Should I open back up or stay closed?

enricoh

Hi , I have 2 small businesses, one leisure related that gives me 2/3's of my income another in a different field that provides 1/3 .

I pulled the plug on the leisure one after Paddy's day over Corona. I have a lad that does the nuts and bolts, serving customers etc and his partner has underlying health issues. I didn't want him to get it off a punter n end up giving it to his missus. He was very enthusiastic about the news. I assumed we'd be told to shut by Friday anyway.
It's just my nearest competitors are open and many of my customers will head there n I may lose some for good. I have a kid in as well on the school holidays and could get him to run the show now.
Should I reopen or do people feel I'll be told to close anyway? Not skint at the mo but every little helps!

jimmii

Should you open just because others are being irresponsible? No you shouldn't. Unless your business servers a specific nesecesary purpose then opening up is not the right thing to do. Hopefully people will remember the companies that acted responsibly once this is over and reward them with more custom.

Atomic Pineapple

I certainly will remember the places that closed and put the country and people before profit. I say fair play to you for doing the responsible and morally right thing, don't let others who have failed to reach such high standards drag you down.

As an example, Beshoff's fish and chips in Howth was on my must try list, but after seeing their irresponsibility over the weekend just gone I will now never visit. I hope many people will have the same views.

Telly

Atomic Pineapple wrote: »

As an example, Beshoff's fish and chips in Howth was on my must try list, but after seeing their irresponsibility over the weekend just gone I will now never visit. I hope many people will have the same views.

I'm pretty sure that pic is a few years old.

Atomic Pineapple

Telly wrote: »

I'm pretty sure that pic is a few years old.

What picture? I had to drive through Howth yesterday and seen it first hand. Was a real shame, because other food providers in the town were ensuring people queued responsibility.

As a whole, society is to blame. Howth itself had far too many people out walking in groups with little regard for social distancing. So I understand it is hard on food providers, but others were doing just fine with their queues just down the road.

EDit

enricoh wrote: »

Hi , I have 2 small businesses, one leisure related that gives me 2/3's of my income another in a different field that provides 1/3 .

I pulled the plug on the leisure one after Paddy's day over Corona. I have a lad that does the nuts and bolts, serving customers etc and his partner has underlying health issues. I didn't want him to get it off a punter n end up giving it to his missus. He was very enthusiastic about the news. I assumed we'd be told to shut by Friday anyway.
It's just my nearest competitors are open and many of my customers will head there n I may lose some for good. I have a kid in as well on the school holidays and could get him to run the show now.
Should I reopen or do people feel I'll be told to close anyway? Not skint at the mo but every little helps!

What school holidays?

enricoh

jimmii wrote: »

Should you open just because others are being irresponsible? No you shouldn't. Unless your business servers a specific nesecesary purpose then opening up is not the right thing to do. Hopefully people will remember the companies that acted responsibly once this is over and reward them with more custom.

I was half thinking that myself, I thought it'd be hungry to stay open and risk spreading it. Supermarket is essential, mines not. Just the timing is bad as its weather dependent and season starts now, realistically looking at writing off the guts of this year. C'est la vie.

jimmii

enricoh wrote: »

I was half thinking that myself, I thought it'd be hungry to stay open and risk spreading it. Supermarket is essential, mines not. Just the timing is bad as its weather dependent and season starts now, realistically looking at writing off the guts of this year. C'est la vie.

Yeah its tough timing alright. I hope Leo takes the lead from what we have in the UK and really helps businesses out. I was not expecting the lengths gone too here to make sure business survives.

jimmii

Are shops still open there? Seen a post from DID saying they were reducing hours to ONLY 9-6 wtf!? You would think when businesses see even McDonalds closing they would cop on a bit.

Atomic Pineapple

jimmii wrote: »

Are shops still open there? Seen a post from DID saying they were reducing hours to ONLY 9-6 wtf!? You would think when businesses see even McDonalds closing they would cop on a bit.

Yes, all shops still open.

Bandara

The business comes first. People will disagree with me but I've always gone by that, in all business decisions, both easy and very hard, and its the only outlook to have imo. No one and nothing will help you or give a damn about your business.

You do whatever you have to do to put the business first. Now, to qualify that a bit, in this current unprecedented situation obviously you should not be opening a food truck to attract lots of customers etc etc.

If the business can withstand closing for the next month, two months, whatever then keep it closed. But if the business will cease to be then you should reopen with all precautions taken. For me, your responsibilities once you come within the realms of safety are towards the business, and by extension yourself.

Take every precaution that is possible, and insist they are adhered too. But going out of business because of this is not something thats right to do. Each to their own opinion, but thats mine for what its worth.

No one else gives a damn about you and there are no supports or help structures out there. You need to keep yourself afloat and keep going responsibly.

Good luck with it.

neris

If you can keep closed and preserve cash while taking in no income its a possibility. No one will thank you for staying open or paying wages and bills in months to come when your out of business.

enricoh

Government made the decision for me today anyway!
I'm gonna ring the accountant and see if I qualify for the e350! Sod it - I never got a fiver of a grant or anything before. Thanks for the input folks, here's to a prosperous 2021!

BarryD2

Bandara wrote: »

The business comes first. People will disagree with me but I've always gone by that, in all business decisions, both easy and very hard, and its the only outlook to have imo. No one and nothing will help you or give a damn about your business.....

No one else gives a damn about you and there are no supports or help structures out there. You need to keep yourself afloat and keep going responsibly.

Good luck with it.

Depends on the size of your business I think, but certainly for small enterprises I wouldn't be expecting much if any help. That's just how it usually is. The big boys and those with large representative organisations suck up the funds.

PickYourName

Bandara wrote: »

The business comes first.

Can't say I agree. People's lives and health comes first. If you can't enforce social distancing for both customers and staff, you should not be open.

Bandara

PickYourName wrote: »

Can't say I agree. People's lives and health comes first. If you can't enforce social distancing for both customers and staff, you should not be open.

You missed the “and keep going responsibly” I presume.

CiarraiAbu2

If your trading through a ltd co you came claim the 70% wage subsidy scheme

PickYourName

Bandara wrote: »

You missed the “and keep going responsibly” I presume.

You don't need to qualify the statement if you get the priority right in the first place. You don't address what happens if you can't keep going responsibly: if you can't it makes a bit of a nonsense of your opening assertion.

Also, it's not true there are no supports. The government picking up the tab for 70% of wage costs for 12 weeks for laid-off staff isn't a support?

beauf

If a kid could run the show, could you take orders online and run deliveries between you.