Fife visitor attraction in call for help during 'extremely worrying' time

The Fife visitor attraction shut its doors last month in the wake of the outbreak, but has been unable to make use of the UK government’s furlough scheme for all its staff, as some are needed to care for its mix of sharks, seals, fish, and other marine life. According to the management, the sea life centre in North Queensferry, the cost of providing animal food, and maintaining its network of tanks and pumps, amounts to around £90,000 a month. Adrian Duffey, the attraction’s general manager, said: “This is an extremely worrying time for our business – due to the nature of the work we carry out to maintain the highest of animal welfare standards, we cannot furlough all of our staff and bring in volunteers because the work that goes into running our tanks and feeding our animals is specialist work. “We are heading into the summer months – which would usually be our busiest time of year – and with the UK government set to outline its plans for lifting lockdown, I hope zoos and aquariums are part of that strategy, as I fear we could be the last to open, which would be to an incredible detriment to our business as we cannot afford to go into the winter months without proper support.” The company behind the attraction has applied for a coronavirus business interruption loan, but Mr Duffey said it would mean the firm would accrue significant debt which has to be repaid over a short time period. He added: “I hope these concerns do not fall on deaf ears and our business can continue to provide an experience of a lifetime for generations to come.” Douglas Chapman, the SNP MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, now plans to write to the UK government urging it to provide support for zoos and aquariums. He said: “Deep Sea World has been a staple of Fife tourism for many years and has provided a unique experience for families across Scotland. “It is a vital service that educates children on marine life and conservation and provides a chance for them to get up close and personal with some fascinating animals. “I welcome the UK Government’s furlough scheme, but as the situation at Deep Sea World and other businesses demonstrates, the scheme simply does not go far enough and is providing uncertainty for firms.” He added: “I will be writing to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and urging it to provide support for zoos and aquariums. I will also be urging the chancellor to introduce a measure to protect workers who are needed in these environments where animal welfare standards must be kept to the highest of standards.” A message from the Editor: Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription. Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up. Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website. Joy Yates Editorial Director