Shoots sustain rural community says new report

Shooting supports 70,000 full-time jobs in the UK, bolstering parts of the countryside struggling to cope with changes in traditional industries, reveals a report launched to coincide with the start of the pheasant shooting season.

Each year, 480,000 people spend over £2bn on shooting-related goods and services, according to research conducted on behalf of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, Country Land and Business Association, and Countryside Alliance.

The report also reveals that shooting plays a major role in conserving the countryside. Shooting and related activities take place on over two-thirds of the rural land in the UK. Some £250m is spent each year on wildlife and habitats.

CLA president David Fursdon said shooting was a major part of the economy contributing £1.6bn to GDP. “In a rapidly changing rural economy shooting continues to create new businesses and bring new money to the countryside.”

For more details visit www.shootingfacts.co.uk