CAMPAIGNERS have created a spoof “Dragon’s Den” film aimed at ridiculing arguments in favour of managed grouse moors.
Revive, the campaign for grouse moor reform, produced the clip which imagines a world where the industry doesn’t exist. Two lobbyists appear in front of ministers to make the case for the new sport.
The video sees the lobbyists argue up to a fifth of Scotland should be managed by the sector in return for a 0.02% contribution to the economy.
The men reassure the ministers on “Government’s Den” that only “a few” public subsidies will be required.
Max Wiszniewski, the campaign manager for Revive – a coalition including Common Weal, OneKind, Friends of the Earth Scotland and others, said: “The video is intended to be taken tongue-in-cheek, but behind the humour is a very serious issue.
“Driven grouse shooting is an intensively managed bloodsport which depends on turning vast swathes of Scotland into barren monocultures. The circle of destruction which surrounds grouse moor causes untold suffering to many thousands of animals, depletes our peat reserves and causes environmental damage on an industrial scale.”
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He added the coalition has “alternative visions” for Scotland’s environment and they hope their campaign film will “show just how ridiculous the current situation is”.
MSPs were given an exclusive preview of the film earlier.
Meanwhile new statistics from a visitor survey undertaken by Scotland’s regional moorland groups and The Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association today said grouse shooting visitors spent more than £3500 per person this season.
The survey found before shoot costs were factored in, visitors spent an average of £3593.18 on local accommodation, food, shops and garages.
READ MORE: Scotland's endangered birds ‘thriving on moors’
Lianne MacLennan, co-ordinator of Scotland’s regional moorland groups, said: “This survey shows how important grouse shoots are to fragile areas. There has been a lot of businesses very glad of having high spending visitors around during an awful year.
“Rural economies were disproportionately impacted by lockdown and we haven’t yet seen the end of unemployment and closures because of Covid 19.”
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