u>contact your local MSP </u>highlighting the problems with the regulations</b><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">, quoting as much as you want from the information provided by us and/or the ASSC, noting that one of the unintended consequences of this rushed legislation is that it will affect B&Bs. </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">You can <b>find your MSP</b> using the postcode checker tool on the Scottish Parliament website:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://beta.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none medium; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">https://beta.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps</a></span><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Please also <u>copy in</u>: <a href="mailto:info@scottishbandbassociation.org">info@scottishbandbassociation.org</a> and <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><u><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="https://www.assc.co.uk/information-for-the-bb-sector-on-the-scottish-governments-short-term-let-regulations/communications@assc.co.uk" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none medium; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">communications@assc.co.uk</a></span></u></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span>2) Please also <b>email your views to</b><b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span><b style="margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none medium; padding: 0px;"><u><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="mailto:LocalGovernmentandCommunities@parliament.scot" style="border: medium none; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none medium; padding: 0px;">LocalGovernmentandCommunities@parliament.scot</a></span></u> </b><span style="color: red;"><b style="margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none medium; padding: 0px;">by Friday 22 January.</b></span></span></span><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">As detailed on the ASSC summary page for B&B owners (see link above), the Committee are asking for responses in the form of answers to three specific questions, which are:</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: medium;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>1. Do the proposed changes strike the correct balance between protecting the long-term sustainability of local communities and promoting tourism and strong local economies?<br /> <br />2. Has the Scottish Government’s defined short terms lets in a clear and correct way in the legislation?<br /> <br />3. Will local authorities have adequate resources, powers and expertise to make a success of their new powers and duties? </b><br /> </span><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Again, when emailing your responses to the Committee <b>please copy in</b>: <a href="mailto:info@scottishbandbassociation.org">info@scottishbandbassociation.org</a> and <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><u><span style="color: #2b00fe;"><a href="mailto:communications@assc.co.uk" style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; border: medium none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; outline: currentcolor none medium; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">communications@assc.co.uk</a></span></u></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(22, 22, 22); color: #161616; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">**************** <br /></span></span></div></div><p><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If you own a B&B or Guesthouse in Scotland and are not yet a member of the <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/" target="_blank">B&B Association</a> (which includes membership of the Scottish B&B Association), there are many <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/whyjoin.htm" target="_blank">reasons to join us</a> - including helping us lobby against onerous and expensive STL rules affecting <u>your</u> business. You can join us for just over £1 a week (£55 a year) - <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/subscribe.htm" target="_blank">click here for details</a>.<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></span></span><br /></p>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-49678629044359833072020-05-12T17:38:00.001+01:002020-05-14T09:46:49.409+01:00The £617 million Grant Fund for Council Tax paying B&Bs<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i>This is an update on where things are with the £617m fund - as we know many are desperate for information: </i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As the UK trade association for B&B and guest house owners, the B&B Association is here to "fight the corner" of B&Bs - so when the original Government help schemes for Covid-19 came out back in March, we immediately started lobbying Government to fill in the "gaps" in the first schemes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">An early one was the self-employed - which many B&B owners are. The Government later launched its <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme" target="_blank">Self-Employed Income Support Scheme</a> (SEISS), to provide support to the self-employed, based on their last three years' average earnings.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But another big gap was B&Bs paying Council Tax rather than Business Rates. The original grant scheme for small hospitality businesses was based on business rateable value, so was no help to those who only pay Council Tax - as 51% of our members do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So, from 23rd March we spent six weeks lobbying Government for grants to be extended to Council Tax paying B&Bs. Eventually on Saturday 2nd May, the Government announced <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/top-up-to-local-business-grant-funds-scheme" target="_blank">a new "top up" grant fund of £617 million</a>, which was prioritised for (amongst others) "bed and breakfasts that pay council tax rather than business rates".</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So far, so good - but a leaked internal Government document about the fund seemed to imply that any business that was "eligible" for the previous grant schemes or SEISS might <u>not</u> be eligible for the new fund. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">This would not be good news for those who might be <i>eligible</i> for SEISS but not get much at all from it </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">because they did not make much taxable profit </span>(SEISS would pay 80% of the total of three average months' taxable self-employed income - averaged across the whole year). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Another battle to fight! We explained these issues to Government, and strongly pressed for "eligibility" for SEISS <u>not</u> to rule out applicants for the new fund. It would be better for each business to be able to choose which to apply for, depending on their circumstances.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It was encouraging when Oxford City Council put out a paper about the fund which had changed the condition to exclude those "<b>already in receipt of</b>.. SEISS". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But we still (as of today, 12 May) do not know what mandatory Terms & Conditions (T&Cs) the Government (BEIS, under Alok Sharma) is imposing on local authorities as regards the fund. As we tweeted on 7 May, we were told that BEIS was due to issue directions to local authorities <b>this week (w/c 11 May)</b>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Local authorities are being given their share of the £617 million, and will distribute the fund to businesses and have "discretion" over it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So for each B&B, it is the T&Cs set out by <u>their own local authority</u> which matters. We advise all B&Bs paying Council Tax to <b>check your local authority's website now and daily over the next few days</b>, as applications could open any time now for this fund. Indeed some local authorities might already have opened them. You would be well advised to <b>apply as soon as possible</b>, as funds are limited. Local authorities will <u>not</u> be contacting everyone who may be eligible (several have asked us for lists of every B&B in their area, as they don't have lists themselves!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Government have told us that their key aim in designing their various support schemes has been that for any individual business affected by Covid-19, <u>one</u> Government support scheme will help them. This might be the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wages-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme" target="_blank">Job Retention Scheme</a> (for employers, today extended until October), SEISS (for the self-employed), the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-coronavirus-business-interruption-loan-scheme" target="_blank">Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)</a>, the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-support-grant-funding-guidance-for-businesses" target="_blank">Small Business Grant Fund or Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grant Fund</a> (both for Business Rate paying businesses), or the £617m grant fund we've described above (for Council Tax paying B&Bs missing out on other help), or the "<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-coronavirus-bounce-back-loan" target="_blank">Bounce Back Loans</a>": fast-track loans, "paid in days", 100% guaranteed by Government with nothing to pay for 12 months (£8.4 billion of these 'Bounce Back Loans' have already been paid out to nearly 270,000 small businesses since the scheme launched last week).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">(Other help includes <a href="https://www.gov.uk/difficulties-paying-hmrc" target="_blank">HMRC giving extra time to pay VAT and other tax</a>.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Unfortunately in reality there are many anomalies and unfairnesses in the way different types of business have been able to access financial assistance, but the Government's stated objective is that at least <u>one</u> of the above help schemes should help your business survive through the lockdown so it can open again in the Summer, when "Step 3" of their "<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy" target="_blank">Recovery Strategy</a>" is reached (on 4th July at the earliest).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Good luck in your applications to your local authorities - do let us know how they go.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Our subscribing members will be kept fully up to date as always - keep an eye on your email inbox. And if you're not already a member, your <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/subscribe.htm" target="_blank">joining options are here</a>. You can join us for <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/trialoffer.htm" target="_blank">as little as £19</a> for three months from the start of the month after you sign up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">UPDATE 13 May:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/885011/local-authority-discretionary-grants-fund-guidance-local-government.pdf" target="_blank">The official Government guidance to local authorities from BEIS</a> has now been published for the "Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund" (LADGF).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The key paragraph on eligibility is:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 75.6px; top: 727.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00924);">29.</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 134.6px; top: 727.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00098);">This grant funding is for businesses that are not eligible for other support schemes. </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 135.6px; top: 750.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00088);"><b>Businesses which have received cash grants</b> <b>from any central </b></span><b><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 688.2px; top: 750.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00268);">government C</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 814px; top: 750.095px; transform: scaleX(0.99584);">OVID</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 862.8px; top: 750.095px;">-</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 135.6px; top: 773.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00415);">related </span></b><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 202.6px; top: 773.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00028);"><b>scheme are ineligible </b>for funding from the Discretionary Grants Fund. </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 202.6px; top: 773.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00028);">Such grant </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 135.6px; top: 796.095px; transform: scaleX(1.00082);">schemes include but are not limited to: </span></span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 134.6px; top: 838.493px;"></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 164.4px; top: 840.495px;">S</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 177.8px; top: 840.495px; transform: scaleX(1.00116);">elf Employment Income Support Scheme</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 134.6px; top: 872.893px;"></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 164.4px; top: 874.895px;">S</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 177.8px; top: 874.895px; transform: scaleX(1.00073);">mall Business Grant Fund</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 134.6px; top: 907.293px;"></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 164.4px; top: 909.295px;">R</span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; left: 178.8px; top: 909.295px; transform: scaleX(1.0014);">etail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant </span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">After such a long wait for this "clarification", the above is infuriating, as the wording is sloppy & contradictory. The first sentence of the key para talks about eligibility for other help, but the next sentence says businesses who “have received” cash from other schemes are ineligible. How local authorities interpret that is key.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">For what it's worth, our interpretation is that the first sentence is a preamble and not legalistically worded - just an opening statement saying that the LADGF is (in principle) for businesses who have not yet received Government help. We think the second sentence (which we put in bold above) is the key one. That would imply that if you were <i>eligible</i> for SEISS but knew you wouldn't get much from it, you could choose not to apply for SEISS, and apply for the LADGF from your local authority instead.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">That is only our interpretation though, and what matters is how each local authority translates the above central Government guidance into its own T&Cs for the grant.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0">As we advise above, <b>check your local auhority's website now and daily until details about the LADGF appear</b> - and do let us know what <u>your</u> local authority allows.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-73293821648809108032019-03-07T17:15:00.000+00:002019-03-09T15:17:06.654+00:00Why ‘highjacking’ your name on search engines should be banned<style>
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<span lang="EN-US">The relationship between accommodation
owners and giant online travel agencies (OTAs) is one of the hottest topics in
our industry just now.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The big OTAs undoubtedly offer huge
benefits to hotels and B&Bs, helping us to fill our rooms by marketing them
globally on user-friendly apps and websites for a known commission rate,
payable only when a booking is taken.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">However, this great boon has come at a
heavy cost – the dominance of especially the two biggest American OTAs who have
80% of that market, and the consequent reduced margins for accommodation owners
and loss of cashflow, soaring cancellation rates, and a compromised relationship
with their guests. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Profits have taken a big hit for accommodation
owners, employers and risk-takers as the online intermediaries grab an ever-larger
share of bookings (taking their 15-25% cut on those), and consequently prices
have been driven up for consumers, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the OTAs have been hugely enriched. The big
two OTAs are now worth much more than the biggest four global hotel groups
combined. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">From the small accommodation owners’
perspective, this loss of control and profitability to the intermediaries has <u>not</u>
been the result of free and fair competition. It has been at least partly driven
by (a) some <a href="http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/284638/opinion-are-big-otas-abusing-their-power" target="_blank">egregiously misleading marketing</a>, (b) restrictive “rate parity”
clauses preventing discounting by owners to their direct bookers, and (c) the
dominance by the OTAs of internet search.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Back in July 2017, the B&B Association
<a href="http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/285095/uk-association-files-multiple-complaints-against-bookingcom" target="_blank">filed five formal complaints</a> with the UK competition regulator (CMA) covering
those three key areas. Three of our complaints – on fake “discounts”,
misleading availability statements and manipulated search rankings – were acted
on by the CMA on 6th February this year, when they <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hotel-booking-sites-to-make-major-changes-after-cma-probe" target="_blank">banned a raft of“misleading” practices by OTAs</a>.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Our first complaint to the CMA had been
about “rate parity” clauses, which we still want banned – and I wrote about
that issue in Travel Weekly recently (“<a href="http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/323842/opinion-why-ota-rate-parity-clauses-should-be-banned" target="_blank">Why OTA ‘rate parity’ clauses should bebanned</a>”, Feb 13th).</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">That leaves our fifth complaint to the CMA
from 2017 (also still not addressed): against forced (non-optional contract
term) bidding by OTAs on hotel and B&B names with search engines.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">This practice enables the OTAs to colonise
the top of search listings, even for searches of a B&B’s or hotel’s own
brand/name, without the owner’s express permission. It is typically bundled
with all the other T&Cs, so non-negotiable.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">One of our members, Frank McCready,
referred to this as “brandjacking”. He says: “The considerable investment I
have made in a website that enables online realtime availability and booking is
totally wasted. I am now invisible in web searches- lucky to appear on page
ten!” His requests to the OTA to stop bidding on his name were refused,
and he was told by Google that only a spend of over £900 per month on
pay-per-click would counter the OTA taking top place on Google searches for his
B&B’s own name. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">He has just launched a <a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/243020/" target="_blank"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Government ePetition to make “highjacking” by OTAs of a B&B or hotel’s name on search engines illegal</b></a></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We agree that a hotel or B&B should be
allowed to say to an OTA “yes, we’re happy to deal with you, happy to give you
our availability, happy to pay you commission on bookings you bring us, BUT we
don’t want you to undermine our own direct marketing by bidding on our own name
with search engines”. That would make competition freer and fairer.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The way to achieve that is for the CMA to
ban the OTAs from forcing their name-bidding terms on an accommodation
provider. That must <u>not</u> be a non-negotiable item bundled into the OTA’s
T&Cs on a “take it or leave it” basis as at present; it must be subject to
separate express agreement.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">We see this ‘ask’ as a modest and reasonable
way of redressing the grotesque imbalance of power between global OTAs and tiny
family businesses, and making competition a little fairer. So join me in urging
the CMA to act.</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US"><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/243020/" target="_blank">CLICK here to read and sign Frank McReady's Petition </a></span></b></span></div>
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David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-32512523740800621722019-02-10T16:44:00.001+00:002019-02-10T18:01:18.129+00:00No "free ride": why OTA "rate parity" clauses must be bannedA landlord tells the authorities that he has just spent many millions building a five-storey, gold-plated store on Bond Street. But he is worried that his investment might not pay off - unless his merchandise suppliers can be <u>prevented by law</u> from undercutting his chosen markup. Otherwise, he says, they could "free ride" at his expense, by gaining promotion in his Bond Street windows, after which shoppers could buy direct from the producer without the Mayfair mark-up.<br />
<br />
So the landlord (an American billionaire) asks the British competition authorities to allow him to legally <u>prevent</u> his suppliers from undercutting him. Shoppers must always pay his Mayfair markup, even if they buy direct from the maker, not at the Bond Street shop.<br />
<br />
Farfetched? Ridiculous? Not in the world of "Online Travel Agencies" (OTAs). Because these global giants (including Booking.com, worth $88 billion, and Expedia, worth $22 billion) have used this "free riding" argument to convince the UK competition regulator (CMA) that their restrictive "rate parity" clauses on B&Bs and hotels are justified, and therefore legal.<br />
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The "rate parity" clauses (in competition law jargon, "narrow MFNs") are put by OTAs into their contracts with B&Bs and hotels, to prevent the accommodation owners from discounting their own prices to their own customers on their own websites. The OTAs demand a certain commission level (typically between 15% and 25%), and insist that the B&B or hotel <u>must</u> charge the full commission-inclusive price to customers on the B&B's or hotel's own website too. Even when no commission is payable - for example, when a guest is booking a B&B direct from the B&B's own website.<br />
<br />
The CMA recognises that such "rate parity" clauses are a restrictive practice, alien to most of today's commercial world - "retail price maintenance" was outlawed in Britain in 1964 as against the public interest.<br />
<br />
Yet so far, the CMA has <u>accepted</u> the OTAs' "free riding" argument justifying their restrictive practice. <br />
<br />
OTAs have said that the millions they spend on websites, apps, brands and advertising might not be viable if the merchandise producers (ie accommodation owners) were allowed to undercut the gross prices that include their hefty mark-ups to pay for that gold-plated virtual storefront. That would, they say, be "free riding". They insist they must be allowed to keep prices high online.<br />
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Common sense would suggest that our fictional landlord with his Bond Street store would be sent packing by the authorities. Their answer would be simple: NO. <b>No</b>, you can't prevent the merchandise producers from selling elsewhere for less. <b>No</b>, you can't drive up the prices shoppers pay by forcing manufacturers to price in your Mayfair markup. <b>No</b>, you can't expect the legal system to underwrite what you have chosen to spend on your shop windows. If you chose to build that shop, that was your free choice and whether it is viable depends on the marketplace. If it isn't, you go bust. That is free competition in a free market.<br />
<br />
We raised <a href="http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/285095/uk-association-files-multiple-complaints-against-bookingcom" target="_blank">five formal complaints</a> with the CMA back in July 2017. We are absolutely delighted that last week, they <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hotel-booking-sites-to-make-major-changes-after-cma-probe" target="_blank">took action</a> to ban a raft of the <a href="http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/284638/opinion-are-big-otas-abusing-their-power" target="_blank">misleading and abusive practices</a> we highlighted.<br />
<br />
One of those complaints, though, its still outstanding: we asked the CMA to ban "rate parity" clauses here in the UK, as they have been in France, Italy, Austria and Germany.<br />
<br />
We now repeat our call to the CMA to finally reject the OTAs' blatantly self-serving "free riding" argument, and <b>ban "rate parity" clauses by OTAs</b>.<br />
<br />
What have giant global corporations to fear from tiny B&Bs freely setting their own prices to their own customers? Why do the online giants need to restrict small family businesses, and keep prices high for consumers? Let's have free and fair competition.<br />
<br />
Over 18 months on, the CMA should act now and give the dominant global OTAs the answer that Bond Street landlord would have got: <b>NO</b>.<br />
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<br />David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-51230752034291509702019-01-13T15:48:00.001+00:002019-01-13T15:48:23.518+00:00Did you know that "recommending" a supplier can now be illegal?<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Be careful now when "recommending" a specific supplier to your guests, or when "adding value" to your stays (by including another element) - as both may now be illegal in certain circumstances, unless you have protected your guests' payments (for example, by taking out insolvency protection or arranging a financial "bond").</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In July 2018 the Package Travel regulations (PTRs) were completely revised. Originally dating from 1992 and designed to protect holidaymakers from the risk of their tour operator going bust, the PTRs are now much wider and do affect B&Bs in certain circumstances. We and many industry bodies (especially the Tourism Alliance, of which we are members) tried vigorously over the last couple of years to persuade the Government to modify the UK regulations from the EU directive they are based on - but to no avail. So we are left with a ridiculously disproportionate set of laws that will be "honoured more in the breach than the observance". We regret that these laws now bind us - but as your trade association, it is our duty to inform you that this is now the law of the UK.<br /><br /><b>Penalties for "adding value":</b><br />If you "add value", by combining another element with a stay at your B&B - for example, by adding a local green fee to make a golfing break - that may create a "package", which means that you (as the package "organiser") must have insolvency insurance, a client "escrow" account or be "bonded" like a tour operator. Selling a package without such protection can make an organiser liable to <u>criminal</u> prosecution [<i>sic</i>]. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Government has been telling our industry that a priority should be to "add value" to innovate our product and increase our sector's productivity - yet the PTRs actively discourage adding value.<br /><br /><b>Penalties for "recommending":</b><br />If you "recommend" a particular supplier - for example, a local pub or restaurant - the PTRs may make you 100% liable for that supplier's performance, as if you were providing it yourself.<br /><br /><b>Detailed guidance is available for our members:</b><br />If you are a member of the Association, you will find <b>new and detailed guidance documents on our member pages</b>, which explain the full details of the PTRs and how they may affect your business.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />If you are not yet a member, simply <a href="http://www.bandbassociation.org/subscribe.htm" target="_blank">join us</a>, then login to our member pages using your member password to view the full guidance documents.</span>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-18818325057904367082018-09-03T10:46:00.001+01:002018-09-03T10:46:28.753+01:00Going Above & Beyond – What Makes A Great B&B
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<br />
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What
makes a B&B outstanding? </span></h3>
<h3 class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carly Menken from <a href="https://www.directlineforbusiness.co.uk/" target="_blank">Direct Line for Business</a> shares
her advice on how to go above and beyond: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: _Hlk522280492;"></span>
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: windowtext;">Get
to know your guests</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext;"></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Want to delight your customers and be the perfect host? Be
prepared from the outset. Send your guests a quick email after they’ve booked
to ask if they have any food preferences, require a parking space, or if
there’s anything else they’d like on arrival. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">On arrival day, first impressions count, so make sure your
guests feel welcome and at ease straight away. Give them a quick tour if they’ve
not stayed with you before and offer them a welcome drink. You can really make
a lasting impression for your regular guests by throwing in something special
for them, like their favourite snack or a bottle of wine in their room. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">When it comes to check-out, don’t miss the opportunity to
find out how you could improve your guests’ experience. Ask them to fill out a
quick feedback form – they’re more likely to give you their honest opinion if
these are anonymous. And feedback doesn’t have to be one way – let your guests
know what great customers they’ve been, and remember to thank them for staying
with you.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: windowtext;">Find
your unique selling point (USP)</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext;"></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">To <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> impress
your guests, you need to give them something they can’t get elsewhere. Research
your competitors and get to know what they offer, so you can do things
differently or better. For example, if a rival B&B owner leaves newspapers
out for guests during breakfast, go one step further.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask your guests what newspaper they'd like
before they arrive. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">If there’s something that makes your B&B different, make
the most of it. Perhaps you have a unique location or an interesting history? Promote
your uniqueness to stand out from the competition. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: windowtext;">Stock
up on the essentials</span></u></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext;"> </span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">When you’re running a B&B, you’ll quickly realise that
guests forget things. So be prepared and stock up on basics like toothpaste,
toiletries, new toothbrushes and cotton buds. Choose luxury items to really
treat your guests, and make sure you have extras of everything, like towels, so
they don’t feel awkward about asking for more. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">It’s also nice to leave a guest room basket or pack, with
maps, local taxi numbers and restaurant recommendations. Other welcome tray
ideas include tea making facilities, snacks and bottled water. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: windowtext;">Manage
expectations</span></u></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">The easiest way to make sure you don’t disappoint guests is
to be honest and upfront about your accommodation. If the rooms are a bit small
don’t exaggerate their size – some guests will be perfectly happy with a cosy bedroom
if the breakfast is great. Make sure you plan for worst-case scenarios; make a
list of things that can go wrong (or have before) and come up with an action
plan for each.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Guest expectations managed? Now you can exceed them. Always
offer a bit more than your website or listing says you do. It’ll be a lovely
surprise for your guests (and something your competitors won’t be able to nab!).
A small gift on departure, for example, goes a long way. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: windowtext;">Don’t
forget the basics</span></u></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">It’s easy to get carried away with ways to wow your guests,
but don’t forget about the B&B staples. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">You can be in the most rural location but guests will still
expect good Wi-Fi. So, do your best to find an internet provider that can make
this happen. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">At breakfast, try to provide a wide selection of foods – or,
even better, ask your guests in advance what they’d like to eat. Try to be
flexible about check-in and check-out times – a rigid early check-out can put a
slight dampener on an otherwise great stay.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">When it comes to the rooms, the two things that can really
affect your guests’ comfort are temperature and noise, so do what you can to
get these right. It goes without saying that rooms should always be spotless
and decorated tastefully.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: windowtext;">Have
fun!</span></u></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">To be a great host, let your guests get to know the real you.
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Remember why you started hosting in the first place. Chances
are you enjoy meeting and interacting with new people, so set aside time to do
this – whether that’s stopping to say hello over breakfast or inviting your
guests for an early evening drink before they go out for dinner. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: windowtext;">If you’re stressed, others will notice. Find the balance
between enjoying yourself and providing a great service – your guests will
thank you for it.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Being a good bed
and breakfast host</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In
summary, it’s often the simple things, which don’t take much time or money, that
take a B&B from being good to great. Being smart about what you offer your
guests and how you communicate with them will have a big impact on their stay. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 213.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Thanks to: <a href="https://www.directlineforbusiness.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-weight: normal;">Direct Line for Business</span></a>.</span></b></span></div>
David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-20150175624697292182018-07-18T11:30:00.001+01:002018-07-18T11:57:51.846+01:00MPs call for "level playing field", and more responsibility from "Sharing Economy" platforms<style>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAXVs61OsNUP1A3hzvmaQEvrQyNlHlhbCFDrA6zzsb8CzkhCJEDHQGt889yI4sQhb1zmQa80D6Kcs5nNDkQWn_oojWwvRQUdKk6LDENm1XvsFVt0KqaZOogaXF6ks_0YxfhpXAZ0kDcQ/s1600/366-gordon-marsden-95-1514616237.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="630" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRAXVs61OsNUP1A3hzvmaQEvrQyNlHlhbCFDrA6zzsb8CzkhCJEDHQGt889yI4sQhb1zmQa80D6Kcs5nNDkQWn_oojWwvRQUdKk6LDENm1XvsFVt0KqaZOogaXF6ks_0YxfhpXAZ0kDcQ/s320/366-gordon-marsden-95-1514616237.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We welcome the publication today (18 July
2018) of a report on the so-called “Sharing Economy” by the All-Party
Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Tourism, Chaired by Gordon Marsden MP (left) . The Report
calls for <b>“a level playing-field for all tourism businesses”</b>, and calls for
Airbnb-type properties and similar small B&Bs to be treated the same way. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">It also calls for platforms to </span><span lang="EN-US">
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</style></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">"ensure that hosts have, as a minimum, undertaken a fire safety
assessment, a health and safety assessment and, where relevant, have Gas Safe
certification. Accommodation providers should <u>not be allowed to register
properties without proof of these assessments</u></span></b>". </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">These recommendations echo what the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bed & Breakfast
Association </b>has been calling for since 2012, and our own evidence to the APPG given in February.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The APPG notes the scale of the issue,
saying “PWC estimate that sharing economy businesses in the accommodation
sector generated £3bn in sales during 2015 and that this level of revenue could
rise to nearly £30bn by 2025 with around 50% of all rentals undertaken in the
UK being conducted by peer-to-peer networks”. (Airbnb alone already has well over 168,000 listings in the UK, compared to 25,000 or so B&Bs.)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">A key recommendation in the APPG Report
is for the Government to consult on a “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">low-cost
statutory registration scheme for tourism accommodation businesses”. </b>In the
past, the B&B Association has opposed registration schemes because of the
added red tape and cost, but we are now prepared to consult constructively on
the principle, because if a simple and low cost scheme could be devised (and
the devil is, as ever, in the detail), the burden of registration could well be
worth it for the overall benefits it would bring to our members in leveling the
playing-field and reducing unfair and illegal competition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would also of course help to protect the
public, by bringing the safety checks on Airbnb-type premises up to closer to
the level of those on our members.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">(Every business serving breakfasts to
paying guests already has to comply with a national registration scheme in any case, as they have a duty to register as a
“food business”.)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Report emphasizes the importance of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Delivering a level playing field for all
tourism businesses”</b>, and says <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“considerable
concerns have been expressed that hosts providing accommodation via sharing
economy platforms do not comply with health and safety regulations”</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">The Report says: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“All visitors are entitled to a minimum level of safety, regardless of
the type of accommodation they use and method by which it is booked. It is
responsibility of all agents, regardless of whether they are sharing economy
platforms or traditional booking agencies, to ensure that the products they
supply meet these minimum standards. We have found that the systems in place
for informing hosts of their legal responsibilities are inadequate, to the
extent that some even allow hosts to register properties if they confirm that
they have no fire safety equipment installed.”</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“The sharing economy has argued that
regulatory requirements should be proportionately less for businesses listed on
their platforms. The APPG for Tourism agrees with the principle of
proportionality, but supports the Government’s view that existing legislation,
especially that related to fire safety, is already based on proportionality.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> We also believe that there is no valid
basis to contend that B&B accommodation provided via a sharing platform
warrants different regulatory treatment to the same B&B accommodation not
listed on sharing economy websites. </b>Further, there is significant evidence
to suggest that a large and growing number “professional” operators use sharing
platforms to list properties, thereby making any attempt at categorisation a
moot point.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“While finding that the legislation that
applies to accommodation businesses is fit for purpose,<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> we have identified significant issues regarding enforcement. Most
sharing economy platforms do not reveal the address of the property until a
booking is made. This, combined with sharing economy companies refusing to
provide property details on the basis of DATA Protection and significant cuts
to councils expenditure on enforcement, means that few, if any, sharing economy
properties are ever inspected.</b></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“The
APPG for Tourism recommends that the Culture Secretary launch a consultation on
using his powers under the Development of Tourism Act 1969 to establish a
low-cost statutory registration scheme for tourism accommodation businesses.</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Such a scheme could be devolved to councils and would help resolve
the main issues identified by this Inquiry. Namely, it would:</span></span></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Help ensure that all businesses complied with
regulations</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Provide enforcement officers with a database of
tourism accommodation properties so that they could target their resources to
those properties they deem to be the highest risk</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Provide councils with greater ability to manage
tourism in their area</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Provide HMRC with a means by which to ensure
that all businesses pay the appropriate level of taxation.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">“The APPG also recommends that the
Government provide Local Authorities with powers to set rules regarding the use
of residential properties for Tourism Accommodation so that local solutions can
be developed that balance the benefits generated by sharing economy
accommodation with needs of local residents. These powers include:</span></span></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The ability to set the maximum number of days
per annum that a property can be used for tourism accommodation</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">The ability to require the owner of the property
to be present if a property is used for tourism accommodation”</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Other
recommendations by the APPG:</span></b></span></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">That the
Government urgently assess whether local enforcement agencies have adequate
resources to carry out safety inspections of tourism accommodation businesses</b>.
This has significant implications for large towns and cities were the provision
of sharing economy accommodation in high rises and houses in multiple
occupation is becoming more prevalent.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">That
sharing economy companies take greater responsibility for informing hosts</b>
using their platforms of their statutory obligations, especially in relation to
health and safety and fire safety.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That sharing economy accreditation schemes such
as those developed between Airbnb and Quality in Tourism, are rolled-out across
all properties on all sharing economy platforms.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">That
sharing economy companies develop and implement procedures that ensure that
hosts have, as a minimum, undertaken a fire safety assessment, a health and
safety assessment and, where relevant, have Gas Safe certification. <u>Accommodation
providers should not be allowed to register properties without proof of these
assessments</u>.</b></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That Sharing Economy companies explain to hosts
before they register that having paid guests staying in their property will
affect their home and contents insurance, mortgage, leasehold agreement and
that they should purchase public liability insurance. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That the sharing economy industry work with the
insurance sector to help develop domestic Home and Contents Insurance products
that are not invalidated if owners have paying guests for a set number of days
each year.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That the public liability insurance provided by
sharing economy companies is of the same standard, with the same levels of
cover, as commercial products.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">That far more attention needs to be given, and
more research undertaken, as to the experiences of, and impact on, those living
in close proximity, either as physical neighbours, or in the neighbourhoods of,
properties being used regularly by sharing economy businesses.”</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">The
Bed & Breakfast Association</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> welcomes the
report, and calls on the Government to use its powers to take action on areas
highlighted in the report, including especially:</span></span></span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Requiring peer-to-peer platforms to fully,
properly and explicitly inform their “hosts” of their legal responsibilities;</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Requiring peer-to-peer platforms to refuse to
list properties that do not fully comply with the law;</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Requiring peer-to-peer platforms to identify
premises owners to statutory safety regulators (eg Fire & Rescue
Authorities) on request (without demanding a Court Order), so the regulators
can perform their duty to protect the public.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">We also stand ready to play a constructive
and positive role in consultation with the Government about a low-cost
statutory registration scheme for tourism businesses.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">For our part, we are also open to following
the Report’s recommendation to “find constructive ways of working together”
with sharing economy businesses “to generate new opportunities and enhance
customer experiences”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are happy to
co-operate, innovate and find ways of developing the UK’s hospitality offer (currently,
as the APPG notes, worth 7.1% of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>UK GDP
and providing 9.6% of UK jobs) – but always in ways underpinned by trust and
responsibility.</span></span></span></span></div>
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David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-62466811147430211742018-07-16T19:17:00.001+01:002018-07-16T19:26:08.830+01:00European Commission finds Airbnb's terms & condistions illegal, and orders it to change them<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The European Commission today announced that Airbnb has been found in breach of EU consumer law on many counts – primarily for lack of price transparency as well as other unfair commercial practices. The decision will require changes to Airbnb’s business model and its "unfair" terms and conditions.<br /><br />This is a very significant step, as such an action is rare and involves coordination of all 28 EU Member States (and Norway and Iceland) via what is called the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPCN). <br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">To comply with EU law, Airbnb will now have to denote on their site whether the ‘host’ is a commercial operator or an individual, present final prices upfront (ie inclusive of taxes and additional service fees etc), and change their host’s ability to cancel services at the last minute without having to indemnify the consumer. The EU's demands also free up the consumer to sue a host who has caused them harm, thus increasing the responsibility of the host (which has up to now been limited by Airbnb's terms and conditions). The full list of unlawful practices they engage in are extensive and are <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/final_common_position_on_airbnb_ireland_4.6.2018_en_002.pdf" target="_blank">detailed officially here</a>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Airbnb now has until August to amend its business practices to ensure compliance, or potentially face a fine.<br /> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The European Commissioner for Justice and Consumers said: <i>"More and more consumers book their holiday accommodation online and this sector has brought many new opportunities to holidaymakers. But <b>popularity cannot be an excuse for not complying with EU consumer rules</b>. Consumers must easily understand what for and how much they are expected to pay for the services, and have fair rules - e.g. on cancellation of the accommodation by the owner. I expect Airbnb to follow up swiftly with the right solutions.”</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">David Weston of the <b>Bed & Breakfast Association<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">said: <i>"We are delighted that the European Commission has taken such strong and bold action today to protect EU consumers from Airbnb's unfair contract terms, its misleading pricing, and its illegal denial of their hosts' responsibility for their <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">guests' sa<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">fety. This will hel<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">p move slightly closer to levelling the playing-field with B&Bs and small hotels".</span></span></span></i></span></span><i> </i></span>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-32288112265475540612018-07-12T09:02:00.002+01:002018-07-12T09:03:28.164+01:00Toprooms.com reduces commission to 5% to attract B&Bs and independent hotels<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As part of their on-going support for the B&B sector, booking software supplier eviivo are reducing the commission on their exclusive <a href="http://toprooms.com/">toprooms.com</a> website from 15% to just 5%.<br /><br />Unlike regular booking sites, <a href="http://toprooms.com/">toprooms.com</a> doesn’t feature big corporate hotels and budget chains. Instead it lists thousands of independent hotels, B&Bs, pubs with rooms, cottages and apartments across the UK, making it the perfect website for travellers looking to book authentic and characterful properties with a story to tell. <br /><br /><b>From now, any booking on the site will attract the new, lower rate, which is intended to help properties make the most of what is looking to be a fine summer season.</b> The 5% commission is reinvested in its entirety to advertise the site and generate bookings for the community of eviivo users.<br /><br />A further change will also see eviivo users able to take advantage of bookings via the eviivo Co-op channel, entirely commission free. This unique referral service allows properties in the eviivo community to receive referrals from other eviivo properties in their area when they are full, and vice-versa.<br /><br />To find out more about the eviivo community or to book a demo <a href="https://eviivo.com/?utm_source=bandbassoc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=toproomcommission" target="_blank">visit eviivo.com</a> or call 0800 422 0088<br /><br /> </span>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-47272550058172547192018-06-28T11:07:00.002+01:002018-06-28T11:07:55.357+01:00CMA Announce “Enforcement Action” against Online Travel Agencies
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Competition regulator
acts after B&B Association’s five formal complaints last July</span></i></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The CMA today launched “enforcement action
against a number of hotel booking sites” that it believes “may be breaking
consumer protection law”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">As part of its<b> ongoing investigation </b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">launched last October<b>,</b></span> the
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has identified widespread concerns,
including:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Search results: how hotels are ranked,</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">for example to what extent search results are
influenced by factors that may not be relevant to the customer’s requirements,
such as the amount of commission a hotel pays the site.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Pressure selling: whether claims about how many
people are looking at the same room, how many rooms may be left, or how long</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">a price is available, create a false impression
of room availability or rush customers into making a booking decision.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Discount claims: whether the discount claims
made on sites offer a fair comparison for customers. For example, the claim
could</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">be based on a higher price that was only
available for a brief period or not relevant to the customer’s search criteria,
such as comparing a higher weekend room rate with the weekday rate for which
the customer has searched.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Hidden charges: the extent to which sites
include all costs in the price they first show customers or whether people are
later</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">faced with unexpected fees, such as taxes or
booking fees.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The CMA will be requiring the sites to take
action to address its concerns, where they are believed to be breaking consumer
protection law. It can either secure legally binding commitments from
those involved to change their business practices or, if necessary, take them
to court.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Andrea Coscelli, Chief Executive of the CMA,
said:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"> “Booking sites can make it so much easier to choose your holiday,
but only if people are able to trust them. Holidaymakers must feel sure they’re
getting the deal they expected, whether that’s securing the discount promised
or receiving reliable information about availability of rooms. It’s also
important that no one feels pressured by misleading statements into making a
booking.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">“That’s why we’re now demanding that sites
think again about how they’re presenting information to their customers and
make sure they’re complying with the law. Our next step is to take any
necessary action – including through the courts if needed – to ensure people
get a fair deal.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The CMA’s investigation was launched in
October, and covers <a href="http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/articles/284638/opinion-are-big-otas-abusing-their-power" target="_blank">concerns raised</a> by the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bed
& Breakfast Association</b> to the CMA last July and in a meeting with CMA
officials in September. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">David
Weston, Chairman of the B&B Association</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">, says: “The Bed
& Breakfast Association are absolutely delighted that the UK competition
regulator, the CMA, has today announced “enforcement action” against Online
Travel Agencies (OTAs) that it believes are breaking consumer protection law.
The areas covered are those we raised in our five formal complaints to the CMA
last July - ie false “discounts”, false availability claims and other “pressure
selling” techniques, manipulated search rankings influenced by payments to the
OTAs, and false “Best Price” guarantees. The CMA’s very welcome action will
help move the balance of power a little from these global tech giants – who are
after all only intermediaries - back towards the small businesses that actually
own the accommodation booked, and provide the hospitality.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">In addition to its enforcement activity, the
CMA has sent warning letters to a range of sites, demanding they review their
terms and practices to make sure they are fair and comply with consumer
protection law.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">It is also referring a number of concerns
around online hotel booking sites’ price guarantees and other price promises to
the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The CMA has asked the ASA to
consider whether statements like ‘best price guarantee’ or ‘lowest price’
mislead customers and what conditions must be met for companies to make such
claims.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">The CMA continues to assess the evidence it has
gathered on the practices of other online hotel booking sites and could launch
further enforcement cases in due course.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 16.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">Anyone wishing to provide further evidence on
the issues being considered can do so at: </span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/online-hotel-booking"><span style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/online-hotel-booking</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;"></span></div>
David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-35078129186623444782018-05-03T17:46:00.001+01:002018-05-03T17:46:44.415+01:00EU proposes new rules to combat the "unfair" practices of OTAs and search enginesThe European Commission has this month proposed new rules to combat “unfair trading practices” by online platforms including online travel agents (OTAs) and search engines including Google.<br /><br />The Commission said hotels, B&Bs and guest houses would be among those to benefit from the rules aimed at creating “a fair, predictable, sustainable and trusted business environment” online.<br /><br />The proposals provide for “increased transparency”, the introduction of dispute resolution schemes – including a right for trade associations to bring court proceedings – and the establishment of an EU body to monitor the effectiveness of the measures.<br /><br />“Providers of online intermediation” including Booking.com, Expedia, Google, Facebook and others will be required to publish policies detailing:<br />
<ul>
<li>“How they treat their own goods and services compared to those used by professional users"; and</li>
<li>“How they use contract clauses to demand the most-favourable range or price of products and services.”</li>
</ul>
They will also be required to “set out the general criteria that determine how goods and services are ranked in search results”. (The B&B Association gave evidence to the EU and CMA of how OTA search rankings of B&Bs and hotels are misleading and manipulated.)<br /><br />They would also have to give “reasonable minimum notice” of changes to terms and conditions. This proposal would prevent abuses such as the minimal notice recently given by one big OTA to B&Bs and hotels about its change of treatment (in the OTA's favour) of commission on cancellations, for instance.<br /><br />Explaining the new rules, the Commission said: “The current position of online platforms as mediators of business - customer relationships allows them to engage in unfair trading practices that can cause significant economic harm to the businesses that use them.”<br /><br />Elżbieta Bieńkowska, EU commissioner for the internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs, said: “[This] approach will give EU businesses the transparency and redress mechanisms that will help them embrace the digital economy.”<br /><br />Mariya Gabriel, commissioner for the digital economy and society, added: “Platforms and search engines are important channels for European businesses to reach consumers, but we must make sure they are not abusing their power.”<br /><br />David Weston, chairman of the Bed & Breakfast Association, said: "Although we have not yet been able to study the small print of these very detailed EU proposals, we are delighted that they do seem to be going in the right direction.<br /><br />"Having held a number of meetings with MEPs and officials in Brussels over the last two years to explain our members' concerns, we are pleased to see that the Commission seem to have understood that the online platforms have been abusing their market dominance, and that the balance or power needs to be redressed in favour of small businesses, and in favour of honesty to the consumer too."<br /><br />We will keep members informed of the progress of these draft regulations, which the Business, Enterprise, Innovation & Skills department (BEIS) told us last Friday are expected to be passed into UK law (after any revisions made during the consultation process) by the time the UK leaves the EU.David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-83462399691318838712018-05-03T17:43:00.001+01:002018-05-03T17:43:14.708+01:00"The growth in short-term let market raises fire concerns" says BBC as Radio 5 Live investigates AirbnbThe growth of home-sharing rental properties is causing fire safety concerns, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has told BBC Radio 5 live Investigates as part of a new BBC investigation into the lack of enforcement of rules on properties on Airbnb and similar websites.<br /><br />Tourism industry leaders told the BBC that a "Grenfell-style incident" could happen unless inspections were enforced. The all-party tourism group of MPs has called for all properties used for short-term lets to be registered.<br /><br />An NFCC spokesperson said fire and rescue services are "not aware" of how many short-term rental properties are operating in local areas, making it "very difficult" to assess potential risk.<br /><br />They added: "Without this knowledge of properties essentially operating as a bed and breakfast or hotel, it is almost impossible to carry out an inspection or give owners relevant advice to ensure their buildings are safe."<br /><br />Fire safety law applies to all properties in which people are paying to stay - even one room, for one night. The rules are enforced by visits to hotels and B&Bs, but fire authorities are not visiting, checking or inspecting similar properties on sites like Airbnb (who have over 168,000 in the UK), unless they have received a specific fire safety complaint.<br /><br />In 2017, a flat rented out on Airbnb in Plymouth was called a "deathtrap" after a fire inspection (following a complaint) discovered it had toxic tiles, faulty locks and a fire extinguisher that had not been tested for more than 15 years. The owner was given a six-month suspended sentence.<br /><br />Kate Nicholls of UK Hospitality said there was a large volume of evidence suggesting that commercial landlords were using online home-sharing sites to rent out large properties all year round: "We are potentially risking a Grenfell-type tragedy that would be disastrous for families and further damage our reputation as a safe, attractive tourist destination."<br /><br />In March, MPs on the parliamentary group for tourism said "all businesses offering accommodation should compete on a level playing field" when it comes to regulation.<br />But the B&B Association told the BBC there was currently a "total and utter lack of enforcement" of safety regulations in the short-term lettings market.<br /><br />As the BBC reported, our chairman David Weston said: "The authorities only inspect high-risk Airbnb style properties if someone complains, which is hugely unlikely, or if there is a fire."<br /><br />David met the head of the Home Office fire safety unit and the heads of the National Fire Chiefs' Council on 13th April for talks about how the enforcement of fire safety rules can be applied to Airbnb properties in the same way as it currently only is to B&Bs.<br /><br />The officials also agreed that the B&B Association would be invited to help review and replace the current Official Guidance (Do You Have Paying Guests?), after the Hackett Review reports on fire safety enforcement post-Grenfell.David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-46350982100773052482016-07-16T11:26:00.002+01:002016-07-16T11:26:33.220+01:00Guests rate B&Bs 8.8% higher than hotels <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXGP2C9cuh7lp4JZQIYjZu9vmIlB_PXfmkUYVKFA5T7Zz8H5d4NAhBfqmXPHW8-ajHrYEJpOjscd3G1bzGRTCXyG6PQkav-3urvfnNSHgjbOEK6Gm89D8MaITdDd5OBMmCFEwV6x8ysg/s1600/B%2526Bs+vs+hotels+av+TA+score.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJXGP2C9cuh7lp4JZQIYjZu9vmIlB_PXfmkUYVKFA5T7Zz8H5d4NAhBfqmXPHW8-ajHrYEJpOjscd3G1bzGRTCXyG6PQkav-3urvfnNSHgjbOEK6Gm89D8MaITdDd5OBMmCFEwV6x8ysg/s320/B%2526Bs+vs+hotels+av+TA+score.png" width="320" /></a><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10.0pt;">Above: the overall average guest ratings in 2015 of B&Bs (89.6%)
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<span lang="EN-US">British B&Bs are rated by guests
8.8% higher for quality than hotels, on average, according to new data just
released. The study analysed millions of traveller ratings given to hotel and
B&B properties on TripAdvisor, which is the world’s largest travel website
with 340 million unique monthly visitors, and which lists 350 million reviews
covering 6.5 million accommodations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">The study by TripAdvisor found that “smaller,
independent accommodations in the UK were providing the biggest boost to the UK's
overall average rating” - with B&Bs scoring an average review rating of
4.48 out of 5 (equivalent to 89.6%) compared to 4.04 (80.8%) for hotels in
2015. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US">Even within the hotel sector, smaller
properties were shown to have a ratings advantage over larger properties, with
UK hotels with fewer than 25 rooms scoring an average of 4.40 (88%) in 2015
compared to those with 26-100 rooms, where the average is 3.97 (79.4%). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">"These
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Weston, Chief Executive of the Bed & Breakfast Association, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">"Guests clearly love the individuality,
character, home-cooked breakfasts and personal service that they get in British
B&Bs, which is why - in millions of reviews on TripAdvisor - they score an
8.8% higher rating on average than hotels. These figures from TripAdvisor prove
that B&Bs are the favourite accommodation in the UK based on guest
satisfaction".<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<!--EndFragment-->David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-78316233804424221822015-07-06T17:16:00.001+01:002015-07-09T08:15:14.096+01:00Booking & Expedia reinforce “rate parity” in the UK while France moves to ban it - will the CMA act in the UK?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There have been seismic moves in the
ongoing saga of “rate parity” – whereby online travel agencies (OTAs) are
preventing B&Bs and hotels from offering a lower price on their own
websites to that offered via the OTA (who demands a commission of typically
15-23%). The B&B association and other bodies, including the British
Hospitality Association (BHA) are strongly against OTAs being allowed to impose
“rate parity” clauses on properties’ own website sales. However, OTAs are fighting
this to the last, as their business model depends on being able to claim they
offer the best available rates. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In Europe, OTAs and metasearch websites
drive 70% of bookings (much higher than in the USA).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In April, Booking.com (in their words) “reached
agreement with national competition regulators in France, Sweden and Italy, that <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a> would drop price,
availability and booking conditions parity provisions with respect to other
OTAs”. This concession was made by Booking in order to <u>retain</u> their
ability to impose price parity on hotels’ own websites.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On 25 June, Booking “decided to extend
these commitments to all our accommodation partners throughout Europe
from July 1”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A Booking spokesman told the
Association: “I respect that the Bed & Breakfast Association represents the
views and interests of many B&Bs and guest houses in the UK, and by that
virtue there will be a number of different opinions in relation to this
decision. But I want to stress at <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a> we
remain resolute in our objectives in the UK:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">“To bring transparency, choice
and value to consumers;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">“Help drive business for our
accommodation partners; and<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US">“Constantly innovate our
platform to ensure that we are reaching the widest customer audience (helping
our accommodation partners realise increasingly higher occupancy levels)”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Under the new provisions, <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a> will abandon its price,
availability and booking conditions parity provisions with respect to other
OTAs, but will retain its “narrow MFNs” [“most favoured nation” clauses] for
prices and booking conditions which will ensure hotels & B&Bs offer the
same rates and booking conditions on <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a> as
they do through their own direct website.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the implementation of the new
parity provisions, <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a> will
continue its Best Price Guarantee and match any lower price that may be found
on another booking website<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does
the UK regulator accept the changes?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Booking said its June decision is “in
line with its commitment to a new Europe-wide standard to keep competition
healthy, driving value for consumers and hoteliers”, and stated that it “is a
direct result of feedback from many European national competition authorities indicating
that they would welcome <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: #0d36a1;">Booking.com</span></a> implementing the commitments
in their jurisdiction”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This seems to imply that the UK’s
Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) may have tacitly nodded through the
change (ie accepting OTAs ability to enforce “rate parity” here) – but the CMA
has so far said nothing to support this, and the B&B Association and BHA
are seeking clarification and stressing their opposition to rate parity,
maintaining that OTA “rate parity” clauses increase prices for consumers, by
forcing hotels and B&Bs to always charge their guests a price including
commission (typically from 15-23%), even if the property is not paying that
commission (eg where the guest books directly on the hotel’s website).<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jackie Grech, BHA Legal and Policy
Director said: "With both German and now French governments setting
precedents we encourage that UK regulators and government will
take up the issue to put the power back into customers hands as they shop
around online for the best deals.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Many are questioning the CMA’s
priorities, as it has seemed to be vehemently against a hotel setting the price
of its own rooms sold via agents (which it calls “retail price maintenance”,
and says is illegal), whilst seeming to be unconcerned by market-dominant
global intermediaries preventing small B&Bs and hotels from lowering their
prices to their direct customers. Yet the latter practice (OTA “rate parity”
clauses) in effect builds in the OTA’s commission to every price paid by the
consumer, even where the booking is not through the OTA.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a>,
with an eye on the European Commission, said its move meant “standard terms
will be the same for all of its European partners – helping to build a single
European digital economy”. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“The commitments agreed with the French,
Italian and Swedish [competition authorities] promote competition in a way that
supports innovation and investment. We think that all of our European
partners and consumers booking at European hotels should benefit from the
commitments… which is why we have decided to amend voluntarily our parity provisions
right throughout Europe to be consistent with those commitments,” said Gillian
Tans, President of <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a>. “We
welcome and encourage fair competition and hope that our fellow online travel
agencies follow <a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a>’s lead as part
of a shared commitment to support best pricing for consumers.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://booking.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Booking.com</span></a> added
that it “trusts that these changes will set the tone for an industry wide solution”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Expedia
falls into line a month later<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sure enough, within days Expedia took up
Booking’s invitation to follow its lead, and announced that from 1 August it
will bring itself in line with the rate, conditions and availability parity
clause commitments offered by Booking.com. It hopes that the move “will bring
to an end further investigations into competition issues in Europe”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“The changes announced apply to all
hotel properties in Europe and affect consumers booking via Expedia’s sites
worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Expedia echoed Booking in implying a
measure of acceptance from European regulators, stating: “A number of European
competition authorities are currently investigating rate, conditions and
availability parity clauses in certain OTA agreements with hotels. Expedia has
worked closely and constructively with these authorities and the European
Commission and today announced that it is waiving its rate, conditions and
availability parity clauses with its hotel partners for a period of five years
in line with Clauses 1.1, 1.2 and 2.1 of the formal commitments offered by
Booking.com and accepted by the national competition authorities in France,
Italy and Sweden in April 2015.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Expedia also echoed Booking in arguing
that its move helped the EU’s digital market, saying: “The pan-European scope
of Expedia’s announcement is also an important contribution to the European
Commission’s Digital Single Market objective”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It had to acknowledge, though, that
individual countries (perhaps starting with France) can overturn rate parity,
saying: “To the extent that individual countries’ regulatory or legislative
developments may in the future cut across Expedia’s change of commercial policy
announced today, Expedia naturally reserves the right to adjust its revised
approach as appropriate”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">French
parliament votes to kill rate parity in France<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meanwhile on 18 June, the French
National Assembly moved to cancel rate parity clauses in contracts between
hotels and online travel agencies (OTAs), in the “Macron Bill”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Instead the legislation gives hotels a
“mandate” contract where they will control all pricing and availability for all
online reservation platforms and OTA’s sales channels.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The new French law would apply
regardless of where the online booking platform is headquartered in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Booking.com and other OTAs may challenge
the law via the Constitutional Council. Otherwise hoteliers in France will soon
be able to display on their online and offline channels lower rates than they
offer to online booking channels. The parliamentary move particularly stung
Booking.com, which commands two-thirds of the online market in France. The
banning of rate parity would seem to negate the agreement reached six months
ago between Booking.com and the French competition authority, which did not ban
rate parity. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The French Hotels Association says the
Bill will promote discounting of hotel rooms by ending price parity – echoing
the stance of the BHA and B&B Association in the UK. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some small OTAs doubt that even ending
rate parity will level the playing field, given the market dominance of the
biggest OTAs. Uwe Frers, owner of Berlin-based OTA Escapio, says:
“Sometimes Escapio gets a rate for a hotel that is lower than what is available
on Booking.com. When that happens, within about six hours, Booking.com calls
the hotel demanding parity. Given that Booking.com has 50% market share in
Germany, hotels listen and match the rate. That makes it harder for us to
compete on price.” Frers said that he hopes that the European Commission ends
rate parity because the practice is wrong. But he is sceptical that things
will change for small OTAs as long as Booking has such enormous market power. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Price
war or price inflation?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The OTAs seem to be sending
contradictory messages as to whether ending rate parity would lead to lower or
higher prices for consumers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Carlo Olejiniczac, Booking.com’s
regional manager for France, Spain & Portugal told French media that the
end of rate parity might lead to an “exacerbated price war. Hoteliers are
likely to suffer…. This will cause unbridled price pressure.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However Christoph Klenner, secretary
general of the European Technology and Travel Services Association describes it
as “a licence for the hotels to increase prices”, saying “There will be no
price competition if hotels determine all prices.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Hotels will unfairly favour their own
channels for the lowest pricing and availability, which will substantially
reduce competition and consumer choice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“It will lead to higher prices as there
are no incentives for hotels to discount if they can eliminate all competition
across distribution channels.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It must be pointed out that OTAs are not
trying to stop hotels from offering a higher price – their “rate parity”
provisions are designed to <u>prevent hotels from offering a lower price to
consumers</u> than the price through the OTA. B&B Association CEO David
Weston took issue with Klenner’s statement, saying:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Firstly, why is it “unfair” for a hotel
or B&B to ‘favour their own channels for the lowest pricing’? – and
secondly, why would allowing our members to use ‘their own channels for the
lowest pricing’ lead to higher prices? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“The common-sense truth is, of course,
that (as hotels and B&Bs everywhere say) if we had the freedom to sell
direct without commission when we are not paying it, the consumer could pay a
lower price for the same product. The OTAs could never admit that, though, as
it would undermine their business model, which depends on their controlling the
prices hotels & B&Bs charge, and preventing our discounting to our own
customers.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The B&B Association will continue
its campaign for commercial freedom for B&Bs, and the right to offer guests
a lower price via the B&B’s own website.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">What
do <u>you</u> think? Email us at</span></i><span lang="EN-US"> <a href="mailto:comment@bandbassociation.org">comment@bandbassociation.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">UPDATE: </span>Since the above was written, the Association has been assured by the CMA that it has <u>not</u> given any indication to Booking or Expedia that it would accept their new unilateral change of terms in the UK; the CMA also says it will be studying the market carefully as the new terms bed in, and looking at any evidence which might indicate whether OTA "price parity" clauses are increasing the price consumers pay. If the CMA were to be convinced that the workings of the market (with "price parity" imposed by OTAs on hotels) is anti-competitive and/or driving up consumer prices, it will take action.</b><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The above article was originally published in the B&B Association's member magazine, B&B News (July-August issue); the Association wanted to make it more publicly available as part of our campaign against "rate parity" clauses which prevent B&Bs from reducing prices directly to their guests via their own websites.</span></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></o:p></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-10336056252486739382015-04-23T08:03:00.004+01:002015-04-23T08:06:30.971+01:00Booking.com "settlement" lets it carry on bullying independent hotels & B&Bs<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Booking.com, the giant global online travel agent (OTA), now has more than 41% of Europe’s €44bn market for hotel bookings and air travel. I</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ts US owner Priceline raised its spending on advertising by 34.5% to nearly $2.6bn last year to help cement its dominance of our marketplace.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To the same ends, Booking.com has just avoided the prospect of open competition over hotel prices in Europe after agreeing a settlement with the French, Italian and Swedish authorities.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The three countries, working together and in co-ordination with the EU, had challenged Booking.com over its practice of fixing prices with hotels on its website so that it always had the lowest rate.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Under the terms of the latest settlement, Booking.com will "allow" the hotels and B&Bs on its site to offer cheaper rates through other OTAs, and on the telephone, but <u><b>not</b></u> via the hotel's or B&B's own websites.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Darren Huston, the chief executive of Priceline which owns Booking.com, said that the deal was a “good step forward” - but critics are saying that the ruling will do little to open the way for real competition in a market that has become dominated by Booking.com and Expedia. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“It doesn’t help competition and it’s terrible for the consumer — hotels can’t offer them anything but the same price they offer Booking.com. And there are very few rival travel agents in the market,” said Dorian Harris, the chief executive of Skoosh, a smaller online travel agent that brought the first competition complaint in the UK in 2010.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“We’re now formally allowed to undercut Booking.com,” he added. “But I’m not daft. When Booking.com starts to penalise hotels who give Skoosh a price advantage, which they will of course, the hotel will have to side with Booking.com.”</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mr Harris said that smaller websites had been shut out of the market because they could not compete with Expedia and Booking.com either on price or on marketing. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <b>Bed & Breakfast Association</b> believes that this new settlement, thrashed out behind closed doors in Europe, is wrong and anti competitive, and against the interests of consumers. The Association believes that Booking.com should not be allowed to prevent B&Bs and hotels from offering their lowest prices on their own websites, and also believes that Booking.com, Expedia and other OTAs should not be allowed to "buy" top places on web searches by "bidding" on the names of individual hotels and B&Bs, without their explicit permission, for pay-per-click search advertising on Google.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <b>Bed & Breakfast Association </b>challenges Booking.com to defend how it uses its dominant position in the market to bully small independent B&Bs and hotels, by preventing them offering their best prices on their own websites, and by other tactics based on its market dominance - such as 'bidding' on the names of their B&Bs and hotels in web searches, without the explicit permission of the owners. We strongly believe that the Competition & Markets Authority should redress the balance of power from this global giant, back to the individual B&B and hotel owners.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Do tell us your views, by emailing</b> <a href="mailto:comment@bandbassociation.org">comment@bandbassociation.org</a> </span><br />
<br />
<br />David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-72197830779274345302014-12-04T07:47:00.001+00:002014-12-05T14:00:47.974+00:00New, easier alcohol Licensing for B&Bs: have your say by 9th December<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <b>B&B
Association</b> has been involved in talks with the Home Office for about a
year now about moves (which we have been pushing for) to introduce a new,
easier, cheaper, less onerous method of alcohol licensing for small B&Bs
(and for other businesses where alcohol is sold “ancillary to” their main
business) in England and Wales. The Home Office have an online consultation, closing on 9 December – and we urge all members to respond to it – see below.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lynne Featherstone, Minister of State
for Crime Prevention, says:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The Government is committed to reducing
the unnecessary burdens on responsible businesses. Small businesses have told
us that the existing licensing requirements are heavy handed for those who want
to sell small amounts of alcohol as part of a wider service. For example, small
bed and breakfasts wishing to provide a welcome drink to guests must be at
present licensed in the same way as a large hotel with a public bar.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“We want to free up the police and local
enforcement agencies to concentrate on the premises that are causing alcohol
harms. The Community and Ancillary seller’s Notice (CAN) will allow such
particular low-risk businesses and community groups to sell a small amount of
alcohol, while providing appropriate, light-touch controls.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 'small print' of the CAN conditions applicable to
B&Bs are:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The CAN will be authorised for 36 months;
alcohol may be sold between 7am and 11pm from a single named premises, for
consumption on the named premises; notice will be given to the licensing
authority; the prescribed fee will be paid; Police, Environmental Health
Authority and licensing authority can object if a CAN will undermine the
licensing objectives, with the result that the CAN may be revoked. Police and
licensing authority officers will have rights of entry to investigate where
users are in breach of the CAN conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span lang="EN-US"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No right to a hearing or appeal if a CAN
is revoked. The sale of alcohol must be “ancillary to” the provision of goods
or services by the business. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Key Consultation
Questions </span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: green; font-family: Arial;">(and
our recommended answers in green)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Question 1: what size of accommodation do
you think should be determined a “small accommodation provider” for the purpose
of the CAN?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">a) An accommodation provider with up to
five bed spaces <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">b) An accommodation provider with up to
ten bed spaces <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 28.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: green; font-family: Arial;">The Association recommends answer (c): <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 28.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: green; font-family: Arial;">c) An
accommodation provider with up to fifteen bed spaces <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">d) An accommodation provider with up to
twenty bed spaces <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 28.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">e) Don’t know<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">A key principle of the CAN is that the
sale of alcohol must be ancillary to the provision of services on the premises.
The quantity of alcohol allowed to be sold under a CAN will be set out in the
regulations, specifying any particular circumstances which may apply. For
example, it may be permitted to offer a couple staying overnight in a B&B a
bottle of wine in their room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Question 2: how much alcohol do you think
should be allowed to be sold by ancillary sellers under a CAN, per guest, in a
24 hour period?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 28.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">a) Up to 2units (eg a small 125ml glass
of wine; a pint of 3.5% ABV of beer; a 330ml bottle of 4% ABV lager; one double
measure of spirits)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 28.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">b) </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Up to 3 units (e.g. a large
250ml glass of wine; two 330ml bottles of 4% ABV lager; a pint of 5% ABV beer)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">c) </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Up to 5 units (e.g. a 750ml
bottle of 13% ABV wine between two people or a 250ml bottle of spirits between
two people)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: green; font-family: Arial;">The Association recommends answer (d): <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 28.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 28.0pt 56.0pt 84.0pt 112.0pt 140.0pt 168.0pt 196.0pt 224.0pt 252.0pt 280.0pt 308.0pt 336.0pt; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: green; font-family: Arial;">d) More than 5
units (e.g. allowing a bottle of wine between two people in a room plus an
additional glass of wine with a meal)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10.0pt;">e) </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;">Don’t know<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; font-family: Arial;"><o:p>Information about the consultation is at:</o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/community-and-ancillary-sellers-notice-consultation">https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/community-and-ancillary-sellers-notice-consultation</a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">The consultation survey questions can be found at the
following link (closes at 23.45 on 9</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"> December):</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/CANconsult">http://www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/CANconsult</a></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-91673622939775999452014-09-29T15:58:00.000+01:002014-09-29T18:10:09.436+01:00Government launches "Independent Review" of the "Sharing Economy"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Today at the Tory Conference, Business Minister Matthew Hancock MP launched an "Independent Review" into the so-called "Sharing Economy".</span><br />
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The "sharing economy" from a B&B perspective means 'spare room' websites such as Airbnb, Wimdu, OneFineStay, HouseTrip etc., to whom sleepy regulators have so far handed a complete "opt-out" from the regulations that apply to us all and which are enforced against B&Bs like our members, whilst their (sometimes bigger) competitors are unregulated and bear no compliance costs, as long as they are selling using the "sharing economy" business model.</span><br />
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The "Independent Review" will be conducted by Debbie Wosskow, the CEO of LoveHomeSwap.com, a commercial player in the - er - "sharing economy". (I'm not making this up.)</span><br />
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We welcome the fact that a review is taking place at last - and hope it will prove itself independent by its thoughts and actions.</span><br />
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The objectives of the Review include (the emphases are mine):</span><br />
<ul style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.4736842105; list-style: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 1.3em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 7px; text-transform: none;">
<li style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">to explore the potential benefits of the sharing economy to the UK, <b>as well as any risks it may pose</b></span></li>
<li style="border-bottom-style: none; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-width: initial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>to investigate the main regulatory and policy issues from the perspective of</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: 400;"> consumers, sharing economy businesses, and </span><b>established businesses</b></span></li>
</ul>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px;">We at the Bed and Breakfast Association are already in touch with the review team at BIS, the Business Department, and will be giving them our evidence about the regulatory failures in our sector that have led to the current two-tier, anti-competitive situation that so many of our members are suffering from.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px;">Our aim, as always, it to try to ensure we can achieve sensible, proportionate, light-touch regulation for micro-businesses, applied fairly and consistency in a way that does not favour or disadvantage any particular business model.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px;">That is certainly not the case at present: earlier this month, B&B owners Sally and Simon in Leicestershire, who had let two bedrooms in their family home on a B&B basis for about 25 days a year, were closed down by the Leicestershire Fire & Rescue Authority after a spot inspection. Yet Leicestershire - like all other Fire Authorities we have heard from (including the London Fire Brigade) make NO inspections at all of the many thousands of properties sold to paying guests on a B&B basis on "sharing economy" websites.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px;">Of course, if Sally and Simon had opted for the "sharing economy" business model, they would still be taking paying guests today, tomorrow, next month and next year - because they would never have been visited or inspected.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px;">Is that a fair or sensible situation? No, we don't think so either. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px;">And in case you're thinking that this is a minor issue, Airbnb alone now have over 35,000 listings in the UK (compared to 25,000 B&Bs), and have grown 73% in the last 12 months here.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large; line-height: 28px;">The review team will certainly have their work cut out - and we will do our best to help them understand and get to grips with these issues, for the sake of guests, our businesses, and the reputation of British tourism and hospitality.</span><br />
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David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-70307467698416787162014-01-30T18:01:00.001+00:002014-01-30T18:03:31.471+00:00Spare room "sharing" websites: a ticking time bomb?<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The website Airbnb, which allows home-owners to sell their spare bedrooms to paying guests on a B&B basis, boasted this week to be contributing £502 million to the UK economy, and to have "supported nearly 12,000 jobs" in the UK last year. Really? If much of this £502m was taken from 'bona fide' B&Bs and hotels, then there would have been a net loss in livelihoods "supported". And that is before mentioning the very serious questions about insurance, fire safety, and tax that hang over this subject unanswered. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Members tell us they are concerned about unfair competition from home-owners selling their spare bedrooms on a "B&B" basis to paying guests through websites such as Airbnb, Wimdu, One Fine Stay and others.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What many see is that there is one rule for us, and one for Airbnb users (ie, no rules).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These websites are like those music and film "file-sharing" sites that may have kept within the letter of the law themselves, but only existed (and grew lucratively) because 99% of their users broke the law. The "file sharing" sites came close to crippling the music industry, costing it billions. Is the hospitality industry next?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Airbnb hosts are almost all (it seems) without public liability insurance, and non-compliant with fire reguations, food hygiene laws, planning regulations etc. - which even our smallest members, as bona fide B&Bs, must comply with, sometimes at disproportionate expense.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">That is not even to mention whether the hosts pay tax. And while we are on that subject, could Airbnb explain how much corporation tax they themselves pay in the UK on that £502m of sales they say they make here? Our research so far seems to indicate that the answer is "none", because sales are booked to US parent company Airbnb Inc., rather than Airbnb UK Ltd. which - it seems - is loss-making (though full accounts are not available to the public).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">These websites (like the file-sharers) are companies that only exist because law and enforcement have not kept up with technology.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We are only asking for a level playing-field: either these regulations should not apply to ANY very small B&B (for example, by exempting properties with up to three letting bedrooms), OR they must be applied fairly and proportionately to all: to Airbnb hosts as well as "bone fide" B&Bs. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The worst of all worlds is what we have now: established, visible B&Bs with even one or two rooms have to comply (often at great expense), whilst their neighbour who offers two or three B&B rooms through Airbnb, Wimdu or whatever is untroubled by any regulators and can pocket the compliance costs his neighbour is bearing. In this, the law (currently) is an ass.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Is this a "ticking time bomb"? Many thousands of guests are staying with "hosts" booked through a website, where the host may not have public liability cover, and may not reach the fire safety standards the law requires for paying guests.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Likewise many "hosts" using Wimdu, Airbnb etc. may be blissfully unaware - until disaster strikes - that their household insurance may be invalid and their mortgage terms breached by taking paying guests.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Airbnb's CEO, Brian Chesky, has claimed "we would love to be regulated - we want fair regulation": does he mean it? </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Will our sleepy regulators wake up and do their jobs? If not, established B&Bs will continue to be damaged by unfair competition, and suffer the burden of compliance with regulations that are NOT applied to their neighbours.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This is an issue we are pursuing vigorously with regulators, with the media - and with the websites themselves. Watch this space!</span><br />
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David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-951952010516020967.post-13365375227395526792013-10-15T10:17:00.003+01:002013-10-15T10:17:51.182+01:00Bed linen scorched by laptopsWe have had an email from a member who says:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">"I wondered if you had had any other questions about computers on beds. I have had an incident where a duvet protector had a large hole in it, I didn't think anything of it and duly placed it on Monday. However, I now have a hole in the new protector and a scorch stain on the duvet cover. On closer inspection it would appear that the guest is using her computer on the bed, and it looks like it has been left on all night and scorched both the duvet cover and protector together. I am now very concerned that this could quite possibly have started a fire. I wondered if you had received any other correspondence on this issue and if your members had any suggestions to counteract this problem. I do have desks and bedside tables in the rooms which guests can use, but it seems to be becoming commonplace to sit on the bed with the computer.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">"I have decided to put warnings in all of my bedrooms but I would be interested to hear if this is a general problem, or whether it is just this one guest. I have already had a word with her as I do like to sleep soundly in my own bed, as well as the other guests."</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQECpPp_IvRKRz-EUFuVp-txCgQrcoBmgDEofHdY99iuA74Ecf_MIWLOxQPWN9UQF6N-d5doBDeWX20ji4YVy-cqR49Vx6bWxOeR5F8bjjCnhn-08LKtZXSdY-CwDwWp9jIFCp68-63YA/s1600/IMG_0861_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQECpPp_IvRKRz-EUFuVp-txCgQrcoBmgDEofHdY99iuA74Ecf_MIWLOxQPWN9UQF6N-d5doBDeWX20ji4YVy-cqR49Vx6bWxOeR5F8bjjCnhn-08LKtZXSdY-CwDwWp9jIFCp68-63YA/s320/IMG_0861_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">The picture shows the "throw" used to cover the bed, scorched by the guest's laptop.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px;">We'd be interested to hear from anyone who has had a similar experience - do contact us at <a href="mailto:comment@bandbassociation.org">comment@bandbassociation.org</a> </span>David Westonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00203722038024335439noreply@blogger.com1