Government Vouchers for "Covid Hit" Industries

[steve_holmes_11]

Sorry to pour cold water on this, but I am not so sure Its a good idea.

Personally I feel the government would be better off using it to subsidise the expenses of the businesses that are having real problems - Music venues, restaurants, Pubs etc, rather than giving people vouchers or even worse actual money to spend.

Those who are better off will probably use it as a subsidy on going out and save their own money. Not spending much more than they do normally. Thus negating its effects.

A good proportion of the others are likely to blow it very quickly and end up causing all sorts of problems - lack of social distancing, drunk and disorderly etc. etc.  While this might help the businesses they spend the money in the increase in cost to the economy in visits to A & E and police intervention is going to offset the boost to the economy.

You realy ought to address your concerns to: The Chancelleor of the Exchequer, 11 Downing Street, That London.   

[Techno]

Let's see if it actually happens !

Like Leon....very unlikely to go to the pub....But a few takeaways would be a treat.
There are some local shops, that would definitely have been hit, that I'd be happy to use 'vouchers' in.

Mark's right in the point that it'll save some folk money....rather than spending their own.

Perfect example for me, would be buying a replacement oven from the local 'electrical' shop.....That'll save us a few hundred quid, which we would have had to spend at some stage.
Ooooo....and a new chainsaw, from the 'garden' shop in Cardigan !

Like I say.....I'll believe it, if, and when, it happens.

Cheers - Phil

[ianrs54]

Course the Welsh and Scotish Govts will probably opt out....

[flamingpig0]

Sadly when you give handouts to the big corporations they will inevitably use it to either ringfence profits, invest in property portfolios or hand it off to a small group of shareholders. And as we all know, many of them will push money through low-tax loopholes to save themselves from corporation tax.  So the initial support money gets siphoned off in a variety of ways and doesn't make its way back through the taxation system to refill the government coffers.

Yep

[Steve J]

As a family we eat out to celebrate birthdays (only because for our autistic son it has become part of his routine), the odd special occasion etc. We don't go to the pub. We have everything we need. So unless the vouchers would apply to IKEA or B&Q, where most of our purchases might go, they would be of no use to us.

[Dave Fielder]

I wonder if Pendraken could outsource to IKEA and/or B&Q ...

[steve_holmes_11]

Let's see if it actually happens !

Like Leon....very unlikely to go to the pub....But a few takeaways would be a treat.
There are some local shops, that would definitely have been hit, that I'd be happy to use 'vouchers' in.

Mark's right in the point that it'll save some folk money....rather than spending their own.

Perfect example for me, would be buying a replacement oven from the local 'electrical' shop.....That'll save us a few hundred quid, which we would have had to spend at some stage.
Ooooo....and a new chainsaw, from the 'garden' shop in Cardigan !

Like I say.....I'll believe it, if, and when, it happens.

Cheers - Phil

Like you, I'm inclined to think it was a nice soundbite, which will quickly be consigned to the dustbin of history.

It won't stop me dreaming about a free monkey to spend on armies. (That'll buy a lot of painting sticks).

[Steve J]

I wonder if Pendraken could outsource to IKEA and/or B&Q ...

Now that would be good

[John Cook]

Dream on - I'm fairly certain that wargames manufacturers will not fall into any of the "certain sectors" mentioned.

[Leon]

I sell garden fencing for very, very small gardens...

[Ithoriel]

I sell garden fencing for very, very small gardens...

And teeny-tiny, historically themed, garden gnomes?

[DecemDave]

Just to add to this rant thread.  Being retired, the money I spend with our eponymous purveyor of shiny wargame products largely comes from big company dividends either directly (almost NIL in the last three months) or via that small group of shareholders called pension funds who actually own most of the big UK quoted companies.  The state pension if I eventually live long enough to reach the ever shifting qualifying age, will barely cover food bills.  Although I agree I could do with eating less after 3 months locked down .  And as for pubs, I live in the Sarf so I can either buy a round of drinks or a new army pack.

Where did I leave that violin.....

The good news is that Leon is also a supplier of crates of apples (DUN-FUR10) I have bought some previously so there must be scope for these new voucher thingies.


 

[Techno]

Well.....I'll be living off kebabs, fish and chips, and Chinese takeaways in August.

Assuming (ahem) that the £10 off per customer is valid in takeaways, as well as restaurants.......Bet it isn't.

Cheers - Phil

[ianrs54]

The 5% VAT isn't !

[Techno]

You're right, Matey.

You only pay VAT on 'sit in' meals, don't you....Takeaways don't attract VAT. (I think)

Have to say the money off 'vouchers' for sit in meals doesn't appeal to us......Especially as every man and his dog are going to be trying to goi into the pubs/restaurants on just those three days per week, during August.

I fear I'm still going to be avoiding potentially 'crowded' areas for a fair old while yet.

Cheers - Phil