And finally…island eyes own tourist tax

Roger Booth, a local businessman who owns a food van catering to the island’s visitors says he regularly cleans up the mess they leave behind and says a tourist tax would help pay for a dedicated service for the task, as well as more facilities.

Mr Booth says he tidies away litter on a daily basis, well as human waste on occasions. at his pitch near the Quiraing beauty spot, which is a popular destination for hillwalkers.

He said a small fee charged at the Skye Bridge would help pay for more public toilets and better car parking.

Mr Booth said: “Even £1 a person, I am sure people wouldn’t complain.”

He added: “It would be put into the island economy for better toilets, better waste facilities, better parking facilities and better roads.”

Mr Booth said: “True walkers want to come here and enjoy it and not see the mess and be driven off and not want to come back.”

However, although other local business owners have said they would support a tourist tax, or similar charge, the island’s local authority, Highland Council, said a change in laws would be needed in order to introduce a new levy.

A spokeswoman for the authority said: “We would need legislative change to be able to levy any tourist tax so this is not an option currently available to Highland Council.”

And leader of Highland Council, Margaret Davidson, said any such plan would also require a wider consultation with more businesses.

And David Richardson, Federation of Small Businesses’ development manager for the Highlands and Islands, said the organisation would be “totally opposed to it”.

He said: “They (tourists) are our customers and you don’t tax your customers.”