Individual points on the domestic gastromap are decreasing. There is currently a threat of massive layoffs and closures. According to restaurateurs, the worst is uncertainty and fear, they drive people out of restaurants and take the will of the operators to continue. They need perspective so they can make crucial decisions.
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“Even before the current measures, companies ended every day. At the same time, it is not about cleaning the market, healthy and normally competitive companies are ending up, “emphasizes the owner of several restaurants and an official of the Association of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (AMSP) Luboš Kastner.
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His colleagues need a clear and swift commitment from the government on compensation. They have to pay employees, rent and other costs. And according to Kastner, they used up their own reserves in the spring. “If the government does not react quickly, there is also a risk of lawsuits against the state. Gastronomes are currently interested in everything, “explains a representative of AMSP.
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Bredford Consulting tax adviser Jan Bonaventura gave some advice that could help the pub. For example, they may try to agree with the landlord to change the conditions. “The sensible understand that you can’t insist on rents that are debilitating,” says the expert.
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Staff costs
As for employees, some of them can go to the employment office. “Even if you are at the employment office, you have the opportunity to earn a limited amount of money in agreement with the office,” informs Bonaventura. He then advises with temporary workers who help through lunches to have a work agreement. No levies are paid from it for income up to CZK 10,000.
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Furthermore, it is possible to provide suitable benefits that are not burdened by levies, but are interesting for employees. “For example, in certain cases it is possible to reimburse a trip to work from another city – such compensation is exempt from tax and insurance premium and deductible by employers,” says the taxpayer.
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Until the end of October, the Antivirus A and B programs are still active, which can be used to compensate part of the staff costs.
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The hosts want a concrete promise when and under what statistics of the covidem-19 infection the current measures will be relaxed. “Gastronoms await the prolonged winter months. The government must help them bridge the coming winter period – especially in fixed costs, such as rents, social insurance waivers, VAT reductions for orders with them, etc., “calculates Luboš Kastner.
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In the area of taxes and levies, Jan Bonaventura advises asking for the cancellation or reduction of tax and insurance advances. Smaller operators could also deregister VAT due to lack of sales, which would make their products cheaper. “Also, new entities do not have to pay VAT from the very beginning, and if someone takes over a new establishment, they can legally use the legal regulations,” he says. Entrepreneurs can also reclaim tax losses to earn taxes paid in the past.
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For those who do business as a legal entity, the tax expert recommends that you consider separating the assets from the company that operates the restaurant and renting the assets of the operating company. In the event of a crash, at least they won’t lose everything. “It is difficult to carry out such a restructuring when the entity is already in trouble. However, restructuring should also be considered by those who are not in trouble yet, “notes Bonaventura.
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Restaurateurs should also be sure to see if any support is provided by the municipality where they do business.
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Restaurateurs understand that the government must act in the current situation. But they don’t understand the data it makes. “We have not seen data that would indicate an increased risk in gastronomic operations. Closing at 20:00 means a loss of sales of 50 percent or more for many businesses, and many restaurants are not worth opening at all. Already, attendance was often halved, “notes Luboš Kastner.
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Safe Restaurant Program
The analysis of payment transactions prepared for SZ Byznys by Česká spořitelna (Czechs’ spending for July and August this year) shows that the new measure will affect bars, which will lose more than half of their sales.
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However, according to the main analyst of Česká spořitelna, David Navrátil, real losses may be even higher. “The resulting decline in sales will be rather larger, because the closure at 20:00 will discourage not only those who would like to ‘spend the night’, but also others, due to fears of infection or too many quarantine measures,” says Navrátil.
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The AMSP and the Czech Association of Breweries and Malthouses have prepared a Safe Restaurant program in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, which will further strengthen the safety of gastronomic operations. It should be launched around mid-October according to the planned schedule. These include printed and online materials and instructions for pub staff and guests on how to behave to minimize disease transmission.
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For example, the creators of the Safe Restaurant campaign also add three S’s to the three R’s: Tables, which are disinfected in front of each guest, and other equipment is disinfected regularly. Furthermore, glass that is thoroughly washed and technology is sanitized. And finally Groups – the number of seats at one table is limited.
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The hosts would like to continue negotiations on the National Gastronomy Program. “We welcome money for a marketing campaign, but it’s not enough. This will help us at the turn of the year at the earliest, when it may be too late, “Kastner emphasizes.
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When it’s too late to help
Tax consultant Jan Bonaventura advises such restaurant owners to consider entering insolvency. “An insolvency petition is painful, especially if the owner has been building the business for many years. But it can be a way to solve the situation – for example, reorganization allows you to continue doing business, over time to do business again and most importantly: not to endanger personal and family property, “he explains.
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A delayed insolvency petition can have drastic effects on personal property. Especially since January, members of statutory bodies face heavy sanctions, such as repayment of personal property debts.
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