£10m fund set up to support Scottish events

Organisers of cultural, community and sporting events are to be offered financial support while they remain affected by lockdown restrictions.

The Scottish government's £10m funding package also aims to help event suppliers.

The government said it was looking at how events could restart safely in the future.

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said the coronavirus pandemic had had a "devastating impact" on the sector.

'Longer-term recovery'

Scotland's festival scene and sporting events such as the Highland games have been among those affected by restrictions brought in to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Ms Hyslop said: "Whilst we've had the positive step that drive-in events can resume, most of the sector will be unable to operate for some time to come.

"We've worked closely and constructively with the sector on the challenges they face and they have brought forward some creative ideas on how they can begin to operate safely.

"In addition to providing immediate support, some of this funding will look to bolster innovation and aid the longer-term recovery of the events industry."

The Event Industry Advisory Group said the sector had been one of the first to go into lockdown and would be among the last to fully emerge from it.

Chairman Peter Duthie, who is also chief executive of the SEC in Glasgow, said events contributed about £6bn each year to Scotland's economy.

He said: "Additional funding from government for this important sector is very welcome and much needed, both by the event organisers and the wider supply chain businesses who are being hit exceptionally hard by the ongoing effect of an extended period of lockdown."