How?s your business or job been since COVID-19?

[Seabag]

I know many of us have had to change or adapt our work lives.

But do you run your own business, and how?s it been effected by the current situation?

Briefly, my business supplies the restaurant and festival industry, which now fundamentally doesn?t exist anymore.

We?ve seen a slide of 50% week on week, with this week going down to around 10% of sales to that sector. We do mail order and that?s grown, but nothing like enough to fill in for what we?re down on.

I had around 20 staff full and part time, with contractors in the mix. We?re now down to 3 + a couple of contractors.

And the future looks unlikely to offer much of anything, other than less than this.

I?m not blaming anyone, it?s impossible to mitigate for a global pandemic. But it?s also not the greatest place we?ve ever been in. And I see many of my clients have shut up shop permanently already, with years of graft and grind over in a very short time.

In all of I don?t feel sorry for myself, as such, I?m in the numb stage right now, but it?s devastated our team, badly. I?ve got my hands up with ?I didn?t see this coming? written on my t-shirt.

What?s next? I really don?t the f*ck know.

What?s your experience so far?

[JohnL]

Glastonbury cancelled this morning :(. Expected but I can feel the devastation on Twitter.

Maybe there will be some opportunities as businesses need to change how they operate - Pubs/Restaurants can now sell takeaway - but not sure how this will work.

[Seabag]

Take away is one option, some are also ding off licensed sales. But it?s not possible in many places.

Festivals for this year are over, I?ve spoken to many that will announce this soon.

Big upsurge in retail shopping tho, butchers and bakers etc, which is good for them. One or two I know said it?s like Christmas again.

[Hemingway]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Glastonbury cancelled this morning :(. Expected

> but I can feel the devastation on Twitter.

>

> Maybe there will be some opportunities as

> businesses need to change how they operate -

> Pubs/Restaurants can now sell takeaway - but not

> sure how this will work.

Well pubs have staff, stock an kitchens so some will probably offer some sort of 'pub grub' take out and/or delivery rather than shutting up completely

[edcam]

I'm freelance in the TV and film industry. I have an office and 2 full time employees. I had work lined up for the year and as of this week all work (and payment) has ceased. Until this is over I will have no income at all. So I will have to give notice on my office at the end of the month. I will try and stretch funds to pay my staff for as long as I can but that won't last long. It's ruinous for many in my industry.

[Seabag]

Challenging times

[tomskip]

We are a family of 4 (1 away at University but soon to return home as the remainder of her year's teaching has been cancelled) mainly supported by the earnings of a freelance sports journalist. 100% of those fees have disappeared in the last 10 days and all future bookings have gone too. My low-earning job is extremely precarious, I don't expect it to last long. We will be relying on loans or bail-outs from older, wealthier family members who may well die from the virus. Our 16 year old has had his GCSEs cancelled. Meanwhile, we try to stay positive to keep the 2 teenagers buoyant and positive about the future. Not easy.

[Seabag]

I?ve just seen that Chiltern Fire House have closed up, done, project over.

That is quite a shock, they were well financed.

This situation is going to be brutal on the hospitality industry. I heard many people assuming they?ll be back to work in 8 weeks, then I?ve heard we?re in for at least 3 months, and then some.

There?s very few, if any I know of in the industry that will survive that scale of business deescalation.

[JohnL]

tomskip Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> We are a family of 4 (1 away at University but

> soon to return home as the remainder of her year's

> teaching has been cancelled) mainly supported by

> the earnings of a freelance sports journalist.

> 100% of those fees have disappeared in the last 10

> days and all future bookings have gone too. My

> low-earning job is extremely precarious, I don't

> expect it to last long. We will be relying on

> loans or bail-outs from older, wealthier family

> members who may well die from the virus. Our 16

> year old has had his GCSEs cancelled. Meanwhile,

> we try to stay positive to keep the 2 teenagers

> buoyant and positive about the future. Not easy.

Wales Online (where I get my Rugby News) seem to be carrying on writing loads of rugby articles as if nothing has happened. Today's headline "Wales get big boost and England rugby chiefs branded appalling" - cheering up Welsh supporters everywhere.

Keep the articles coming please Sports Journalists (and keep paying them Media companies - we need to read)

[edcam]

Are you sure? There's nothing on the web about it and their website says they are still open.

Seabag Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I?ve just seen that Chiltern Fire House have

> closed up, done, project over.

> That is quite a shock, they were well financed.

>

>

[Seabag]

edcam Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Are you sure? There's nothing on the web about it

> and their website says they are still open.

>

> Seabag Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I?ve just seen that Chiltern Fire House have

> > closed up, done, project over.

> > That is quite a shock, they were well financed.

>

> >

> >

Cane up on Instagram through a chef I know, that said the post has now been taken down.