Donald Trump's luxury Turnberry hotel handed £110,000 tax rebate as part of Scottish small businesses scheme

Donald Trump’s luxury hotel at the Turnberry golf resort has been given a £110,000 tax rebate as part of the Scottish government’s plans intended to help small businesses.

The US President’s hotel at the famous golf course on the coast of Ayrshire, saw 13.5 per cent slashed from its annual corporate tax bill of £811,850 thanks to a rescue plan for struggling hospitality firms announced by Scottish ministers in February, the Guardian reported.

The new rebate was introduced after hoteliers and restaurant owners complained about the effects of a property tax hike of as much as 400 per cent.

However, MSPs have criticised the rebate which, they say, should not go to profitable businesses.

Ralph Porciani, Turnberry’s manager, reportedly said in January that he expected the resort to post its best performance in 100 years in 2017.

Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Green party leader, said:“Trump’s brand is toxic. It’s bad enough that he has a business presence in Scotland. It’s galling to learn that the public purse is giving him a helping hand.”

“The Small Business Bonus scheme has long been ripe for review and this revelation underlines that need. The Scottish Government likes to talk up its Business Pledge, which encourages responsible employers, but it’s clear that ministers need to go much further. They cannot stick with a system that inadvertently gives support to a bigot’s business empire, tarnishing Scotland’s reputation for fairness and hospitality.”

The Scottish government issued only a general statement about the rebate. A spokesperson said: “Our hospitality rates relief is available to 8,500 businesses and 100,000 small business properties – half of all properties – pay no rates at all. It is for businesses to apply for rates relief and for councils to ensure those which do are eligible.”

A review into the tax system published this week, “provides recommendations for further reforming the system including around golf courses, and ministers will respond to the report swiftly,” the spokesperson said.

Mr Trump’s Scottish golf courses have been the subject of much controversy in recent years.

In January, he threatened to pull £700m of investment from Turnberry and another course at the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire if MPs banned him from entering the UK. It came after 1.6 million people signed a petition backing a ban.

Locals near Mr Trump’s golf course have said the President has fulfilled promises of investment and job creation he made more than a decade ago.