News

RECORD GROUSE SEASON BOOSTS UPLAND ECONOMY

10th December 2004

The grouse shooting season closes today (10th December) with a bang! Several estates in an area of North Yorkshire have had a record year – continuing right up to the season’s last day.

A Moorland Association survey shows that moors between the A66 to the North, the A684 to the South, Kirkby Stephen in the West and Richmond in the East, have sustained 212 shooting days, showing a 130% increase in days let on a commercial basis compared to last year. As a result, £264,400 has been injected into the rural economy in terms of casual labour for beaters, pickers up and flankers creating work for over 7554 local man-days. Over £987,700 has been raised in revenue to plough back into management to safeguard the future of rare moorland habitat.

An additional £54,300 has been spent on sourcing and preparing local food for participant’s lunches – further supporting the rural way of life. Over £70,000 worth of red grouse have been sold into the food chain reaching markets as glamorous as The Ritz and The Ivy restaurant in London and as far afield as Tokyo.

Local hotels, pubs and B+B establishments have also profited from the bumper year with 1328 bed-nights reaping £120,000 for these rural enterprises. Said Derek Hickson of the Burgoyne Hotel in Reeth: “ Often, estates managing their heather moorland for red grouse can only support a few days shooting between August the 12th and September/October. It is incredible for these moors to have such a surplus of grouse to shoot right up to the end of the official season benefiting the whole valley. Due to the bumper crop, we have seen a stunning 20% increase in occupancy during the last four months, as shooting parties book in from Germany, Hungary, Austria and the USA to take advantage of the sport on offer. This is a real boost to our business which will see us comfortably through the lean months of January and February.”
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Commented the Moorland Association’s Chairman, Simon Bostock: “Commercial moorland managers and owners who have had a good grouse shooting year can ensure funds from let days are re-invested in their moors. This is good news for the rare upland bird life that they support – and also good news for local businesses and individuals who rely on the income from grouse shooting. On the other hand, if grouse shooting fails for reasons beyond human control – as it has in some areas this year – shooting cancellations mean really tough times in the uplands for those affected. Hopefully next year will bring better prospects for Scotland, Southern Peaks, parts of the North York Moors and North Northumberland to redress the balance. ”

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