Aberdeen's hospitality sector has been "absolutely shafted" by a draft Budget which excludes retail and leisure from a 40% relief on business rates, the P&J reports.
In her draft Budget announced on Wednesday, finance secretary Shona Robison had been asked to match the chancellor's 40% relief support for firms.
And while she did impose a similar policy, the exclusion of the retail and leisure industries has left the sector reeling.
The BBC reports the Scottish Hospitality Group has said it is a “significantly more restricted” offer than that down south, calling it a “drop in the ocean”.
Meanwhile the owner of Aberdeen’s McGinty Group, speaking to the Press and Journal, says the hospitality industry has been “absolutely shafted” by a business rates relief unveiled in the Scottish budget that “means absolutely nothing”.
Allan Henderson said he was “absolutely dejected” by Wednesday’s budget announcement on non-domestic rates relief, which he warned would be followed by swathes of pubs and restaurants having to close after Christmas.