extortion

Started by illdecide, March 22, 2024, 09:55:29 AM

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general_lee

Quote from: Franko on Today at 10:26:05 AM
Quote from: general_lee on March 27, 2024, 10:26:12 PM
Quote from: Tony Baloney on March 27, 2024, 01:53:24 PM
Quote from: general_lee on March 27, 2024, 12:11:01 PMSo why is a pint in Belfast £6+?
Is it solely because of some imaginary cabal price gouging (see Beannchor) or is there actually more to it?

Belfast city centre pubs pay 20% VAT, in Dublin it's 13.5% (was 9%). UKGov refuses to reduce VAT for hospitality & tourism.

There is no rates relief in Belfast city centre (or NI) for hospitality businesses that is available elsewhere in the UK. So when the council raise their non-domestic rates, pubs and restaurants here get slaughtered.

Despite handsome profits last year, Diageo have announced their latest price increase - this is the one that makes the news but other breweries and suppliers have also put their prices up in the past 12 months.

Many Belfast city centre pubs employ people on minimum wage. When that goes up next month, they will be paying their bar staff more. They then have to pay supervisors, managers etc more as well. If they hire external contractors such as a cleaning company, that bill will also increase.

Wetherspoons, despite being a messy, under-staffed, McDonald's that serves alcohol and cheap, nasty food, has still increased prices twice in the last 6 months. The industry is fucked.
I was in Belfast over the weekend and plenty of hoardings up around construction sites for new "coming soon" bars, restaurants etc. You'd think Belfast is a saturated market but business owners must think there is profit to be made from the tourist sector in particular.
They'll be heavily backed by whatever group they're owned by so not as much risk attached, compare that
Quote from: Franko on March 27, 2024, 04:14:14 PM
Quote from: general_lee on March 27, 2024, 12:11:01 PMSo why is a pint in Belfast £6+?
Is it solely because of some imaginary cabal price gouging (see Beannchor) or is there actually more to it?

Belfast city centre pubs pay 20% VAT, in Dublin it's 13.5% (was 9%). UKGov refuses to reduce VAT for hospitality & tourism.

There is no rates relief in Belfast city centre (or NI) for hospitality businesses that is available elsewhere in the UK. So when the council raise their non-domestic rates, pubs and restaurants here get slaughtered.

Despite handsome profits last year, Diageo have announced their latest price increase - this is the one that makes the news but other breweries and suppliers have also put their prices up in the past 12 months.

Many Belfast city centre pubs employ people on minimum wage. When that goes up next month, they will be paying their bar staff more. They then have to pay supervisors, managers etc more as well. If they hire external contractors such as a cleaning company, that bill will also increase.

Wetherspoons, despite being a messy, under-staffed, McDonald's that serves alcohol and cheap, nasty food, has still increased prices twice in the last 6 months. The industry is fucked.

Bollocks

As someone pointed out, Beannchor Group posted a 5m (net... I repeat net) profit after tax on a 28m turnover in 2022.

They are printing money

And wanting an already underfunded BCC to put the cherry on top
Beannchor are the cabal. They can set prices to whatever they want in their establishments and people will pay it. A few others often follow suit but that's a lot different to saying the Downeys, Conlons etc are all in on it.

The size of the Beannchor group is largely irrelevant

If they "can set prices to whatever they want in their establishments and people will pay it" then why can't others?

It's not as if the people of Belfast flock to Bill Wolsey's pubs out of love for the man
That's like saying if Diaego announce a price increase, why don't Heineken? Or Tennents?

The size of the group is very much relevant, more so when they have 3 or 4 outlets slap bang in the Cathedral Quarter - two of which happen to be arguably the most popular bars in Belfast. If all 4 start charging a premium for a pint and one outlet struggles (unlikely), it's no major problem as it can be easily offset by the other 3 that are probably raking it in.

The Downeys might hypothetically see the Dirty Onion next door up their prices and think they want a slice of the action, and both bars will probably get away with it. That's not the same as them all sitting around with Colin Neill at the head of the table deciding how much the next price increase will be, as some people seem to suggest.

Franko

We're veering off into another discussion here.

If Beannchor pubs can set prices at 'whatever they want' and people still pay it then the reason can only be because they are the best pubs so still attract the punters despite the gouging.

If others can't do the same it's because whatever they offer isn't at the same level and therefore, for them, a price increase = lost customers

If Beannchor can make MASSIVE returns out of the pub/restaurant/hotel game in Belfast, then there's no reason others can't.

It's not up to the taxpayer or ratepayer to subsidise these sub-standard outlets.  Or to add another few hundred grand to Bill Wolseys annual dividend for that matter.

And if there are too many pubs and restaurants in Belfast and supply exceeds demand... well tough toddy... a few of them will have to close.

imtommygunn

#107
The number of licenses in Belfast hasn't went up in years (I've been led to believe). New bars just come in at the expense of old ones. Not sure on where restaurants fit - but there do seem an awful lot more. I do wonder is that a factor at all.

Franko

Quote from: imtommygunn on Today at 12:25:37 PMThe number of licenses in Belfast hasn't went up in year (I've been led to believe). New bars just come in at the expense of old ones. Not sure on where restaurants fit - but there do seem an awful lot more. I do wonder is that a factor at all.

I don't think there's much doubt about this

Every hole in the hedge is now selling coffees and traybakes

And that's not to mention the Deli counters and coffee machines that have appeared in every petrol station in the country over the past decade

Colin Neill needs to get the message that it's not up to the people of Belfast to fund this proliferation of profiteroles

RedHand88

Just on a side note it astonishes me the queues of people you see waiting to pay £2 for a cup of tea in a cardboard cup. Buy a thermoflask and some teabags and pay 2p a cup for life.

quit yo jibbajabba

Extortion thread threatens existence of the What grinds my gears thread 😆

But aye, while I'm here, what about themmuns always walking round with the metallic coffee thingys. It probably freezing too. Just to look cool. Basturts

Rant over

imtommygunn

Off with their heads I say...

Yeah tbh ripped off left right and centre these days whether it be beer, tea, food, taxis you name it!

gallsman

Quote from: quit yo jibbajabba on Today at 02:47:43 PMExtortion thread threatens existence of the What grinds my gears thread 😆

But aye, while I'm here, what about themmuns always walking round with the metallic coffee thingys. It probably freezing too. Just to look cool. Basturts

Rant over

Those thermos type mugs generally keep hot things hot and cold things cold. If it's freezing, that's probably their intention.

But no, you don't have to leave a Chillys cup or bottle. Fail to see how people trying to avoid single use containers could possibly upset anyone else.

quit yo jibbajabba

Sorry gallsman I was only jesting wont do that again that's for sure

Apologies to the environment also for any offence