202402-Cairn-Issue-4-06-ONLINE - Flipbook - Page 12
Business support in the National Park
Taking
of
care
business
“I’m keen to
hear from as
many businesses as
possible – members
and non-members
– to ensure we
understand their
priorities and that
they’re represented.”
Craig Mills,
Cairngorms Business
Partnership
12 cairn spring 2024
There are more than 1,000
businesses in the National
Park, from manufacturing
and construction to land
management, tourism and
retail. We caught up with
Graeme Low of GrowBiz and
Craig Mills of the Cairngorms
Business Partnership to learn
more about what support is
out there for local employers.
“So much is changing both here in the
Cairngorms and in the wider economy,
and it can be dif昀椀cult especially for
small businesses to keep track of
everything and have their voices
heard. As I start my new role, I’m keen
to hear from as many businesses
as possible – members and nonmembers – to ensure we understand
their priorities and that they’re
represented when it comes to new
legislation such as the tourism levy.”
“I think one of the most special things
about the business community in the
National Park is its diversity,” says
Craig Mills, who recently took over
as CEO of the Cairngorms Business
Partnership, the chamber of commerce
for the region. “From accommodation
providers to food and drink, farming
to activity operators and everything
in between – we’ve got a lot to offer
here for both locals and visitors.”
As with most parts of rural Scotland,
businesses in the National Park are
typically small, with 87% employing
fewer than 10 people. This can make
dealing with challenges such as
staff availability, skills shortages and
available housing particularly dif昀椀cult,
something which Graeme Low and his
organisation GrowBiz know all about.
The Business Partnership, which
has around 400 members, runs a
variety of events throughout the year,
including networking opportunities,
workshops and an annual conference,
as well as hosting the destination
site VisitCairngorms.com
GrowBiz was founded in Perthshire
in 2007 to help local people build
businesses and enterprises for
themselves. They offer support services
across all of rural Scotland, including
the Cairngorms, and have supported
2,300 individuals, businesses and social
enterprises in the past 昀椀ve years.