Time To Baton Down The Hatches?

[youngmafbog]

Virgin Atlantic files for bankruptcy, WH Smiths looking at 1500 job cuts William Hill permanently shut 199 shops and small businesses now fearing they have just none weeks left before they run out of cash.

Looks like things are going to get very bumpy.

[ToraToraTora]

canary "So where's the £350m every month for the NHS which is why most people voted for it ? " 0h dear canary still struggling with English! PMSL!

[ToraToraTora]

why do the anti British struggle with the language so much?

[gulliver1]

Oh Gawd, just when you think things are getting better, the old china rears its ugly head again

[jno]

you mean why do they say baton when they mean batten?

I wonder if the three names YMB gives are actually failing because of government Covid policies. Virgin Atlantic have got into trouble because, as their name implies, a lot of their flights were to the USA, a country in a worse pickle than Britain and one with its own flight restrictions. It never had a lot of flights to nearby European countries, the sort that might resume soon.

WH Smith have been struggling for years; their book trade was fading long before Amazon grew up. They've not been well run.

William Hill - how much would reopening gambling shops help the economy? They're hardly a productive business, they just take people's money. If people decide to burn £50 notes in their own home instead, rather through a middleman, tough.

A lot of businesses are going to be blaming their failures on Covid. It ain't necessarily so.

[Gromit]

// I'm off to Majorca in a few weeks...fortunately for me my work means I can quarantine at home (although whether I do....) //

Hope your flight goes ahead, but there is a good chance of it being cancelled.
Most people cannot afford 14 days self quarantining and will cancel. Some airlines are not flying to Spain again. And they certainly won’t fly half empty planes.
Have you thought that you should be supporting the British economy by spending your money here, not in the EU?

[Deskdiary]

The trouble is Gulliver, either English isn't your first language, in which case I'd say you're doing reasonable(ish) job, or if it is your first language, and there's no way to sugar coat this I'm afraid, you just come across as thick as pig excrement.

You've never provided an argument for your POV - all you ever do is post some inanity; if you come out with an argument, people will challenge, of course they will, but you'd garner a bit of respect.

As it stands, you're just a bit of a joke.

[Deskdiary]

I am supporting the British economy Gromit; I'm flying with a British airline and I used a British travel agent.

[Gromit]

A week ago Jet2 suspended all flights and holidays to Spanish destinations due to the risk of coronavirus.

[Deskdiary]

Just as well I’m not flying with Jet2 then isn’t it.

[gulliver1]

We never thought that "George Orwell,s 1984 could ever, ever happen, but we have surpassed that. Now we have" Little Britain " , Thanks to Brexit

[Gromit]

You do know that British Airways isn’t British. Or maybe you are flying in one of that Greek blokes planes?

[Deskdiary]

BA and EJ employ 10s of thousands of UK tax payers - but feel free to dismiss.

[gulliver1]

Deskdiary 21.15, My command of the English Language, is good enough to understand that you were not sitting in the front row ,when the Brains were given out.

[CrapAtCryptics]

Imo Virgin quality of service has deteriorated markedly over the last few years while hiking their prices to uncompetitive levels. I am sad for the people losing their jobs, no matter who the employer is, but if they arent moving with the times then they will go down.

[Deskdiary]

^^^Lol

[Deskdiary]

^^^Mine was to AB's genius, Gulliver.

[Gromit]

Deskdiary

BA is owned By IAG which is 25% own by Qatar Airways and 50% Iberia. But that is beside the point.

Well done for booking in a UK shop. But the majority of your holiday spend, for food, drinks, accommodation and trips will be boosting the Spanish economy while UK restaurants struggle.

[New Judge]

//Still, we're doing our bit to help the travel industry - Mrs DD is currently in Croatia on a short break with friends, and I'm off to Majorca in a few weeks...fortunately for me my work means I can quarantine at home (although whether I do....)//

Me too, dd. Trip to Cornwall next month (the hotel we’ve booked is all but fully booked, I’m pleased to say). Canaries in October (so long as we are allowed to go and my flight operates). I’m a bit concerned about Spanish face-covering rules but I’ll cross that bridge. Quarantine on return? Definitely !!!

//Have you thought that you should be supporting the British economy//

I’d love to. All I need is to find a villa somewhere in the UK where Mrs NJ and I can spend all day lazing round the pool and every evening having a Spanish meal sitting outside overlooking the sea, followed by a nightcap or two in a nice bar overlooking the harbour – in the middle of October. I thought of Skegness but I’m not sure they have any Spanish Restaurants there. I’m going to Cornwall, that’s the best I can do. Meantime, since the pubs and restaurants have opened I’m catching up on my spending in my favourite haunts. I’m doing my bit to help the UK recover from the disastrous pig’s ear the government has made of this fiasco.

[Deskdiary]

Nice try Gromit, but you're wrong.

Yes, of course a few Euros will be spent whilst abroad, but the vast majority of the cost is in the money I've paid to UK companies; the travel agent will, of course, need to pay the hotel, but if I'd've gone to the hotel direct the travel agent would have missed out on their commission.

So, without doubt, I'm supporting the British travel industry.

[Gromit]

Deskdiary
You might think you are supporting the British travel industry, but you are not supporting the British economy. You might have handed over a bundle of dosh in a UK shop, but your money is being spent on services in Spain and boosting their economy.
I don’t blame you, I like an holiday abroad in better weather too. But you have made a choice, and that choice could result in job losses here.