Should hospitality be furloughed again this winter?

[User135644]

The energy crisis is going to be catastrophic and there's no cap for businesses. If we do nothing basically the vast majority will be forced to shut and then we've got support people with benefits etc and less tax revenue.

Given people are already going to be hard up, could we just furlough all the pubs and restaurants for the winter while we try to work out a solution to this madness? I'd hate to see all the pubs shut for good otherwise.

OK so you close hospitality for the winter so they don't have to pay much electricity bills. What about shops? Big supermarkets may suck it up but are you going to close down any other shops that might find the bills too expensive? Whilst we're at it, perhaps we can solve the school energy bill crisis by closing them down too. Back to home schooling everyone. No one out past 10pm, the street lights will be off.

As said it isn't just hospitality, hairdressers, any catering business, sunbeds, beauty and small manufacturing etc will be adversely affected. Not all staff are on permanent contracts, so that's them sacked. Weatherspoons will survive because it will be cheaper to sit in there with a refillable coffee than be at home. Our society needs people to have disposable income. There's those who hate the thought of anyone who is topped up by benefits/on low wages as having fun money, but it's essential that money flows around all sectors.

Weatherspoons will survive because it will be cheaper to sit in there with a refillable coffee than be at home

I can’t see those refillable coffees lasting very long. I bet they’ll be gone by Christmas.

Weatherspoons will survive because it will be cheaper to sit in there with a refillable coffee than be at home

They will survive because they will get rid of this and will be able to ride out this high bills time. They will also get customers of places which had to close. They will certainly not survive on free coffee given

Absolutely not.
Where do you draw the line?
I'm also concerned about the beauty treatments industry which is, mostly run by women for women, from the big spas to the mobile hairdresser. And it helps women feel better about themselves. In a lot of cases, their business is their livelihood to keep their home and support their children. They suffered during lockdown too.

Yes, this crisis hasn’t kicked in fully yet, it’s still warm now. An absolute emergency is looming and something has to be done. I can’t see how businesses will survive without massive amounts of help. Even places like Wetherspoon won’t survive serving £1 refills of coffee for long with those huge pubs to heat and keep light.

I really think we can’t imagine just how life is going to be due to these astronomical fuel prices and how far the effects will go.

Just had a chat with someone and I found a business which is probably booming.
Home office. They put prices up for naturalisation and lots of people are quickly getting that for few reasons including plants to emigrate with option to come back maybe later. I know 3 people trying to sell their food business now.

Hey, immigrants are planning to leave. That's a win for some, eh.

This might be a small point in the grand scheme of things, but they could start with closing doors. Can't believe how many businesses have their doors open wide and the heating on full blast in the winter.

Guess they won't be any more.

Do you actually know what levels of debt the UK is already in?

I can't understand why people think the government has unlimited resources.

Maybe the teachers and students should be furloughed too?

The last half decent meal that filled me up, was hot, good value and tasty was in a central London spoonies, I just dont want to give any of more of my money to overpriced, badly cooked, miserable restaurants any more. No way will I pay nearly £10 for a dry stale pastry and mediocre coffee.
I wonder if the Christmas lights and window displays will continue this year.

I think some business may 'mothball' themselves for the winter! If they have the savings to to that & then open up again in the Spring but they will be few & far between!

I'm not seeing nights out, or lunches out, or breakfast out being cut back on here. Maybe come October but people seem to be enjoying the summer and thinking about energy prices later.

I would like to meet small businesses who have that level of savings.

People really think SMEs are all ranking it in, don't they😔

That means business who don't have the model set up like ones in tourist areas

Give money to the poorer classes and it goes back into the economy. Give money to the rich and it's hoarded into tax havens. Yet we still hear the nonsense of trickle down economics.

Feel for them, but good lord NO NO NO.
Who's going to pay for it?

Same here. Went out for dinner yesterday evening in town and the restaurants, bars and cafes were very busy, even a big crowd at the theatre.

Anyone that was furloughed must have found it tough. If you both work in hospitality, you lose 40% of your income. Benefits won take that you for people who have mortgages and financial commitments based on their salary

@katieg03, that's not how percentages work. 20% of your income plus 20% of my income is still 20% of our combined income, not 40%

(Still shit, but only half as shit as predicted)

@User135644 behave yourself 🙄