CORONAVIRUS UPDATE 27th Mar 2020

Message from Scottish Craft Butchers President.

To all members,

These are extremely strange and demanding times but I'm sure that we are now seeing a pattern to how our landscape has changed.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to be taking measures to protect yourself, your staff and your customers.

I have found that simple messaging about Social Distancing has been met with great respect by our customers and they seem to be self-regulating on this front.

I have repeatedly reminded our staff about safe distancing in the shop. In terms of staff safety, simple measures of wearing gloves to handle meat and removing them to handle cash has been applauded by customers – this will possibly be a permanent move for us as a business as cash handling has always come under some scrutiny.

Obviously, everyone has experienced a period of high demand and had many new customers. Our hope is that this will lead to a new, long lasting, relationship with their local butchers.

We are all in this together, and if anyone has problems to solve, or successes to share then please let us know.

Stay safe.

Scott Jarron

Business Advice Support

Job retention scheme- Information for employers.

Last night the Government published further information about the Job Retention Scheme for employers.
the main points are:

Employers can claim for:

• full-time employees
• part-time employees
• employees on agency contracts
• employees on flexible or zero-hour contracts

But workers must have been on your payroll on 28 February 2020.

The scheme also covers employees who were made redundant since 28 February 2020, if they are rehired by their employer.
Employees on sick leave or self-isolating should get Statutory Sick Pay but can be furloughed after this. Employees who are shielding in line with public health guidance can be placed on furlough.

You can claim a grant from HMRC to cover wages for a furloughed employee, equal to the lower of 80% of an employee's regular salary or £2,500 per month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contributions on paying those wages.

You can view the Government's information here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

The Scottish Craft Butchers office in Perth is now closed following government guidelines.
We will be available to our members to answer any queries via email or by mobile phone and will be available out of office hours for any members wanting to contact us.
Our contact details are below
Gordon King: – [email protected] 07917524313
Bruce McCall: [email protected] 07834490922
Claire Simpson: – [email protected] 07926332977