£500 voucher to spend in restaurants

[Alex50]

Would you go out to dinner, pub, shopping if the government paid you to do so?

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jul/05/sunak-considers-500-vouchers-for-all-uk-adults-to-spend-in-covid-hit-firms

Yes, once I’m through active cancer treatment.

Well, if they give me the money, of course I would! Otherwise it’s cutting off my nose to spite my face. I would just try to use it on “normal” spending though and save the equivalent amount, because this is clearly going to come out of my taxes at a later date. It’s not free money.

Yes, why wouldn’t I?

No ones worried about catching the virus then? These places would get very busy if people had free money to spend.

I already am so this would likely be spent in my local pub and a selection of the local independent shops. Which is exactly where the support is needed.

@Alex50

No ones worried about catching the virus then? These places would get very busy if people had free money to spend.

More worried about complete economic collapse if we don't edge back to spending money locally and supporting people's businesses.

@Alex50

No ones worried about catching the virus then? These places would get very busy if people had free money to spend.

Well they wouldn't would they? The tables would still be distanced etc you'd just probably have to book in weeks in advance.

I'm not worried about catching the virus at all.

But if the numbers are limited and staff are in masks and I’m symptom free why would o be worried?

I'll be going out to eat anyway so yes I would definitely spend the voucher!

That's a huge amount of money!

Nope and it isnt a long term solution.

That's only like 5 meals out for my family, lol.

No. Shops are open now so, if I wanted anything I'd go out and buy now using my own money. I'm not ready for pubs and restaurants yet. I'll wait until the initial onslaught is over.

What does it say about society though IF people do adjust their behaviour purely based on being given money for free?

That's an awful lot of money and the admin would surely be a nightmare. Cheaper and easier to just give the money to whatever firms hit the criteria.

We are already going out got tables booked

That's an awful lot of money and the admin would surely be a nightmare. Cheaper and easier to just give the money to whatever firms hit the criteria.

Maybe, but getting the money out there isn't the main point I don't think - it's about getting people out again. Once they are out they will not only spend the voucher, but their own money, once they see it's easy/safe to do so. And will continue to do so.

That's a nice theory. The amount of time between issuing vouchers and firms saying they'll give future credit for £500 vouchers now, would be approx 10 seconds.

as long as shielding (very highly vulnerable) people and their immediate households are allowed to spend at stores like John Lewis that have a face to face and an online option, I'd be fine with that

It's not about the money or the risk of virus for me.

It's about the experience.

I went to the salon yesterday. Spent 2 hours in a face mask. Had to take glasses off as steamed up, so could not even read phone. Two very long hours.
Won't be returning.

Did you post this twice? I'm sure I replied to this thread

@Alex50

No ones worried about catching the virus then? These places would get very busy if people had free money to spend.

The vouchers are valid for one year though. If the virus is still around by then, we'd unfortunately need to learn to live with it and go back to normal at some point

Of course lots of people are worried about catching the virus. But where is this miraculously fast tracked vaccine?

I am being careful while still living life. Wanting to experience life outside of my four walls and having a high IQ and high level of education ( biology degree so my education is relavant) isn't mutually exclusive.

Totally fed up of people saying that people who legally go to open places are thick etc.

We have to live with this virus possibly for years to come. Not everyone can afford to buy everything online ( hence big queues for primark)

When I catch it, it will kill me or it wont. Yes I'm scared of dieing from.it. but I'm also scared of my family quality of life for the next couple of years.

If we don't catch the virus by being hermits for the next X years until a vaccine then that's no life. We have to all die of something. I'm not paralysed by my own mortality.

My local brasserie does very upmarket and expensive takeaways. I think that would be both safe and in keeping with the spirit of the exercise. And eventually I do need a haircut.

Two questions occur to me:
A) could you spend them in Sainsbury’s/Tesco etc? If so then it might not have the desired effect because a lot of people would essentially save the money rather than use it for additional discretionary spending.
B) what about shielded people? In some cases they’d have families supporting them who could go out and buy things for them, but if they don’t then could they sell them on? Or use them for home deliveries from John Lewis or Dominos or whoever?

I'd go without vouchers. I'm not scared of catching the virus.

How does it work, someone said £500 on their phone, so you need a way to only pay parts of the £500 out at a time. But plenty of places don't take payment by phone. Is there another mechanism, or only Samsung/Apple pay system? In which case the retailers have to register for it & decide if the costs of admin are worthwhile, I could see only chain/very busy retailers registering, so not much help to the Small businesses.

In little towns like mine where most the shoppers are age 50+, I suspect engagement could be poor.