Hancock's Half Hour

[Phil Pascoe]

I would imagine a good proportion of the people wanting to get into Primark are people like my SIL who has 3 children that have outgrown a vast proportion of their clothes in the last 3 months. Saw them today with their trousers at half mast! :lol:

Did you tell her it's possible to buy things on line?

 

[Rorschach]

I would imagine a good proportion of the people wanting to get into Primark are people like my SIL who has 3 children that have outgrown a vast proportion of their clothes in the last 3 months. Saw them today with their trousers at half mast! :lol:

Did you tell her it's possible to buy things on line?

C'mon Phil you are too sensible for a statement like this.

 

[doctor Bob]

I know a thread is getting weird when I start getting privately messages about it - probably time to extract myself before things get out of hand.

Yes I got one too, I couldn't be pineappled to read it and eventually the sender deleted it :lol: :lol:

 

[Lons]

I know a thread is getting weird when I start getting privately messages about it - probably time to extract myself before things get out of hand.

Yes I got one too, I couldn't be pineappled to read it and eventually the sender deleted it :lol: :lol:

Well it definitely wasn't me. :!:

 

[Garno]

I know a thread is getting weird when I start getting privately messages about it - probably time to extract myself before things get out of hand.

Yes I got one too, I couldn't be pineappled to read it and eventually the sender deleted it :lol: :lol:

Well it definitely wasn't me. :!:

Wasn't me either, I have learnt that the important folk do not think me worthy of a reply so I only reply to messages these days. I think people put my PM's into the junk mail folder

 

[Rorschach]

Anyone go proper shopping this week? I did, more to people watch than actually buy anything. I was impressed with the systems that had been created and the professionalism of the staff. Everyone super friendly, knew their stuff and very helpful. Didn't witness anyone being rude or being shouted at.

Sadly though it appeared to be almost as many staff as customers, I could have walked straight into any number of shops they were so empty, those that did have queues were only very short and because the shops themselves were on the smaller side. I got some lunch while out, walked right in and placed my order right away, one person waiting, no one behind me. No one at the tills in the shops I did go into.

I thought it would be interesting to see how things were going, it was just depressing really.

 

[Garno]

it was just depressing really.

A bit like a lot of your posts

 

[Lons]

one person waiting, no one behind me. No one at the tills in the shops I did go into. I thought it would be interesting to see how things were going, it was just depressing really.

I guess the word was out that you were around and sensible people didn't want to risk it. :lol:

We went to Costco on Friday and it was pretty busy but very well controlled with plenty of full trolleys evident and this morning I dropped my wife off at Morrisons which was also very busy.

 

[Rorschach]

one person waiting, no one behind me. No one at the tills in the shops I did go into. I thought it would be interesting to see how things were going, it was just depressing really.

I guess the word was out that you were around and sensible people didn't want to risk it. :lol:

We went to Costco on Friday and it was pretty busy but very well controlled with plenty of full trolleys evident and this morning I dropped my wife off at Morrisons which was also very busy.

Word got around fast then! :lol:

I was discounting supermarkets/food shops really as they aren't really any different to pre-lockdown. The shops I was talking about were all shops that had opened up in the last week or so, clothes shops, jewellers etc.

 

[Rorschach]

Bit of knowledge that hasn't made the news (yet). Doc Bob might be interested in this.

Thousands?(didn't get an exact figure but it's a lot) of low grade civil servants are being retrained to cover DWP work in preparation for when the furlough scheme ends.

This means massive unemployment on the horizon.

 

[doctor Bob]

This means massive unemployment on the horizon.

Think this is common knowledge, a lot on furlough don't realise that they have been on good welfare payments for 3 months and were effectively unemployed in March.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My wife works for a small (Swedish) bank. The consensus there is that many businesses will attempt to make a go of things but find it impossible for one reason or another and will fold in the autumn.

Pubs, restaurants, cafes etc. - how exactly are they to make money with twice the overheads and half the trade? You'd have be desperate to even try.

 

[Rorschach]

This means massive unemployment on the horizon.

Think this is common knowledge, a lot on furlough don't realise that they have been on good welfare payments for 3 months and were effectively unemployed in March.

I think some of us knew this was going to happen but a lot were in denial, especially the MSM who caused all of this. The fact the government is making these preparations though shows that they know what is coming.

 

[Rorschach]

My wife works for a small (Swedish) bank. The consensus there is that many businesses will attempt to make a go of things but find it impossible for one reason or another and will fold in the autumn.

Pubs, restaurants, cafes etc. - how exactly are they to make money with twice the overheads and half the trade? You'd have be desperate to even try.

Yes I agree with her (and you).
My post a few days ago about going shopping was to highlight exactly this. If you have as many staff as customers how are you going to make any profits?

 

[Terry - Somerset]

It was very clear early in lockdown that some being furloughed may ultimately end up jobless. The more thoughtful may have realised that they should have spent some time gaining new and different skills - sadly I suspect most did not.

Furlough is unaffordable long term - a very generous scheme where for many 80% of income, and saving commuting, child care costs etc may have left them financially better off.

The expected relaxation of lockdown is a high risk strategy to at least give most small businesses a chance. With 2M distancing restaurants, pubs, cinemas etc would be limited to around 25% capacity - at 1M they may get to around 70%.

Most businesses will survive at 70% capacity - eg: on most nights most restaurants are trading well below 70% capacity and it is only on 1 or 2 nights a week it would be a constraint.

The new normal may be very different to the old - work from home, online shopping and delivery, investment to reduce complexity and length of overseas supply chains, etc. Behaviours and attitudes may change - live to work, or work to live. This may lead to greater job sharing, reduced hours jobs .

It is a mistake to view the future as a series of negative events - there are opportunities for change which can improve rather than diminish individuals and society. What separates this recession from others is that it was created over just two month, other recessions (2010, 1990s, 1980s) reflected fundamental weaknesses not easily reversed.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Most businesses will survive at 70% capacity - eg: on most nights most restaurants are trading well below 70% capacity and it is only on 1 or 2 nights a week it would be a constraint.

Yes, and on most nights they're only paying their way and not making money, and they have carried staff to allow them to work at maximum. You still have to (e.g.) clean a toilet, whether ten people use it or fifty people use it - you have only a fifth of the people to pay them.

 

[Rorschach]

I am not convinced most businesses could survive even if they managed to get to 70% capacity. I think people saying that have never run a business before.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

At 70% all day, every day ..............maybe. They need the 100%s to counter the 40%s.

 

[RogerS]

....
The new normal may be very different to the old - work from home, online shopping and delivery, investment to reduce complexity and length of overseas supply chains, etc. Behaviours and attitudes may change - live to work, or work to live. ......

Well, if today is anything to go by, the 'new' normal is the 'old' normal. Needed to send a letter Special Delivery so popped down to the local (very small) town. Every shop open including hairdressers. Groups sitting on benches together, chilling out in the sunshine. 2m ? Dream on 1m? Dream on even further. Not an attempt at any form of social distancing. Not a mask in sight. Covid doesn't exist. Never did. It was a conspiracy. Simply bloody stupid.

Sing along now :

We're riding along on the crest of a (second) wave,
and the sun is in the sky.
All of our eyes on the distant horizon,
Look out for those who'll die.
We'll do the WAILING !
When all the rest around are failing,
We're riding along on the crest of a (second) wave,
And the world was ours.

 

[thetyreman]

I am not convinced most businesses could survive even if they managed to get to 70% capacity. I think people saying that have never run a business before.

they could only survive by raising prices which is not easy at a time of recession, you can do it but not forever, it's not sustainable.