THE plight of Arran businesses suffering because of ferry disruption was highlighted in the Scottish Parliament this week.
Conservative MSP for the West of Scotland Jamie Greene urged the Scottish Government to end its "neglect" of island firms which are facing turmoil and lising a fortune.
He referred to Auchrannie Resort, which he said had been forced to write losses of £400,000 into its annual cashflow to account for the loss of business resulting from ferry cancellations.
In one exchange, he asked the minister for small business, innovation and trade, Richard Lochhead, what support he is providing to businesses within island communities to mitigate the impact of current connectivity issues.
In a different debate on the same issue, Mr Greene pressed the government on its record of support for island communities and businesses affected by the disruption to ferry routes.
He warned that although Arran is currently served by two ferries, this could be reduced to one at any time as a result of pressures elsewhere in the network, placing huge uncertainty and pressure on businesses.
He read aloud a letter from a constituent which had recently been published in a national newspaper.
The MSP referred to several prominent Arran businesses in the letter, including Janie’s Café, The Coffee Pot in Whiting Bay, Pirnmill Stores, and the Lochranza Caravan Site.
Mr Greene said businesses had suffered long enough and deserved to be compensated by the government “yesterday”.
According to the Arran Ferries Action Group, every time a ferry is cancelled because of systemic failures, it costs Arran's economy £12,800.
Mr Greene said: “Arran is home to a vibrant business community, but many businesses on the island are at their wits’ end as a result of the endless uncertainty.
“It is simply not good enough for the government to watch on as businesses on Arran and other islands are slowly strangled.
“Many businesses feel let down and abandoned.
“That is why I am calling on the government to act now and give our island businesses the support they badly need and sorely deserve, so that business on Arran can thrive once again."
In response, Mr Lochhead said: "We do not underestimate in any shape or form the impact of the ferry disruptions on the economies of our islands—particularly, as the member says, the impact on tourism and local businesses.
"That is why the focus up to now has been on building a resilient ferries network to ensure that we can get to the root of the issue facing the islands and sort it out.
"However, as I said, the Government is currently exploring other options to see whether we can offer support, where appropriate, and the First Minister commented on that last week in the chamber."
The minister continued: "In the meantime, there are many other ways in which the Scottish Government is supporting the islands, with £26 million to support the national islands plan, including £4.1 million this year, rural rates relief, £50 million through the islands growth deals, and the rural delivery plan that we are committed to.
"Also, through the R100—reaching 100 per cent—programme, we installed 16 new subsea fibre cables, leading to 15 islands, which is crucial for tourism businesses and other businesses.
"We are doing a lot to help island economies, but we recognise that there are particular pressures just now."
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