To ask where all those who said that WFH would be good for business are now?

[ChampagnePuppy]

Sorry, sort of a rant.
I work in a small local foodie business in the South West. I know there is a cost of living crisis, but I also feel that WFH culture is killing us.
So many said that they would spend more in their local high streets now they were WFH but that seems to have stopped.
People are online food shopping and then not leaving their houses. Three local businesses announced they were closing this week, two bakeries and one restaurant. I can count five since Christmas which have folded.
I know a lot are feeling the pinch from gas and electric but a lot of people are just WFH, squirrelling their money away, saving and then saying 'oh that's a shame' on the Facebook posts when a business announces they're folding. Why not support them? I'm not talking about those on the breadline but those who are financially comfortable.
If you want a diverse high street, you have to support local businesses or we won't be here in a years time.

I think that you are really just jealous of people who can wfh and save money in on commute, childcare etc

Saving money on childcare might allow someone to renovate their kitchen or upgrade their car. They don't have to agree with you that the best business to support is the local cafe.

I eat out less now because prices have increased so dramatically. I'm sure businesses are just passing on legitimate costs but the prices are no longer 'I'll treat myself why not' and are instead 'fuck me I can buy something I actually need for that money.' Retail and hospitality are always the first to suffer in a recession.

Actually as well I suspect those wfh generally have more time to do an in shop person in a local town centre instead of a supermarket or online. Again, yes businesses are struggling I acknowledge that, but just a bit confused as to how you're figuring that's because people are still wfh. By the way I do and I love it, and yes I still shop on amazon as books are half the price of the local bookshop. I like supporting local when I can, but not if its costing double for worse service.

WFH costs me more than working in the office. I walked so no commute costs. Free (good) coffee in the office Increased electricity bills at home if I work there

@DogsDryWineAndCheese come on, it's true! If you said to a British person, what's the name of one person who served you in a shop today, they wouldn't know it. If you said to them, what does the person who serves you coffee in the morning look like, or where are they from very few could say. As a nation, we are very distanced from those who work in the service industry. I have worked in this industry, in many different roles, for decades. I love it, I wouldn't want to do anything else. But how can you let the same person serve you something for years and not even ask anything about them? I do think there is a link between this and the British public not caring when businesses go under. It's capitalism personified. Not seeing a person or a family but seeing either a viable business or something which can't compete with market rate. No maybe I can't compete with a huge business but I also pay my staff well, I pay sick pay, I pay lunch breaks. Would you rather have a country of zero hour contracts, profits over people and the same five shops in every high street?

The majority of home workers still pay childcare! No way would I be able to work with my children at home.

I actually cannot afford local prices over Amazon

I find Amazon more expensive for many things.

Da Bara "local" sour dough £3.70
Co OP probably fake sour dough £2

Simple maths really. OP youve made me feel quite shit. Thanks! 🫶

I am going to disagree.

I am based in a small seaside town and work from home for a London company and I do most of my spending on my local high street, with the caveat that I am not spending money in the expensive, chi chi boutiques that make up half of our high street.

I would say that if you have reasonable priced goods people will still buy them. I spend time in local cafes and restaurants too.

Homeworking is better for my mental and physical health and I have no intention or ever going back to an office based role.

WFH makes no difference to me
No DC, I always took lunch from home and my commute was 3 miles
So I don't save much WFH and never went out for lunch whether at work or not

Would you rather have a country of zero hour contracts, profits over people and the same five shops in every high street?

We just pay more in tax to support those workers who aren't getting paid enough.

I don’t do a job that means I can WFH and I worked though lockdown. But things are just a bit tighter now, for everyone. I’m not on the breadline, I’m what you would consider to be comfortable. But I want to have a few weekends away this year (in England) so I need to save somewhere. I now take a sandwich to work sooner than spend £5 a day at the deli next to my workplace.

I know it sucks but life is more expensive and we have to make it up somewhere.

I eat far nicer lunches now I wfh. Left over curry is way nicer than a ham sandwich in a plastic container.
I get too short lunchtimes to go to cafes for lunch anyway.

What is it about office workers (do you mean office workers?) that keeps your business going? Is it first thing in the morning, lunchtime and after work, or were they in and out all day?
I live near a high street outside a town centre and it's busy all the time. Homeworkers popping out, older people shopping and stopping for refreshments, young mums, etc. I visit my local cafes with friends, sometimes buy a cake or brownie and some nice bread to take home but I rarely go into town. Cafes and other businesses there struggling.
Business models will have to change if people have changed.

I thought we already had that.

It's sad but people shouldn't artificially support an industry they don't actually want to use.

I love bakeries and regularly walk to my local for baguettes and cakes, cause I love cake. But I don't make a beeline for the dry cleaner, just to keep them going.

Coffee shops etc don't really offer society much in my opinion. Most of their produce isn't healthy. Most of their staff are minimum wage and not treated particularly well (broad statement but generally it's a tough job with little return or respect). So I'm not really sad that there's fewer.

Some industries have nose dived whereas others have boomed. The tech industry. Some of our local gyms are majorly popular now as it's a key way of exercising now people WFH and people have more time to do it. The dog accessory industry must be winning!

I think it's just a case of survival of the fittest.

It seems that you’re being intentionally obtuse.

we know that bills have gone up for everyone. That is why there is so little disposable income around at the moment to spend in the high streets.

Most people would absolutely love to support local businesses but for many, they simply cannot afford to. This isn’t a choice for a lot of people. It’s a matter of being able to make ends meet and luxuries like eating out are things that don’t qualify as necessities.

It’s not even just the CoL at the moment but what is to come down the line. With the uncertain rises in energy bills and potential council tax rises many are having to forecast and plan ahead for even harder times.

maybe stop blaming the consumer for responding to the economic times that we’re in and look at the government who’s choices have led us here.

I wfh, I do online shopping because it’s easier for me, and cheaper as I don’t browse and pick up stuff. Where’s my ‘extra’ money gone? On rising food and fuel costs. That’s where

Personally I find where I am chain bakeries and coffee shops are better. I've tried coffee many times from the local cafe and its pretty crap to be honest. I went in with DS and one singular slice of toast with a tiny scraping of butter was £3. Hard choice on whether to buy an entire loaf of bread, some spread and electric to cook the bloody toast or sit in the cold on a rickety table to eat a slice of toast. Abroad I've found the opposite, small hospitality businesses much better value, quality and more of an enjoyable experience. Perhaps the issue isn't just with the public but with the businesses themselves?

I think your generalising massively about people that wfh. Far from squirrelling their money away they have childcare cost too (if they are not taking the piss), bill increases, food increases - the lot. People were more inclined to shop locally during lockdown because it was something to do and we didn’t have the inflation we have now. I truly am sorry you are finding things tough but I think you’re not seeing the real picture here. You say lots of businesses in your area have folded since Christmas but don’t connect that with cost of living.

You seem to be overlooking one key fact - your business is the responsibility of NOBODY but you.

My business has had a quiet month. I’ve not blamed the general public. They owe me fuck all. What I have done is offer a cheaper option, set myself up more for export, look into different ways of advertising, asked people what they DO want.
If my business ever folds, that’s MY problem.

Honestly I think you’re the problem here.

DH and I are high earners, however, we both take coffee and lunch from home to work. All these extras add up - one coffee per day, 5 days per week would cost £1500 per year.

One day I missed my train so popped into the local cafe (not a chain) and bought a pain au raisin - £3.50 (take away)! That is a ridiculous price for a pastry - I can easily afford it but it was massively over priced and not even that nice.

As for Amazon and online delivery, without either we would not be able to work full time and have children - we would spend so much time going from one shop to another every week. I suspect that may be the reality for many households.

Cafes doing well around here cater for those wfh, plenty of sockets to charge phones and laptops.

You'll just have to adapt op. I support local where I can. If there's a bit of a price difference, I buy locally. But if it's twice the price, I don't. I don't make a habit of giving money away unnecessarily.

but also can't be bothered to spend money on their high streets.

That's nothing to do with WFH though, I don't spend money on lunch near the office when I do go in either. A year ago I would have but can't afford to now. So I think your issue is more to do with the economy that people WFH.

Most people would absolutely love to support local businesses but for many, they simply cannot afford to. This isn’t a choice for a lot of people. It’s a matter of being able to make ends meet and luxuries like eating out are things that don’t qualify as necessities.

This. If I have 'lunch out' such as a bought sandwich, it is a treat - something I might do at most once a month. I absolutely do choose local and independent providers because if I'm paying for it, I want it to be worthwhile and not supermarket cardboard. But I can't afford to do this routinely; less so now than ever. I save nothing WFH because I don't have childcare needs and I walked to work. If anything it costs me more in heating/my own electric for the laptop etc.

Still WFH and still buying from the locals 🤷🏻‍♀️