Hotel ripoff

[Gary H]

On 11/30/2023 at 9:15 AM, GMB said:

Recently found a pint of local ale in a lakeland hotel £9 per pint! 

'Ruddy hell! 😳 I sure hope that came with the glass! 

21 hours ago, Bluemarlin said:

Years ago, when I stayed in London hotels a lot, I used to use Lastminute.com. They had something callled secret hotels, where you could book unnamed 5 star hotels in the West End for around £100 a night. With a bit of google searching you could usually figure out what each hotel was from the pictures. Don't know if it's the same now.

It's not everyone's cup of tea, but these days you can get much better value using Airbnb. For the cost of a hotel room you can often get a decent sized apartment, and either eat out at an inexpensive restaurant, or buy your own food and drink. Much better value, especially if more than one person, or a family.

I haven't been to London this year, but had to stay over there for a few nights at a time four or five times over the last seven years.

From experience, obviously the more central you stay, the more you end up paying. There did used to be the odd exception but it seems over the last few years these few hotels I knew are now more or less the same price as others I avoided because of the cost... 

The last place I stayed at was about a ten minute walk south of Victoria Station (which was just about the nearest tube station). The hotel was more or less bordering between Westminster and Pimlico. I think because it was a little out the way of a tube station, it was decent value. I'd stay there again when I inevitably end up back in London at some point - providing that won't shoot-up in price in the meantime. It was reasonably quiet there, too. 

I have to admit, I've never tried Airbnb because I don't really understand how it all works. 

[Malc1]

30 minutes ago, Gary H said:

Westminster and Pimlico.

Passport to Pimlico springs to mind !

Malc

[Malc1]

1 hour ago, GMB said:

Rule No 1. The bank is not your friend.

Rule No 2. All the money you think you are making is not all yours.

HMRC enjoys a little from me from time to time ....... someone's got to pay for the NHS and one's and your pensions etc etc etc

AND as for that de-banking bank, well after 51 years me too with that bank ..  and zero explanation ...  believe it or not they just don't have to .....  they just don't have to " like " you anymore 🥶

Nevermind, there's always another " Co-Operative Bank " for me and my business ✌️

Malc

[Phil xxkr]

4 hours ago, GMB said:

Very true. I have been a small business owner and managing and technical director of 3 limited companies, one of which was a wine importer. I fully understand the difficulties running a business and the traps that new owners can fall into.

Rule No 1. The bank is not your friend.

Rule No 2. All the money you think you are making is not all yours.

Rule No whatever - Well that's enough of that. I could go on all day, but I will save you the pain.

It is difficult running a business  (Legally)  in the UK, but if you like pain and suffering then try running one in France!!

I salute your endurance 😎

[Phil xxkr]

7 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

On the otherhand it is hugely advantageous from a tax viewpoint to be a business owner rather than a payroll guy so let's not forget with 'great difficulty comes great reward' as Confucious clearly never said, but might have had he been an Accountant.

It's only advantageous when and if you make money. People are quick to want to share in the profits but oddly enough don't wish to share if there are losses. Success has many fathers but failure is always an orphan. 

[Boomer54]

29 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

It's only advantageous when and if you make money. People are quick to want to share in the profits but oddly enough don't wish to share if there are losses. Success has many fathers but failure is always an orphan. 

"Success has many fathers but failure is always an orphan. "..ooh deep !  Alternatively, we could look at the numerous pension fund deficits that have been utilised to fund the few who could not manage making a bacon sandwich yet presume to be worthy of being paid to run a business. As usual the reality embraces both sides of the argument.

[Phil xxkr]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

"Success has many fathers but failure is always an orphan. "..ooh deep !  Alternatively, we could look at the numerous pension fund deficits that have been utilised to fund the few who could not manage making a bacon sandwich yet presume to be worthy of being paid to run a business. As usual the reality embraces both sides of the argument.

Numerous? How many exactly? Yes, the Maxwells of this world grab headlines but of the other 5 million+ they do right by their employees unless of course you are Arthur Scargill masquerading as Stephen? 😎😎

[dutchie01]

This year it seems to be quite different as the power seems to have moved to employees. You just cant get them. Raise your finger and you have a new job kind of thing. It is an international phenomena as i hear thesame in literally every European country and it is definately limiting growth of companies and even influences strategies. Do we have to start producing outside of the UK and where?

Automotive thesame albeit for different reasons. Germany is a mess with VW closing EV factories and moving production out of Germany to China. Legislation has become so strict that producers ( also non automotive) are rethinking their future. Confusing times we live in.

[Boomer54]

1 hour ago, Phil xxkr said:

Numerous? How many exactly? Yes, the Maxwells of this world grab headlines but of the other 5 million+ they do right by their employees unless of course you are Arthur Scargill masquerading as Stephen? 😎😎

The latest is Wilko, but if you really want I will go away and compile an extensive list. Funny really, everytime I have ever made this, or a similar point, I get labelled as some sort of closet socialist eg Scargill.

Yet my history shows an unequivocal capitalist. I think the issue is I refuse to accept there is a wrong, or right side in this ongoing decades old discussion about essentially the distribution of wealth.

 

[Bluemarlin]

20 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

Yet my history shows an unequivocal capitalist. I think the issue is I refuse to accept there is a wrong, or right side in this ongoing decades old discussion about essentially the distribution of wealth.

 

As a free market capitalist, I share your view. I'm ok with an element of social redistribution though, whilstever we keep using public money to subsidise and bail out failed/failing businesses. If people want free markets, where you win or lose based on success or failure, then it should work both ways, or not at all.

I don't blame it on anyone though, or think it's some kind of plot. The disparity we seem to have is more an unintended consequence of creating economic structures that rely on constant growth.

A somewhat simplistic demonstration of how that works out, is to play a game of monopoly. As soon as someone gets the high value properties he can just sit back and collect all the money, while everyone else goes broke.

[Phil xxkr]

On 12/1/2023 at 8:36 PM, Boomer54 said:

The latest is Wilko, but if you really want I will go away and compile an extensive list. Funny really, everytime I have ever made this, or a similar point, I get labelled as some sort of closet socialist eg Scargill.

Yet my history shows an unequivocal capitalist. I think the issue is I refuse to accept there is a wrong, or right side in this ongoing decades old discussion about essentially the distribution of wealth.

 

This may interest you ; latest DWP figures show, A staggering £64.3billion went into employee pensions in 2022. Employers contributed £38.6billion, workers added £18.3billion while tax relief on those contributions totalled £7.4 billion. So Employees not doing so bad after all 😊

[Boomer54]

40 minutes ago, Phil xxkr said:

This may interest you ; latest DWP figures show, A staggering £64.3billion went into employee pensions in 2022. Employers contributed £38.6billion, workers added £18.3billion while tax relief on those contributions totalled £7.4 billion. So Employees not doing so bad after all 😊

In truth I never said they were doing badly. Indeed, the lifestyle of the average person today compares extremely well with the same of 1954 my year of birth. There is no comparison.

My earlier comments were to keep a sense of balance between the affairs of your business owner and payroll employee. Moreover, my comments regarding tax efficiency of both still stand and from an accountancy viewpoint are inarguable. Reward should be tilted towards ownership ,because theirin lies the greatest capital risk a point I have made to more than one ambitious employee in the past.

[Malc1]

We’ve strayed a little from Hotel RipOff

employer employee status and relations will never be resolved ……. in our UK working world 

I'm a true capitalist believing in much social responsibility and awareness and MY PERSONAL NEED to ensure my business tentacles,  although not in the UK,  employs worthy good honest people whom I’m happy to fully support so they can support their families whatever ……. It seems to work benevolently both ways …… a few employees fall by the wayside however when they get too arsey 🧐

A symbiotic relationship is a good way to go …… we can learn much from other nations simplicity and honesty in working relationships 

reading Starmer is today elevating Thatcherism to Socialism happiness …… well well well wot a turn of events 🤩👏 

Im a true social,  socialist capitalist …….nothing confusing there then 😇

it’s a “ win win “ for us all …… if you wish it to be …… have faith 

Now then, where’s the merlot 😂 …… let’s raid the Hotel Bar 

Malc 

[Bluemarlin]

16 hours ago, Malc1 said:

A symbiotic relationship is a good way to go …… we can learn much from other nations simplicity and honesty in working relationships

Malc 

Indeed Malc. I believe that in some Scandinavian countries they don't even have a mandated minimum wage, as employers and  workers trust each other to work it out together. They tend too come high in the world happiness tables too.

[Boomer54]

When I hear the words 'simplicity and honesty' in the same sentence I find an irresistible urge to check my wallet is still there.

[Boomer54]

The Germans always come to mind when it comes to owner and employee relations. They have a longstanding manner of melding the two for working conditions and payments. They have a word for it, but it doesn't come readily to mind. There has periodically been talk of adopting it in the UK, but little as ever come of it.

[Rabbers]

1 hour ago, Boomer54 said:

… They have a word for it, but it doesn't come readily to mind …

“Mitbestimmung”?

[Boomer54]

33 minutes ago, Rabbers said:

“Mitbestimmung”?

You're probably right, but it's been too long since I heard it so I really don't know. In English it's supposed to be something to do with participation , or cooperation.

[GMB]

It's Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese. It means bring some of this and you will be friends for life.

[Malc1]

4 minutes ago, GMB said:

It's Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese. It means bring some of this and you will be friends for life.

That’s the Reisling  then 👌

Malc 

[GMB]

Malcolm I hope you are joking. It's Ries ling as in Reece ling. Doh !

The big problem is that if you want the good stuff you have to go to Germany for it.

Try a (dry) Riesling Spätlese Trocken with fish or chicken for a new experience. A nice lighter alternative to Alsace.

[Malc1]

Problem here is the chicken or fish needs to be “ presentable” too 😂

Malc 

[GMB]

Correct, we are spoilt here. We can still get super fresh fish caught off the N W English coast/ Irish sea ( Hake, even Turbot! )  caught the same morning from Fleetwood. It has to be a good fishmonger - rare breed nowadays.  Aldi's chicken ain't bad either.

I suppose in Kent you have Thames estuary fish fingers swimming about in the Dagenham mudbanks. Can you get anything fresh from Normandy or Brittany? If the French fishermen or French Navy will let you.

[Rabbers]

1 hour ago, Malc1 said:

That’s the Reisling  then 👌

52 minutes ago, GMB said:

…It's Ries ling as in Reece ling. Doh !

The big problem is that if you want the good stuff you have to go to Germany for it.

 

I may be wrong but I thought the correct English nomenclature was Hock, and that you’ll find the best bottles in the cellars of one or two wine merchants in St James who are only too happy to sell them back to Germany. 

[Malc1]

42 minutes ago, Rabbers said:

I may be wrong but I thought the correct English nomenclature was Hock, and that you’ll find the best bottles in the cellars of one or two wine merchants in St James who are only too happy to sell them back to Germany. 

Hustling Happy Hake in Hock in Holland sure surpasses turdy thamesjuice on thamesside for sure ……. Cod and Chips  and Coke  from the Chippy in Clerkenwell  ain’t too bad either …….. 😂

Malc