Super Saturdays appear to have become a regular occurrence in the political sphere. It seems like only yesterday that the House of Commons came together to review Boris Johnson’s proposed deal from the EU. The occasion marked the first time the lower house had sat on a Saturday since the Falklands War. Similarly, in my early years of political interest, it was on a Saturday that David Cameron congregated a meeting of his Cabinet to approve an arranged renegotiation with the EU. What followed was five ministers heading to ‘Vote Leave’ headquarters.
Now the first Super Saturday for a long time had the public at its heart. Pubs, bars, cinemas, restaurants and hairdressers were among the areas of hospitality allowed to open for the first time in over three months. In a sense, it was heartwarming to see individuals coming together in areas of hospitality which have so badly suffered. People, to enjoy themselves and help communities, were willing to take the risk of catching coronavirus. That is what the next few months and years will come down to. Remaining in lockdown indefinitely was never going to be an option. Forget the economics for a second. It was unsustainable, horrific for those with mental health problems and the very opposite of the ‘good life.’ Similarly, I can’t imagine a nationwide lockdown ever being imposed again. If there are spikes in different areas of the country, a localised lockdown will follow. No doubt that will be a disaster for the local businesses there, but I imagine there is neither the political nor the social will to retreat into our homes for three months every year. Only time will tell whether Saturday’s gatherings lead to a rise in cases. I would like to think areas of hospitality have been so desperate for business that they have taken the time to follow adequate social distancing measures. While this can never fully remove the risk, eating, drinking or even just going out always brings a degree of risk taking, with or without coronavirus. From what I’ve seen, most other nations around Europe that were opening up before us haven’t been affected (so far) by a new spike in cases. For getting people into shops and the preservation of life, this must be welcomed. However, the economy remains in a dire state internationally. The UK’s economy alone has shrunk by a quarter and is now at 2002 levels. Businesses that don’t go bust will be a fraction of their previous size. Given that spending is so necessary both for businesses to survive and government to receive income, it is unsurprising that stimulation of the economy is a top priority. A radical new idea is being proposed to assist with this. According to the Observer, the treasury, in partnership with the Resolution Foundation, are considering giving every adult £500 and every child £250 in voucher form. The money could only be spent in the hospitality sector and ‘face to face’ retail to prevent Amazon from benefiting. The Observer article states it would replicate what Wuhan, where the coronavirus pandemic originated, have done by issuing £57 million worth of vouchers. I am not an economist. I have no idea whether this proposal will work in helping businesses. The cost for offering people a year to spend their vouchers would be £30 billion, a significant sum in government terms. It makes the amounts requested by theatres just to survive look like nothing. It’s also unclear who the scheme is designed to benefit. Is it government? There is certainly a black hole in spending given the unprecedented levels of debt (already sky high before Covid). People spending will generate VAT and keep businesses afloat, thus generating income tax. However, not everyone will end up using the voucher meaning even more money could be wasted. Perhaps the money may support businesses. Under capitalism, some businesses will always succeed and fail every year. The unfair aspect of coronavirus is businesses failing through no fault of their own. If market interests change, businesses can either adapt towards the new trends or go bust. With coronavirus, there was no chance to adjust. Governments forced businesses to close. I would like to think, with this extra money, individuals would have a greater ability to prioritise what deserves to survive. The government could decide that the money is simply for individuals to feel better about themselves. I’m not a consumerist, but I understand the benefits shopping brings to individuals who might otherwise have a hard life with a job they dislike. Individuals may have more money than usual, by spending less on their commute, shopping and holidays. However, they are also likely to have lost a large amount of money through redundancy, spending more on utilities and buying online. For a brief period of feeling good in an otherwise rough economic storm, it is understandable to see why the government might follow such a proposal. Again, this is pure speculation. Whether the proposal will actually see the light of day is unclear. But, in a time that has been so tricky for many, I thought it could be fun to speculate how to spend £500. It feels like winning the lottery, having a voucher to spend however I like. I thought there would be nothing lost from imagining the organisations and businesses that would receive my funding to help them on the path to recovery. It really seems, just as there was an altruistic nationwide effort to enter lockdown to help the vulnerable, so there will now be an opportunity to help the country - and the world - recover. Without further ado, these are just some of the businesses I hope remain around for decades to come. Balzano’s A local delicatessen of over 50 years, the cafe and bakery has served the community of Cambridge very well indeed. Every time I visit is a pleasure. Selling brilliant savoury and sweet food, along with fine drinks, it is always a location where I feel at ease. During my A-level revision especially, the staff were very generous when I would spend the whole day revising away. Relevant Records Relevant Records is a marvellous hybrid cafe/vinyl record shop. It’s located right next door to my old charity shop, so I have many fond memories of eating a brilliant sandwich and drinking earl grey tea after a tough shift. They are unafraid to be different with non-matching tables, chairs, cutlery and crockery. Their loo is one of the best I’ve visited, the staff are friendly and live gigs are regularly put on. What more could you want?! Waterstones This needs no explanation. The nation’s best loved bookshop, Waterstones’ brilliance stems from making every branch appear independent. Whether due to the size, layout or displays, there is no sense of a cloned shops and chain stores that have no connection with the community. Waterstones goes against this grain. Browsing, seating areas and a cafe (the latter two of which are fondly missed) make for a perfect bookshop experience. Returning after three months away was one of the highlights of June (though apologies for the incident with the One for All gift vouchers!). Heffers Linked to Blackwells in Oxford, Heffers always provides an enjoyable, secure atmosphere for browsing books. Mixing new sales with second hand treasures, children’s fiction and adult reads in a remarkable compact space, the time for exploration is always entertaining and leads to previously undiscovered treasures being located. To walk up the stairs and gaze over the whole floor is a liberating experience. It perfectly balances the academic with the universal, ensuring a brilliant time for shoppers and tourists alike. Cambridge Arts Theatre I love going to the theatre. Indeed, one of the most depressing parts about lockdown has been the philistine attitude of government towards theatres and the arts generally. I worry that they view theatres as a disposable commodity, an accessory enjoyed only by the liberal middle classes and tourists, neither of whom will ever vote Conservative. The opposite couldn’t be more true. Theatres provide billions for the economy and are spaces where all individuals, regardless of class, have the potential to flourish. As someone with many happy childhood memories from watching an eclectic mixture of plays, they definitely deserve my funding. (Update: I'm pleased to say the government have guaranteed over a £1 billion for the arts as part of their recovery from the pandemic.) Aromi Another fantastic independent cafe, I have only been in Aromi on a few occasions. Normally, it is to purchase an ice cream, but I recently have fond memories of my time there. This is mainly because they were the last cafe I visited before lockdown was imposed! Every time I’ve gone though, I have been impressed by the quality of food on offer. I doubt it is the most healthy in the world but it always brings me a level of pleasure. After lockdown, it is somewhere I’d like to spend more time in. Trinity Restaurant The first location on the list I’ve not been lucky enough to visit. Located right near Trinity College, the Trinity restaurant is probably somewhere far above what I can afford. I would be curious to see how many Cambridge students regularly give the place a visit. All I do know is the restaurant defines high end eating. Unsurprisingly, the prices are absent from the website, because they’d probably give me a heart attack. Their lunch menu includes ‘sustainable fish stew, steamed mussels, tomato & shellfish sauce, crostini’ and ‘cauliflower cheese risotto, Lancashire bomb, pickled purple cauliflower’. Yes please. Fopp One of only five branches around the UK, Fopp is the DVD version of Topping’s bookshop. Selling an array of books, films, TV shows and music, the dim lighting doesn’t prevent a remarkable experience. Every cultural entity to keep you amused for decades appears to be there. I love particularly going downstairs to see the complete array on films on offer. Every TV programme every broadcast is there (well, nearly every), as is all the films Mark Kermode has reviewed. Looking at the front covers alone brings an extreme level of excitement over the cultural possibilities. As the stores reopen, my DVD desire for more film entertainment couldn’t be stronger.
1 Comment
5/10/2020 12:46:55
Music Classes for Kids aged 8-15 Piano/Guitar/Drums/Sax/Violin/Singing
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Author:Noah enjoys writing a blog and drinking tea Archives
September 2022
Categories
All
|