How does that business survive?
Discussion
Are there any businesses that make you wonder how they continue to operate? Be it small independents or large multinational organisations
There is a pub / function room / restaurant near me that is consistently empty. City centre premises in the south east. It’s apparent they have tried everything to boost business. Disco night with a DJ and lighting; half a dozen customers, tops. Various food promotions in the dining area; empty. Free function room use; never seen a soul there. It is consistently empty or has one or two customers nursing a drink. I honestly question how they cover their fixed costs and feel some sympathy but also bewilderment that they keep operating.
There is a pub / function room / restaurant near me that is consistently empty. City centre premises in the south east. It’s apparent they have tried everything to boost business. Disco night with a DJ and lighting; half a dozen customers, tops. Various food promotions in the dining area; empty. Free function room use; never seen a soul there. It is consistently empty or has one or two customers nursing a drink. I honestly question how they cover their fixed costs and feel some sympathy but also bewilderment that they keep operating.
Edited by Lozw86 on Friday 15th February 19:25
This https://www.aviation-bookshop.com occupies a rather large shop in Tunbridge Wells just by the railway station. I have no idea how they survive. I don't think I have ever seen a customer in there, and based on their website I don't think they have a thriving internet business.
For a lot of old school small businesses its all they know. They probably inherited the business and worked there their whole lives. They don't owe anyone so the only thing invested is their own time so long as they can pay the business rates and utilities they stay open. Quite often their wealth builds slowly plus any inheritance.
The new modern stuff, vape shops, phone shops its a combination of high profit margin items which keeps them afloat or doing something a bit more dodgy. My local phone shop will gladly charge you £20 for an iPhone cable that cost them 50p. I am pretty sure they are growing weed in the back too.
The new modern stuff, vape shops, phone shops its a combination of high profit margin items which keeps them afloat or doing something a bit more dodgy. My local phone shop will gladly charge you £20 for an iPhone cable that cost them 50p. I am pretty sure they are growing weed in the back too.
Just your average corner shop or newsagents?
How do they survive, especially with the staggering business rates rises seemingly every year.
My daughter works in a high end cheese shop and talks of good day having a £1000 turnover. Approx £500 profit in a day but then staff to pay, bills and rent/rates.
I'm freelance and a good 10 hour day may get me £500, of which I only have to pay out train fare and the tax man.
Mind you I only did 4 days work in Jan and non of them near that £500/day mark but still better than running a cheese shop for a day.
How do they survive, especially with the staggering business rates rises seemingly every year.
My daughter works in a high end cheese shop and talks of good day having a £1000 turnover. Approx £500 profit in a day but then staff to pay, bills and rent/rates.
I'm freelance and a good 10 hour day may get me £500, of which I only have to pay out train fare and the tax man.
Mind you I only did 4 days work in Jan and non of them near that £500/day mark but still better than running a cheese shop for a day.
On the larger end, how about BT?
What ever offshoot of BT you choose I have found their service to be crap and highly inefficient.
Examples in my recent experience are:-
Sending out twice as much underground ducting as required for the job and not wanting any back.
Sending 3 new routers when one required - not wanting them back.
Sending engineers that expected to just connect a box on the wall when they needed to install 170m of underground cable first.
All of the above for a £190 connection. Took them 2 months to get it right
What ever offshoot of BT you choose I have found their service to be crap and highly inefficient.
Examples in my recent experience are:-
Sending out twice as much underground ducting as required for the job and not wanting any back.
Sending 3 new routers when one required - not wanting them back.
Sending engineers that expected to just connect a box on the wall when they needed to install 170m of underground cable first.
All of the above for a £190 connection. Took them 2 months to get it right
Integroo said:
Christmas shop on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Who is in it any month other than December...? That's prime real estate too.
Tourists who want a Christmas decoration from the Christmas shop in Edinburgh. I know we have something from there which wasn’t bought in December.Storer said:
On the larger end, how about BT?
What ever offshoot of BT you choose I have found their service to be crap and highly inefficient.
Examples in my recent experience are:-
Sending out twice as much underground ducting as required for the job and not wanting any back.
Sending 3 new routers when one required - not wanting them back.
Sending engineers that expected to just connect a box on the wall when they needed to install 170m of underground cable first.
All of the above for a £190 connection. Took them 2 months to get it right
This is very disheartening. I’ve just finished my own self build house and placed an order 1 week ago for a line. I’m about 60m ish to the nearest pole and 30 to an underground chamber in next doors front garden. What ever offshoot of BT you choose I have found their service to be crap and highly inefficient.
Examples in my recent experience are:-
Sending out twice as much underground ducting as required for the job and not wanting any back.
Sending 3 new routers when one required - not wanting them back.
Sending engineers that expected to just connect a box on the wall when they needed to install 170m of underground cable first.
All of the above for a £190 connection. Took them 2 months to get it right
I’ve had several message this week telling me they are waiting on openreach and will update within 3 days. Each day the same message, each day extending the clock. If I don’t get the line in until April then my work (from home ) life is rather f
ked up, I’m moving in next week!An old fashioned hardware shop I know. On two floors and sells everything from tea cups to electrical cable.
Maybe six staff.. Customers always in single figures and they rarely have exactly what you want. An example being the other week when I wanted some standard plastic garden hose connectors. The staff member ushered me to the display where they had all sorts of hose based stuff, but nothing to connect a hose to a a jet nozzle or a tap. They could order me one in and it'd probably come for next Saturday.
I went to B & Q, walked in, got what I needed and was out in five minutes.
I'd rather shop locally and use independents but I wonder how they make enough to keep the lights on.
Maybe six staff.. Customers always in single figures and they rarely have exactly what you want. An example being the other week when I wanted some standard plastic garden hose connectors. The staff member ushered me to the display where they had all sorts of hose based stuff, but nothing to connect a hose to a a jet nozzle or a tap. They could order me one in and it'd probably come for next Saturday.
I went to B & Q, walked in, got what I needed and was out in five minutes.
I'd rather shop locally and use independents but I wonder how they make enough to keep the lights on.
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