Tower Poppies Victory

[towisuk]

Thank you and well done, to all forum members who contacted their MP to raise this matter with the Governmet, on the news this morning no VAT to be paid on the Poppies at the Tower. I take it that the money that would have been collected will go to the correct recipients, and NOT into the pockets of the capitalists and Tower who are making millions out of this act of remembrance to the fallen.

regards

Tom

[Moonraker]

We already have a very long thread about the Poppies at the Tower in which concern was expressed about the VAT, plus another thread that is running. It may be that comments about the VAT concession will be spread across this new one and the other two, which may make the debate fragmented. (Hint to Mods about merging.) Whatever the financial benefits may be to "the capitalists and the Tower", the display has done more than anything else to bring the Centenary to the attention of the nation - and not just British people. Many of my acquaintances come from overseas, including South America, where consciousness of the Great War is limited; most are aware of the display and have been to see it.

Many people and organisations are benefiting from the centenary, for example through contracts to mount exhibitions that will add to the usual visitor numbers and through producing TV programmes. A few authors will also benefit from good sales of their books - though the vast majority of those of us who have written about the Great War to coincide with the Centenary will never recoup anything like our expenses and value of our time.

Without "the capitalists and the Tower", the display would never have happened.

Moonraker

[Seadog]

Thanks for posting that Tom it is great news it sounds from the article below that the net VAT will be distributed to the six charities. The figure of £1 million sounds low I reckon more like £2 million. Whatever the sum this is an EXCELLENT RESULT!!!!

D MAIL - Who broke the VAT story etc

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2823368/Military-charities-1m-boost-Osborne-waives-VAT-Tower-London-poppy-sale.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

UKFundraising

http://www.fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/06/vat-waived-tower-poppies-sales-boost-fundraising-income/

Norman

Added

Excellent news today that the net VAT paid in respect of the poppies will be refunded directly from the fund containing the huge fines imposed on the banks for one of their many scandalous actions namely, the fixing of LIBOR.

[HeatherC]

Without "the capitalists and the Tower", the display would never have happened.

^^ This. Why can't people see that without the individual "capitalists" who put up the money for this in the first place it would never have happened? We really do have a down in this country on anyone who makes a bit of money through a clever idea don't we?

[Dragon]

"Capitalists"

People who invested in the project took a financial risk. Why shouldn't they get return on the use of their money? I really don't get why sponsors, investors and charities themselves are so often expected to do everything for nothing.

It's an art installation as a result of which some charities will benefit.

[Seadog]

Glad you are pleased about the extra £1 - £2 million going to the charities.

Norman

[gem22]

Well said Dragon

[towisuk]

"Capitalists"

People who invested in the project took a financial risk. Why shouldn't they get return on the use of their money? I really don't get why sponsors, investors and charities themselves are so often expected to do everything for nothing.

It's an art installation as a result of which some charities will benefit.

Ok then I'll sell tickets for the act of remembrance at the Cenotaph......where do you draw the line?

Remember the allies lost close on 1,000,000 men in WW1.....I'm sure they'll be pleased that someone is making a fast buck on their sacrifice...

Tom

[MartH]

Ok then I'll sell tickets for the act of remembrance at the Cenotaph......where do you draw the line?

Remember the allies lost close on 1,000,000 men in WW1.....I'm sure they'll be pleased that someone is making a fast buck on their sacrifice...

Tom

I regret to say they effectively already do that for the 11th November Ceremony under the Menin Gate in Ypres.

[Moonraker]

.. .Remember the allies lost close on 1,000,000 men in WW1.....I'm sure they'll be pleased that someone is making a fast buck on their sacrifice...

Tom

As of course some people did in the war itself.

To follow on my post 2, lots of actors are also doing well out of the centenary. If we opted for a profit-free commemoration there would be far fewer activities for us to moan about.

Given the state of public finances (and we've another thread running about threats to IWM facilities), how else could the Poppies display have been financed?

Moonraker

[Dragon]

Ok then I'll sell tickets for the act of remembrance at the Cenotaph......where do you draw the line?

Remember the allies lost close on 1,000,000 men in WW1.....I'm sure they'll be pleased that someone is making a fast buck on their sacrifice...

Tom

Please don't suggest that I am unaware of the scale of losses or the significance of the Cenotaph. That is simply insulting given my demonstrable interest in the subject.

If I had supported the project with a sponsorship, I would be losing the interest which I would otherwise have received on that money. It doesn't seem unreasonable for investors to recover their losses - oddly enough, some individuals and some companies need their capital to be earning money for them. They took a significant financial risk. If the whole project had gone pear-shaped, if a catastrophic failure of design had happened, if the costs couldn't be covered, if no-one wanted to pay £25 for a poppy (and incidentally I am one who has), they would have lost their investment let alone the interest it would have earned. As it is, the charities will be gaining significantly from the fact that some people chose to sponsor the installation. Of course, some sponsors may choose to gift their sponsorship, but it's easier to assume that everyone who made the installation possible did it in the dishonourable pursuit of filthy money, isn't it.

Oh and if we must invoke the dead and the maimed of the Great War, I expect that even modestly wealthy survivors made sure that their investments were responsibly managed and growing so they could leave them for their descendants, who by now may well be forum members.

Gwyn

Edited 6 November , 2014 by Dragon

[sassenach]

Could MartH clarify the posting about "effectively selling tickets" for the Menin Gate on 11/11? I hope to be there, and wasn't aware that you could/had to buy a ticket.

[MartH]

Could MartH clarify the posting about "effectively selling tickets" for the Menin Gate on 11/11? I hope to be there, and wasn't aware that you could/had to buy a ticket.

Actually my words where "they effectively already do", and what is happening next week may be different to what has happened in the past few years.

So let me explain my reasoning, sponsors of the LPC get several tickets under the Gate in a cordoned off area, and people who wish to lay a wreath during the ceremony also get under the Gate in another cordoned off area. Add visiting dignitaries, choirs, veterans, etc, there is very little other space for the public. It might change this year, who knows there might be some Royalty there and if so you won't get near the Main Square, the 90 anniversary was chaos, but the 70th was lovely, I remember standing under the Gate near the Buglers and hardly anyone was there.