I've now shut down my business. It's going to kill me financially, but its the right thing to do for health of everyone. Anyone I speak to in the health industry is expecting this to last at least a year.
I really don't think we're going to be seeing football again at any time soon.
At what point do clubs say that they just cannot afford to keep paying footballers millions of pounds as their business has closed?
It is ludicrous as the country shuts down and millions of people are now desperate to find a way to survive financially, that an industry which is in shutdown itself keeps paying footballers whilst everyone else is looking at layoffs, unpaid leave etc.
Either footballers and clubs do something immediately or there will be no football clubs.
At Leeds there is an additional concern that AR's business is built on sporting rights at a time when no one can show any live sport, I expecting that to be seriously downsizing soon, which calls into question any ability he might have to sustainably run the club.
In the scheme of things this is not that important, the health of people and prevention of societal breakdown is key, but not sure we're going to have a Leeds United as we know it to come back to.
Football out of step
posted on 20/3/20
It has a already decided in "Bosman" that a footballer's employment contract should operate in the same way as anyone elses. The figures in the contract are irrelevant.
posted on 20/3/20
comment by LeedsFanFor45Years (U6871)
posted 8 hours, 23 minutes ago
Jonty - it's heart-rending when you have to decide between your livelihood and the health of others, but it's a tough decision that needs to be made for all the right reasons. I applaud your integrity!
I'm self-employed too (sole trader) and had to 'put the shutters up' just over a week ago. My clientele are largely retirement age or higher and I couldn't risk the possibility of catching this virus and then spreading it from person to person. (Not to mention my three 'at risk' family members here).
As the advice from the government became more forceful, I've found that bookings dried up completely anyhow. I get the occasional call for help or advice and I'm doing my best to help (unpaid) where I can. People have been very understanding.
As a computer geek, I'm trying to re-vamp my services so that I promote my ability to fix /some/ computer problems remotely. I've changed my website to take PayPal payments and am hoping to get a trickle of business in to help things along.
As a sole trader, I don't get the government grant for small businesses (I work from my rented home, so no business rates and no mortgage relief) so am waiting with hope for the Chancellor's package of aid tomorrow which is supposed to cover renters and the self-employed.
I've been trying to speak to someone at NatWest regarding a business loan to keep me afloat since Monday morning. Still waiting for their call-back which shows no sign of happening despite spending over two hours listening to crappy music and speaking to two different (very sympathetic, but ultimately powerless) human beings.
I spent 13 years building my business to the level where it was just becoming a bit more buoyant, but this is going to flatten it for a while. Working from home though, I hope to be ready to get back into it when this passes.
If I can ride this storm, I can spend the next three months doing all the things that I've been wanting to do, but putting off business-wise for the last few years!
Every cloud and all that...
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45, I'll use the time to sort out website, create some new marketing collateral, check all equipment, do some new stuff like cooking etc but ultimately its a big blow and will cause a lot of stress for a lot of people, it's a big blow for the mental health of the country.
Some creativity will come out of it and ultimately the most important thing is that the population survives not the economy. If your economy collapses, you can rebuild it with the people. If your population collapses, you'll never rebuild that economy.
Hope you can re-orient your business at this point and survive through this.
posted on 20/3/20
comment by Stevie Dee (U10061)
posted 14 hours, 6 minutes ago
Sorry to hear about your circumstances. Hopefully we'll all get through this with our health intact and ready to go again. My consultancy business will stop generating income after April and the other businesses are on hold as the authorities grind to a halt.
My "day job" is about to become that much more scary as this virus takes its hold across all types of establishments. Emergency talks today and likely that all leave is being cancelled forthwith.......
Fingers crossed that everyone is here to see Leeds United get promoted (whenever that might actually be).
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It will change everything, for everyone.
Who knows, maybe even something society needs to give it a reset, but I'm not sure people still yet get how impactful this is going to be and how really there is nothing more precious than your health.
Good luck on your voyage through it!
posted on 20/3/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 20/3/20
comment by Cal Neva (U11544)
posted 4 minutes ago
Went passed two pubs last evening with people sat inside and outside. They must be immune from the virus I assume
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Utter fwits like that prevent any sort of lockdown working and then means gov needs to move to next step which is enforcement for all.
posted on 20/3/20
Times are going to be tough for a lot of people and i feel sorry for people who have had to close their buisnesses in uncertain times. Hope we can all come together to help people less fortunate.
I myself run a kitchen which i recently took over so was on a zero hour contract as a trial. Having to go to work is vital for me to earn money and also vital to my team who have families etc. Us still having to be open but people warned not to go is very damaging to the buisness.
On a personal level we lost our Mum in November, my Dad is 74 , diabetic and also on Chemo. He has had to self isolate and will not see anyone apart from my sister who is his acting carer. My Brother is a freelance photographer who's main income was schools, universities and collages. He is also Diabetic so can't help/visit our Dad.
Very hard and crazy times ahead.
Stay safe everyone.
posted on 20/3/20
Comment Deleted by Site Moderator
posted on 20/3/20
comment by BATTYWACK (U2254)
posted 1 hour, 21 minutes ago
Times are going to be tough for a lot of people and i feel sorry for people who have had to close their buisnesses in uncertain times. Hope we can all come together to help people less fortunate.
I myself run a kitchen which i recently took over so was on a zero hour contract as a trial. Having to go to work is vital for me to earn money and also vital to my team who have families etc. Us still having to be open but people warned not to go is very damaging to the buisness.
On a personal level we lost our Mum in November, my Dad is 74 , diabetic and also on Chemo. He has had to self isolate and will not see anyone apart from my sister who is his acting carer. My Brother is a freelance photographer who's main income was schools, universities and collages. He is also Diabetic so can't help/visit our Dad.
Very hard and crazy times ahead.
Stay safe everyone.
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Best wishes pal.
posted on 20/3/20
Thanks guys.
posted on 20/3/20
comment by Jonty (U4614)
posted 8 hours, 45 minutes ago
comment by Stevie Dee (U10061)
posted 14 hours, 6 minutes ago
Sorry to hear about your circumstances. Hopefully we'll all get through this with our health intact and ready to go again. My consultancy business will stop generating income after April and the other businesses are on hold as the authorities grind to a halt.
My "day job" is about to become that much more scary as this virus takes its hold across all types of establishments. Emergency talks today and likely that all leave is being cancelled forthwith.......
Fingers crossed that everyone is here to see Leeds United get promoted (whenever that might actually be).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It will change everything, for everyone.
Who knows, maybe even something society needs to give it a reset, but I'm not sure people still yet get how impactful this is going to be and how really there is nothing more precious than your health.
Good luck on your voyage through it!
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Thanks, you too.