Tory MSP urges people across Falkirk district to buy local

Scarlet Ribbons in Glebe Street, Master Cobbler in Newmarket Street and the High Street store Savers all opened their doors to customers for the first time in three months.

However, as businesses began to trade a Tory MSP has called on the Scottish Government to set up a high street rescue plan.

Alison Harris, Central Scotland Conservative member of the Holyrood Parliament, has backed her party’s call for a town centre coronavirus plan to help stop closures and bankruptcies across the country.

Scottish Tories are calling on the government to consider measures as part of the action plan including:

*A “buy local” campaign

*Law changes relaxing rules on pavement eating and drinking

*Temporary scrapping of parking charges to encourage shoppers to come out

*Review of the two metre rule in social distancing.

Mrs Harris highlighted research from support charity Social Investment Business and journalism website Tortoise, showing spending data from debit cards in Scotland has fallen by 37 per cent overall, only offset by a rise in grocery spending.

She said: “There is no doubt that we are now facing an economic emergency, on top of the Covid-19 health emergency. Without radical action, we risk plunging Scotland into the deepest economic depression of modern times.”

She added that it could “leave lasting and incalculable damage on the life changes of the young and the poorest in our society”.

The MSP said: “Every decision people take over the coming weeks, from spending money in local stores, supporting locally run cafes, and paying for local traders to fix household appliances, might be the difference between people joining the job queue at Christmas, or staying on track to further their career.

“Town centres have been badly hit in recent months and the SNP Government needs to lead the way in coming up with a rescue plan for our town centres.

“The SNP Government must use their powers to act now to save our high streets, instead of simply blaming Westminster if things go wrong.

“Without radical action, we risk plunging Scotland into the deepest economic depression of modern times which will leave lasting and incalculable damage on the life changes of the young and the poorest in our society.

“As we ease lockdown measures hopefully in the coming weeks, I will certainly be encouraging everyone in Falkirk and across the district to buy local.”