A leading hotelier claims Finance Secretary Derek Mackay’s stance on business rates in the north-east is “incomprehensible”.
Stewart Spence, who owns the Marcliffe Hotel in Pitfodels made the comments in an open letter to the Scottish cabinet minister.
In it he states: “Dear Secretary, it is incomprehensible that you have taken your stance regarding business rates, especially in Aberdeen and the north-east.
“We are having to negotiate with the Assessor for Grampian who is not living in the real world.
“During a recent appeal hearing he stated that ‘Aberdeen has not suffered an abnormal economic crisis’.
“Under cross examination, he then stated ‘he did not accept that there had been a downturn in the economy of the north-east, although there had been a fall in exploration and drilling in the oil industry’.
“How on earth do you expect the business community of the north-east to deal with someone who has no idea of what’s going on around him?
“Every single business in the north-east has been affected.
“Please get into the real world.”
Leading north-east hotelier brands Mackay’s business rates stance “incomprehensible”
