A £25 million fund to support the wedding sector and its supply chain will open to applications this week.
In recognition of the ongoing challenges faced by the sector, an additional £10 million has been added to the £15 million announced by the Scottish Government in December.
The fund will be launched on Thursday 28 January and will provide one-off grants of up to £25,000 for eligible businesses in the sector impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including wedding venues, photographers, caterers and suppliers.
The fund will be managed regionally by Scotland’s three enterprise agencies – South of Scotland Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Ruth Maguire MSP, said: “The pandemic has negatively impacted many parts of our economy, including the wedding sector which has been tough for businesses across the country. This additional funding will be a shot in the arm for many businesses who have not been able to operate viably for nearly a year now.
“I would strongly advise any businesses in the industry and supply chain for the wedding sector who believe that they are eligible for funding support from this grant to apply when it opens this week.”
Finance Minister Kate Forbes said: “This £25 million fund will ensure one-off grants of up to £25,000 reach eligible business as quickly as possible and there is no equivalent fund in other parts of the UK.
“The pandemic has had a severe impact on Scotland’s wedding sector, and we know that the current restrictions, while entirely necessary in our fight against COVID-19, continue to take their toll on the sector. I’d encourage all those who think they are eligible to find out more about applying – we want to help as many businesses survive this pandemic as we can.
“We have allocated over £3 billion to help businesses since the start of this pandemic. However, we know it can never compensate for the unprecedented affect this has had on business. We will continue to work with the resources available to us to protect businesses and build a stronger recovery for Scotland.”
Visit Find Business Support for more information.
Businesses must be in one of the following sectors;
- Venues
- Videographers
- Photographers
- Marquee Hire (includes tipi)
- Wedding Attire
- Florists & Event Stylists
- Caterers
- Cakes
- Transport (not including taxis)
- Event Supplies (Cater hire, decorative items)
- Hairdressers & Make-up Artists (Non-mobile)
- Entertainment (Band, DJ, Piper, String Quartet)
- Jewellery Designers/Makers/Sellers
- Wedding Exhibitions/Events
- Wedding Publications or Listing Sites
- Celebrants
- Wedding Stationery
- Other Specialist Niche Suppliers (Photo Booth, Event nannies, event planners etc)
Ruth Maguire MSP 