The Eat Out To Help Out Scheme

[smitch Profile]

The scheme is really to get people out and start mixing (within guidelines so any infection is our own fault) after telling us to stay in for months, mainly so that everyone will go back to work soonest. Can't claim to be incapacitated or scared if you've gone out for a reduced price meal can you?

I'd disagree with that. I'd make my decision based on what safety measures are in place, which could be different at my place of work compared to a restaurant. I might also be able to walk or drive to a restaurant but have to take public transport to work.

[Amyw Profile]

I agree . I think the vast majority of people have returned to work already or like myself , worked all the way through lockdown as it is .

Also unless your employer stalks you in their spare time , I can’t see how they’d know you’d gone out for a meal and use that to blackmail you into going back to work ??

Haven’t used it myself but I hope it helps the smaller more independent businesses back on their feet . We have a lot of local restaurants participating and some of them have said on FB they’re fully booked for the evenings this week which is nice to see

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Judging by our local roads, buses and parking spaces, I'd say a lot of people who can work from home are still doing so, plus those who are still furloughed.

I read somewhere that as well as getting people to go out generally, they also wanted to get the early morning and lunchtime food trade going again as those working from home have not been using it. I don't think I would want to sit in a crowded train if I didn't need to in order to support a sandwich bar or coffee shop. I have already heard of several places who are happy to keep home working going for a good bit longer, there's no reason why those workers can't pop out for lunch but they've probably got used to not doing so and realised how much money they can save.

[smitch Profile]

My employer hasn't reopened yet. A few people have worked as normal throughout lockdown but most people are working from home or fuloughed. This situation is not going to change until September. I don't see how going out for something to eat could be used to coerce people to returning to the office.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I had a look on Broadway Market E8
The buildings are old and crooked, so many are still takeaways only, which explains the lack of discounting
But a couple doing table service not joining the scheme, I wonder why?

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I agree . I think the vast majority of people have returned to work already or like myself , worked all the way through lockdown as it is

In London the vast majority have not returned to work and have been working from home throughout. London is still a shadow of its former self.

[Amyw Profile]

Oh really I stand corrected . I live down in Devon so that’s our situation . I think maybe because we’ve on the whole got away quite lightly with the virus and also we’ve got less big cities down here for people to have to commute into

[jeral Profile]

I hear just now that Aberdeen has gone into instant lockdown with pubs and restaurants having to close by 5pm today.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-53666665

[karadekoolaid Profile]

The scheme is really to get people out and start mixing (within guidelines so any infection is our own fault) after telling us to stay in for months, mainly so that everyone will go back to work soonest

I´m not sure that´s the reason, either. According to some stats I just dug up (i´m no expert!), there are over 130,000 food-related businesses in the UK,(which seems like a rather small number) employing about 1.8 million people, and the food industry has been one of the hardest hit by the Covid-19. Profit margins are tight, so for me, the reason HAS to be to boost the economy. I imagine folks are pretty scared of "mixing" at the moment; I know I would be.

[halfateabag Profile]

We took advantage of this scheme today by going out to brekkie at a cafe on the canal. We had a bargees brekkie (normally a tenner and huge!) we shared it and did not eat again until 6pm. I think we may have lunch out next Wed. at another venue.

[scullion Profile]

In London the vast majority have not returned to work and have been working from home throughout. London is still a shadow of its former self.

i think that may be a continuing trend.
my son has been working from home (down here) all the way through. he's terminated his flat rental in london and will be working from home for the foreseeable future.
his employers are thinking of giving up their posh office and relocating outside of the city as they have (finally) realised that a posy office isn't needed when you can use video calls etc.
maybe this situation is what the country needed to stop the drain away from their home areas of young people. i know my son is happier and having a better time (off surfing and cycling with his old mates) than he had while he was in london.
it didn't take long for him to realise that it wasn't better in london.

we don't go out to eat very often and probably won't for a few months - until the hordes go home!

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I imagine folks are pretty scared of "mixing" at the moment; I know I would be.

Talking of mixing, how are your family? Any nearer to all being together again?

[Grasshopper Profile]

I pooped into one of my favourite coffee shops and had toast and a cuppa, half price, courtesy of our Chancellor!

Please tell me you didn't...

WHOOPS - typo!!!!!!!

I dashed into Weatherspoons cos I was desperate for a pee and that place has toilets.


Grasshopper

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Twitter friend has spotted a small snag
This is supposed to be helping restaurant owners and staff to get going after lockdown

He ate today in a restaurant that is now contactless only, as so many are. when the bill came the tip/service was calculated on the discounted price of course, and that particular system had no way of adding an additional gratuity, so the server got half of what he was more than happy to give them, with no obvious way round, he has contacted local chamber of commerce

[Pampy Profile]

The scheme is really to get people out and start mixing (within guidelines so any infection is our own fault) after telling us to stay in for months, mainly so that everyone will go back to work soonest

I´m not sure that´s the reason, either. According to some stats I just dug up (i´m no expert!), there are over 130,000 food-related businesses in the UK,(which seems like a rather small number) employing about 1.8 million people, and the food industry has been one of the hardest hit by the Covid-19. Profit margins are tight, so for me, the reason HAS to be to boost the economy. I imagine folks are pretty scared of "mixing" at the moment; I know I would be.

It's always been said that the EOTHO scheme was devised to boost the economy - ie getting hard-hit business going again, to save further job losses and closures. Nothing to do with getting people out and about again.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

But people have to start going out and about again to take advantage of the offers. The economy relies on people being out and about despite some of the innovative ways small businesses have diversified through these times.

[jeral Profile]

Going to work also means going to workplaces where cafes, takeaways, shoemenders, dry cleaners etc are based and currently have little or no footfall and passing trade. The chancellor doesn't want people staying at home - simples.

If he'd wanted to help the hospitality industry, a one month of 12 days' reduced price meals ain't gonna do it. He's worried about all that's interlocked with working, like big buildings (landliords), insurance, energy and transport providers which are all ailing with no custom, or worse if a trend towards homeworking persists, risking dead business-oriented centres that'd be paying hugely reduced business taxes. The coffers are more than empty already.

It's like an old man offering sweeties as enticements, as I said. You don't have to agree with me, but you won't persuade me that the scheme is to help eateries.

Put another way, if businesses aren't paying tax, it'll be us little people who are taxed to the eyeballs to pay off recent borrowings and with more out of work the numbers just won't add up. I don't object to the scheme by the way - we all have to come out sooner or later.

[Pampy Profile]

It's not a question of agreeing with you or not - the aims of the EOTHO scheme were clearly stated by the chancellor when it was introduced. Any other consequence from it, beneficial or not, is secondary. And whether or not it will achieve the stated aims is still being debated by many, including the head of HMRC.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Yes to what Pampy said. As I mentioned earlier, it´s a fairly naive plan; it might work and it might not, but the principal idea is to kick-start the economy.

The coffers are more than empty already.

An eminent economist, friend of mine, once intervened in an ardent discussion of how Venezuela no longer had any money left because Chávez had spent it all. He said " countries never go broke, and there is no such thing as rock bottom". Sunak will keep finding money if it´s needed, don´t worry about that!

[jeral Profile]

I was going to edit "coffers being more than empty" as nonsensical, but yeah, governments find money when it suits them to, always have, always will.

So, am I to understand that clearly stated intentions are now all it needs for a minister to be believed? That's some sea change.