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Post by dixinormus on Nov 2, 2020 21:36:32 GMT
“Eat out to help out” - and help rejuvenate the spread of the virus..?
Don’t suppose many pubs or cafes will survive Lockdown 2 now anyway 😩
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Post by EspadaIII on Nov 2, 2020 21:41:41 GMT
Four members of staff redundant as of last Friday. A fifth person came back one day a week (down from five days). The effects on lockdown on my business. Who knows what Lockdown 2 will do? Certainly up to four more people looking vulnerable depending on trade from January onwards.
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WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,356
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Post by WDB on Nov 2, 2020 22:23:34 GMT
Businesses serving basic needs — and with low barriers to entry — like catering will wither now but spring quickly back up, although possibly in different places. It’s less certain what will become of areas that rely on deeper knowledge and continuity of experience — perhaps the extreme case being the performing arts.
Some things will go for good. I can’t see any cruise companies surviving, because the people whose money it relies on will be the last to return to old habits, and the most fearful of close confinement. Airlines will return but not to their former dominance, and on something that looks much more like the Ryanair cost model than the old ‘flag carrier’ one.
Sorry you’re having to do this, Esp.
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Post by dixinormus on Nov 3, 2020 1:08:02 GMT
Terrible news Esp. But what can you do?
Money that is usually spent on cruises and overseas trips in these parts is now seemingly being spent on buy-to-let property, home improvements and landscaping projects, new boats, and domestic holidays. So some sectors are doing very well thank you, for the time-being.
Airlines will lose 80% of their business traffic (with a small b) imho.
I suspect that a lot of employers have tried to take a cautious “wait and see” approach during 2020, but with the new lockdown some harsh decisions lurk in 2021 😟.
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Post by Humph on Nov 3, 2020 1:49:35 GMT
We can only hope, and it is just a hope, that when/if we get to the other side of Brovid, that there is some sort of end of war attitude to life, and that people will be looking to rebuild their lives and spending their money. Those who still have some to spend that is.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2020 10:18:00 GMT
It will be interesting to see if the government encourage that Humph. While in the EU, VAT was capped at 25%. You could set it locally but it could not exceed that level. Now the UK has left the EU and has been borrowing to pay the bills, they can set VAT to whatever they please.
Local produced goods at one rate, imported goods at a higher rate might be a way to pay back the borrowing. Stating the obvious set the higher rate too high and stifle the market and limit the ability to pay back the loan forcing up the local rate.
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Post by EspadaIII on Nov 3, 2020 16:53:34 GMT
The staff we made redundant I'm not overly bothered about - generally lazy or bolshie people unwilling to do an extra five minutes for the sake of the company; even rejected offers of alternative jobs which to most people would have been more than happy to do. The lady who has come back is willing and hard working. Sometimes makes infuriating mistakes, but her attitude is correct.
The next round will be very painful - I just hope we avoid it. Some nice, hard working people with the interests of the company at heart. Again not perfect staff, but the right attitude and simply nice to share an office with. Some of them have a very good manner with clients/tenants which makes life much easier. But if we lose business, we don't need all the staff....
Where the government goes from here I don't know. There are so many opportunities to keep more elements of the economy open than will be on Thursday. The rules are already 'complicated'. How much more complicated would it be if we permitted open air swimming, golf, tennis etc which would make users very happy and keep some people in a job so furlough money is not required.
I am sitting on a pot of money from my father's estate. I do wonder if it will simply disappear due to inflation before I manage to do something useful with it.
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