To be sad that there will be no £500 vouchers

[benadrylcucumberpatch]

Being able to make a frivolous purchase definitely would have got me back to the shops!

I was hoping to do my bit by buying a new PC with no VAT! Although I'd settle for shoes. But eating out? Not for a long while yet.

Gutted! I was inconsolable this afternoon. I’d already spent it in my head.

I doubt we would be able to use then to buy bacon butties as I imagine there will be a minimum spend per head to get ten quid off. If not, Spoons will be giving us change back.

What is the green grant about? My windows are crap but I can't afford to replace so this is interesting.

I wasn't expecting it at all. I do think the government are in a terrible position - maybe some people will use the vouchers but a lot of people won't even want to go out even now. Personally if they did have the much money to give out I would really rather it went to help younger people to get a job.

The idea of the £500 voucher wouldn't work because no one could police that it would go to the businesses that needed most help - hospitality.

It could be policed exactly as the 10 quid deal can be policed, the only way to get the money is by the business claiming it. The policing is equivalent.

Can’t believe anyone seriously expected a free £500 each! If you did then frankly you deserve to be disappointed!

Germany gets 150 billion for hi tech green energy and a vat cut to 5%

We get a meal deal and employers get a grand for taking back off furlough staff they would have anyway.... so direct to shareholders pockets.

Makes Corbyn's free BB sound a well thought out sensible policy!

No because if they had that money put it into other things that have been cut back, schools, MH and other serious problems. They can shove the dine out shite up their arse too

What might have been seen as a positive has been spoilt by the media pumping up people’s expectations.
Would those of you who are feeling fed up that it isn’t as good as you’d hoped for still be feeling so gutted if this announcement hadn’t had the promise of more in advance?
It’s the comparison with the better offer that now feels like it’s been taken away that makes it seem a bit of a crap second (Or third?) best

If a nice local place offer it, I might stop off for some lunch. Having said that, I work Tuesday and Weds and lots of places are closed round here Mondays so I’m not holding my breath

Totally agree starbuggy just can’t believe that people don’t understand that the money would have to be clawed back somehow. You don’t get something for nothing - payback will have to happen eventually.

@Starbuggy

Can’t believe anyone seriously expected a free £500 each! If you did then frankly you deserve to be disappointed!

This.

Starbuggy, parachute money has an economic basis and I understand has been promoted to address COVID economic difficulties elsewhere

www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3087965/hong-kong-permanent-residents-can-apply-hk10000

It was trailed in the media which the government often does when they want to test the water.

I'm not sure USA have done more than plan yet
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51932403

Well, if they'd given me £500 to spend in the high street I'd have been out shopping like a shot, chances are I'd have added a bit of my own money to it as well.
Am I going to go and eat out for a reduced meal on a weeknight? Absolutely not. I'm sure I'm not alone in that thought. I can't really see it having much, if any, effect on the economy.

@back2good

YABU. Much better uses for that money.

Starting with the NHS and schools.

This.

It'd be better helping the people struggling to buy ordinary food now prices have shot up in supermarkets with no buy one get one free offers rather than 50% off luxury meals out.

The people who will profit the most from this are those who are already wealthy enough to eat out. It won’t benefit people who can’t afford meals even at a reduced price. It also won’t benefit families with small children who go to bed early, people who have health conditions that make it difficult for them to go out, people with food allergies, people who work awkward hours... At least a high street voucher would be universal and usable by everyone.

Part of the rationale for parachute money is that many poorer recipients have surpassed demand so go and spend the money as it is intended quickly, generating economic activity. Other forms of government spending, tax cuts and subsidies tend to relatively reward the rich more who save the money and don't generate additional economic activity.

I'll be using it. Yes, disappointed about the £500 voucher to spend generally. But I'll take the kids to Nando's. Not my choice of restaurant but it's the only place where they don't bicker - so a yes from me.

Absolutely ridiculous idea. They are borrowing to fund all these measures and that borrowing has to be paid back some time, probably by our children. So we'd be taking money from our kids futures to allow us to frivolously indulge ourselves in the excessive consumerism that causes so many of the worlds problems. Here's an alternative idea. How about we give all our lower paid public sector workers, and all those key workers (many of whom are on near minimum wage) that kept society running, a whopping great pay rise to recognise their contribution in all this. Their increased spending power would stimulate the economy and make a lot more sense than just blindly giving easy money to all and sundry.

Hardly any of our local independent restaurants open at the start of the week so I can’t see that this will be of much use.

Eating in an enclosed space with others is very low down my list of things to be get back to doing at the moment, so even if this does apply to those of us in Wales, I doubt that we would make use of it.

@TooTrueToBeGood

Absolutely ridiculous idea. They are borrowing to fund all these measures and that borrowing has to be paid back some time, probably by our children. So we'd be taking money from our kids futures to allow us to frivolously indulge ourselves in the excessive consumerism that causes so many of the worlds problems. Here's an alternative idea. How about we give all our lower paid public sector workers, and all those key workers (many of whom are on near minimum wage) that kept society running, a whopping great pay rise to recognise their contribution in all this. Their increased spending power would stimulate the economy and make a lot more sense than just blindly giving easy money to all and sundry.

This, many, many times over. Well said.

@Porcupineinwaiting

Eat out scheme makes me think of the Mayor in Jaws who paid people to be the first to go back in the water.

Thanks but no thanks. Unless it's good for take away.

Was that really in Jaws? I posted on another thread that Johnson was interviewed and said his hello was the mayor in jaws, maybe he watched it again when he was in hospital.

Makes Corbyn's free BB sound a well thought out sensible policy!

Aarrrgh. I still say it was. Public infrastructure needs investment, and what infrastructure have we all been using for the last few months and hope to use for the next few month instead of jumping back in cars again?? Plenty of IT people are behind public investment in IT infrastructure. Unfortunately more people seem to be unaware of both the needs of infrastructure and the importance of IT as communications.

Anyway. As you were.

FFS, hero, not hello