Scotland's rural estates braced to lose millions due to lack of visitors

Rural Scottish landowners are braced for multi-million pound losses due to the impact of Covid-19 and face uncertainty about when sporting activities can resume.

The Association of Deer Management Groups has warned that businesses that rely on deer stalking face collective losses of up to £9 million, if it is not allowed for the rest of this year.

It follows the publication of a wider survey which showed that Scottish sporting estates could face average losses of around £270,000.

While some outdoor leisure activities such as golf are now permitted by the Scottish Government, a five mile limit on travel, as well as a huge drop in international visitors, has left many estates unable to welcome guests.

Meanwhile, planned quarantine rules for overseas visitors to the UK have made the situation bleaker.

While SNP ministers have issued advice on rules around sports including croquet and canoeing, there is no specific mention of Scotland’s outdoor estates in the routemap for exiting lockdown.

A survey carried out last month found that if no let deer stalking - when a visitor pays to shoot deer on someone else’s property - is allowed before 2021 businesses may have to cut jobs and the supply of venison would be hit.

Collective losses among 103 companies responding to the survey - around a third of the sector - were £2.5m in a worst case scenario.

The findings also shows businesses are struggling with cancelled bookings and facing difficulty arranging socially distanced shooting trips for guests, with participants typically accompanied by a guide.

Richard Cooke, chairman of the Association of Deer Management Groups, said: “Our sample represents just under one third of the sector, so the consequential loss of let stalking being impossible can be estimated at around £9m total before any impact from downgraded venison sales is also taken into account.

“There will undoubtedly be some effect due to cancelled bookings and the difficulties of organising Covid-safe stalking with guests.

"Whatever the degree, we must expect disruption and significant economic damage including potential job losses, both part time and seasonal, as survey respondents have flagged up.

“We must also recognise the loss to the wider rural economy from the income that this type of sporting tourism generates.”

According to a 2014 study, deer management activities directly leads to more than £40m in spending annually and supports more than 800 jobs.

A majority of the 103 respondents said that if routes to market for venison continue to be affected, they would adjust their planned cull for the year, although just 14 businesses said they would consider shooting deer and leaving their carcasses.

The publication of the survey follows the release of the results of a snapshot poll from 32 sporting estates last week, which also warned the sector is braced for significant financial losses.

Some estates have already cancelled or scaled back pheasant shooting programmes, due to begin in October, with the total projected losses across that survey estimated at £8.5 million.

Lianne MacLennan from Scotland’s regional moorland groups, said: “People are worried and gamekeeping and shooting bodies have been liaising with government. A lot of bookings have not happened or have been delayed or put back to next year. There will be some operators requiring financial support, which has not been easy to come by.

“Unlike some conservation or charity-run holdings, the surveyed estates in the main are not furloughing staff or cutting jobs and are continuing to support essential community businesses.

"These are the positives that can be taken from a difficult picture. Hopefully, if the country is safe enough to enable some visitors to come here, sporting businesses will play a major role in maintaining economic viability in remote parts of rural Scotland, as they always do.”

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said discussions were ongoing with sporting estates.

She added: “Recreational shooting and angling can take place under phase one of the route map provided it complies with all the Covid-19 health requirements such as physical distancing, and is within the local area. Further guidance published last weekend also allows shooting business managers to get back to work preparing and maintaining their businesses.

“Field sports are an important source of revenue for the Scottish tourism sector and many rural communities and the Rural and Tourism Secretary has engaged with the sector during the crisis to reassure them that they are a valued part of the economy.

“Beyond the route map we are working on tourism and hospitality guidance which will help the sector prepare for safe and compliant re-opening, when it is safe to do so.”