What businesses will die?

[Cosmic Joe]

4 hours ago, oaksoft said:

Not sure you'd think that.

Covid has certainly pruned the herd but many company still surviving have done so on significantly reduced profits. Then the energy crisis kicked in.

Many companies will be on multi-year fixed rates for energy and won't have seen any increase yet since this started.

Many companies are going to be right on the edge as things stand today. The next energy increase will certainly tip more of them over the edge.

Not sure how unemployment levels help your case. Low unemployment means that those who are strong enough to hire are having a nightmare finding the right staff.

Tory talk

[Barney Rubble]

It astonishes me the number of bars and restaurants I have gone into during daylight hours this summer that still have banks of lights on when there is no necessity.

[19QOS19]

Heard an owner of a Chinese takeaway on the radio this morning, his quarterly energy bills have went from around £2.5k to £16k.
My work has went from £75k in the quarter to £250k.
Businesses cannot sustain that shirley.

I reckon most Chinese takeaways will be fine given they've probably got thousands stashed away. About the only business left where it's a genuine surprise if you can pay by card.

[Hedgecutter]

29 minutes ago, Barney Rubble said:

It astonishes me the number of bars and restaurants I have gone into during daylight hours this summer that still have banks of lights on when there is no necessity.

I recently had the opposite in Dunfermline's 'bier helle' where you weren't far off needing a torch to find one's way about the place.

Eta: just me or have they f***ed up 'beer halle', with 'bier helle' (somewhat ironically) meaning beer light?  @Shandon Par

Edited August 8, 2022 by Hedgecutter

[Clown Job]

17 minutes ago, Hedgecutter said:

I recently had the opposite in Dunfermline's 'bier helle' where you weren't far off needing a torch to find one's way about the place.

Eta: just me or have they f***ed up 'beer halle', with 'bier helle' (somewhat ironically) meaning beer light?  @Shandon Par

The Bier Halle in Glasgow is similar (I’m guessing it’s the same chain)

Although it’s downstairs with no natural light

I doubt many people will be paying £9.50 a pint in the coming months. That’s another that might struggle to survive 

[DeeTillEhDeh]

Touristy places might see a downturn if things get bad. Restaurants,  bars, hotels/self catering places etc might struggle, especially since most of them already charge a fortune. 
 
 

Depends how touristy they are.

Just returned from both Durham and the Lake District and both were hoaching as ever.

[Left Back]

2 hours ago, Clown Job said:

The Bier Halle in Glasgow is similar (I’m guessing it’s the same chain)

Although it’s downstairs with no natural light

I doubt many people will be paying £9.50 a pint in the coming months. That’s another that might struggle to survive 

Be surprised if people that pay £9.50 a pint are struggling with their energy bills.  Probably less custom lost for places charging that than your average boozer.

[Lyle Lanley]

4 hours ago, Clown Job said:

The Bier Halle in Glasgow is similar (I’m guessing it’s the same chain)

Although it’s downstairs with no natural light

I doubt many people will be paying £9.50 a pint in the coming months. That’s another that might struggle to survive 

Mentioned this in the Covid thread but when I was at the Three Sisters in Edinburgh the other week there. I was charged £29 for 4 pints and a vodka-coke. 

Can see pubs/clubs struggle to survive in the coming months like you said with prices like the above. 

[Halbeath Raith Rover]

4 hours ago, Clown Job said:

The Bier Halle in Glasgow is similar (I’m guessing it’s the same chain)

Although it’s downstairs with no natural light

I doubt many people will be paying £9.50 a pint in the coming months. That’s another that might struggle to survive 

The one in Dunf had one draught pint option I was in.

 

[TxRover]

On 07/08/2022 at 10:10, 19QOS19 said:

No idea how they keep popping up tbh. Was in one the other day for a look but never bought anything. Even the odd time I have it's been one item as it's extortionate. I refuse to believe folk go into those places and make purchases regularly.

They always seem to be run by sour faced c***s as well.

Being here in the States, and having not be made aware of the “American Candy Store” phenomena, is it as simple as it sounds? If it’s true, it’s a truly mind blowing concept given the quality of British/European candies over most American ones. At its most basic, American candy is massively handicapped by shite chocolate.

[HoBNob]

Seen it suggested they're all about money laundering apparently. 

[TxRover]

1 hour ago, Grant228 said:

Seen it suggested they're all about money laundering apparently. 

Fascinating, the banks here are plenty happy to facilitate that, as long as you properly structure your deposits.

[Derry Alli]

5 hours ago, Lyle Lanley said:

Mentioned this in the Covid thread but when I was at the Three Sisters in Edinburgh the other week there. I was charged £29 for 4 pints and a vodka-coke. 

What were the pints of?

£6 a pint and £5 a vodka and coke isn't bad - in my experience of Edinburgh.

[The Moonster]

3 hours ago, TxRover said:

Fascinating, the banks here are plenty happy to facilitate that, as long as you properly structure your deposits.

I don't think they are set up by Americans struggling to launder their money back home. 

[Michael W]

5 hours ago, TxRover said:

Being here in the States, and having not be made aware of the “American Candy Store” phenomena, is it as simple as it sounds? If it’s true, it’s a truly mind blowing concept given the quality of British/European candies over most American ones. At its most basic, American candy is massively handicapped by shite chocolate.

Money laundering and/or some method of dodging rate payments. Oxford Street in London is full of them and they're all always empty. No chance money is being made, even from the hilarious prices they charge. 

Seemingly there's some loophole in subleasing the units so that the owners of the units don't have to pay rates. Don't fully understand how it works, bit the end result is one party passing on their responsibility to pay. The failure to sell bars of Hershey, which is the only chocolate in the world that tastes like vomit, is not their concern.  

There is a small level of drmand for American 'candy' in the UK. Usually for certain flavours of M&M that are hard to get here or aren't sold. 

Edited August 9, 2022 by Michael W

[hk blues]

3 minutes ago, Michael W said:

Money laundering and/or some method of dodging rate payments. Oxford Street in London is full of them and they're all always empty. No chance money is being made, even from the hilarious prices they charge. 

Seemingly there's some loophole in subleasing the units so that the owners of the units don't have to pay rates. Don't fully understand how it works, bit the end result is one party passing on their responsibility to pay. The failure to sell bars of Hershey, which is the only chocolate in the world that tastes like vomit, is not their concern.  

I read about this - apparently it's as simple as the liability for business rates lies with the leaseholder if the property is empty but passes to the tenant when let.  The tenant is hard to pin down and makes no money anyway so no chance to recover the inevitably unpaid rates. 

[Shipa]

4 minutes ago, hk blues said:

I read about this - apparently it's as simple as the liability for business rates lies with the leaseholder if the property is empty but passes to the tenant when let.  The tenant is hard to pin down and makes no money anyway so no chance to recover the inevitably unpaid rates. 

I believe there are schemes where you can get a period (6 months?) rates free as a business 'startup', hence these type of shops will often appear for a few months, close down and then open round the corner under a slightly different name.

On businesses not surviving, I suspect there will be many small independents who have just scraped through the last two years as a result of the owners putting in everything they have to try to get it through, possibly even borrowing when the finish line appeared to be in sight, only to now find themselves being tripped on the home straight.

[hk blues]

2 minutes ago, Shipa said:

I believe there are schemes where you can get a period (6 months?) rates free as a business 'startup', hence these type of shops will often appear for a few months, close down and then open round the corner under a slightly different name.

On businesses not surviving, I suspect there will be many small independents who have just scraped through the last two years as a result of the owners putting in everything they have to try to get it through, possibly even borrowing when the finish line appeared to be in sight, only to now find themselves being tripped on the home straight.

That makes sense.  Either way, the leaseholder will be able to avoid paying business rates and the leaseholder is no doubt happy to help the tenant with a contribution for set up costs.  Everyone's a winner.  Almost!

[DA Baracus]

I think a lot of pubs were on the way out regardless. It's just too costly now. More and more people are deciding that it simply isn't worth being massively ripped off and giving them a miss.

Also the drinking culture with younger folk seems to be changing, possibly because it's so expensive.

[Sergeant Wilson]

7 hours ago, Lyle Lanley said:

Mentioned this in the Covid thread but when I was at the Three Sisters in Edinburgh the other week there. I was charged £29 for 4 pints and a vodka-coke. 

Can see pubs/clubs struggle to survive in the coming months like you said with prices like the above. 

What did you expect in an Edinburgh City centre pub?