Mike Ashley (former owner) (still alive)

[Colos Short and Curlies]

I'm going to try and dig around a bit, but a very quick glance around does suggest that Belgium wont be an isolated case.

 

Between 2010 and 2015 SD charged UK VAT on all sales to EU countries, HMRC recommended that they contacted all 27 countries to clarify the position - SD appealed against this and won in a UK court but that doesn't mean that an EU court wouldn't over rule this (As the Belgians have done). SD have a distribution centre in Austria so I can definitely see that being an issue (and the Austrian tax regime is tough). France and Germany unfortunately I think will be pretty much covered as I think SD have registered companies there so not much in the way of sales from the UK.

 

Fingers crossed Italy get interested, if so expect this total bill to be north of €1bn, the question would then be how much is VAT (and in part reclaimable form HMRC) and how much is fines and interest

 

Any idea how much he'll claim back from HMRC?

 

Its really difficult to put a decent guess on it as what we don't know is the breakdown of the £600m bill.

 

Trying to be a bit realistic, 25% of the bill being interest etc would be sensible so £480 would be VAT. Belgian VAT is 21% and as most of these sales were post 2011 UK VAT has been 20% for the full time - the UK VAT paid on sales would be £457m.

 

Putting together SD would have to find the £120m fine/interest and £23m additional VAT (Assuming HMRC accept that the VAT was paid in error and not as a malicious attempt to pay less VAT in which case they would levy their own fines......

 

appreciated.

 

Would the same apply to any other countries that do the same?

 

Absolutely. The UK is one of the lowest VAT rates in the EU, Germany is lower at 19% but from memory that is the only one less than 20% and I'm ignoring any zero rated goods in the UK as I don't think SD will sell many of these but if they do then the impact is a lot worse than my first example (yay).

 

Its the fines that get you, Belgium is one of the more lenient countries. I keep mentioning Italy and this being massive, if they think that its a deliberate attempt to withhold tax there the fines can be 400% of the original VAT.

 

As I mentioned on Friday I'm unwinding a total of €2m in VAT etc across the EU and this was on £700k paid to HMRC originally

[Happinesstan]

On the subject of fat poor people shopping at SD, he's not alone in providing shite for the ever-growing poverty market. You've got home bargains and B&M, to name two. Just because you can only afford to feed your kids on Pot Noodles and Parma Violets, doesn't mean you don't deserve a garden swing-seat to park your fat arse in, when it's just too hot to move.

[Mattoon]

This arsehole bought Blockbuster yet to turn it into the Netflix of the high street?

[Guest chicken little]

On the subject of fat poor people shopping at SD, he's not alone in providing shite for the ever-growing poverty market. You've got home bargains and B&M, to name two. Just because you can only afford to feed your kids on Pot Noodles and Parma Violets, doesn't mean you don't deserve a garden swing-seat to park your fat arse in, when it's just too hot to move.

 

hahaha take that, poor people!

[Happinesstan]

On the subject of fat poor people shopping at SD, he's not alone in providing shite for the ever-growing poverty market. You've got home bargains and B&M, to name two. Just because you can only afford to feed your kids on Pot Noodles and Parma Violets, doesn't mean you don't deserve a garden swing-seat to park your fat arse in, when it's just too hot to move.

 

hahaha take that, poor people!

 

I would have thought my extensive knowledge on the inventory of B+M would identify me as poor, like.

[UV]

I'm ignoring any zero rated goods in the UK as I don't think SD will sell many of these but if they do then the impact is a lot worse than my first example (yay).

 

Kid's clothes & shoes are zero rated in the UK aren't they? Don't know about the rest of the EU, but this suggests not.

 

Would think that's a significant percentage of sales.

[Happinesstan]

I'm ignoring any zero rated goods in the UK as I don't think SD will sell many of these but if they do then the impact is a lot worse than my first example (yay).

 

Kid's clothes & shoes are zero rated in the UK aren't they? Don't know about the rest of the EU, but this suggests not.

 

Would think that's a significant percentage of sales.

 

"2.3 million children found to be in persistent poverty", would suggest you're correct.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

I'm ignoring any zero rated goods in the UK as I don't think SD will sell many of these but if they do then the impact is a lot worse than my first example (yay).

 

Kid's clothes & shoes are zero rated in the UK aren't they? Don't know about the rest of the EU, but this suggests not.

 

Would think that's a significant percentage of sales.

 

The UK and Ireland are the only countries who have a zero rate for VAT, it is a reduced rate across the EU - on average this would be around 10%. So yes, if children's clothing make up a significant amount of EU sales then the amount that they can reclaim from HMRC in proportion to the total bill goes down dramatically.

[Happinesstan]

How's child poverty in Europe?

[huss9]

kids from poor families wanting sports gear - with a label. SD is where they'll go.

again, not something u can criticise them for.

i can choose not to shop at SD.

not everyone has to boycott SD just because we hate ashley.

 

[Kanj]

Down over 8% today

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-07-29/sports-direct-s-scattergun-strategy-tax-bill-alarm-analysts?utm_campaign=news&utm_medium=bd&utm_source=applenews

[Chris_R]

kids from poor families wanting sports gear - with a label. SD is where they'll go.

again, not something u can criticise them for.

i can choose not to shop at SD.

not everyone has to boycott SD just because we hate ashley.

 

 

Utter guff.

 

Nobody has to shop at SD. Nobody has no other choices. Anybody can avoid shopping there if they so wish.

[Happinesstan]

kids from poor families wanting sports gear - with a label. SD is where they'll go.

again, not something u can criticise them for.

i can choose not to shop at SD.

not everyone has to boycott SD just because we hate ashley.

 

No but you can blame them for being poor. APPARENTLY.

 

Like I say, poverty is a growing market. And it is sensible business practice (in our current fucked up system) to exploit it. Ashley is probably a god amongst men in those circles.

[huss9]

kids from poor families wanting sports gear - with a label. SD is where they'll go.

again, not something u can criticise them for.

i can choose not to shop at SD.

not everyone has to boycott SD just because we hate ashley.

 

 

Utter guff.

 

Nobody has to shop at SD. Nobody has no other choices. Anybody can avoid shopping there if they so wish.

 

yes they can, but if they're not interested in nufc, why should they?

[Wullie]

Do people in Liverpool who aren't interested in LFC buy The Sun?

[loki679]

Howay man, Wullie, not even close to being the same thing.

[Happinesstan]

Howay man, Wullie, not even close to being the same thing.

 

What? Sacrifice your morning boobfeast, or clothing your children? I'm not sure.

[Chris_R]

kids from poor families wanting sports gear - with a label. SD is where they'll go.

again, not something u can criticise them for.

i can choose not to shop at SD.

not everyone has to boycott SD just because we hate ashley.

 

 

Utter guff.

 

Nobody has to shop at SD. Nobody has no other choices. Anybody can avoid shopping there if they so wish.

 

yes they can, but if they're not interested in nufc, why should they?

 

Indeed. But I can and will criticise their lifestyle choices.

 

Doesn't matter how dirt poor I am - and I've been dirt poor - I'd not let me or my kids dress like utter scranners. There's other options for the same price than cladding yourself from head to toe in Lonsdale ffs.

[Wullie]

Sure, it's just the only large scale football related boycott of a product I know of.

 

It's similar though in the sense that Mike Ashley has been a horrendous scourge on the City of Newcastle upon Tyne and it's not a massive leap to expect the people of the city not to shop in his warehouse full of shite. Unfortunately we have shown even that is beyond us.

[Happinesstan]

Criticising poor people for their "life-choices". Fuck off man.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Sure, it's just the only large scale football related boycott of a product I know of.

 

It's similar though in the sense that Mike Ashley has been a horrendous scourge on the City of Newcastle upon Tyne and it's not a massive leap to expect the people of the city not to shop in his warehouse full of shite. Unfortunately we have shown even that is beyond us.

 

I'd counter that Ashley has been a scourge of NUFC, as a provider of low cost sports wear in one of the less well off areas of the country you can say he has benefited the portion of the city who have no interest in football.

 

The Sun went beyond football with their reporting and it really was a city wide impact.

 

As for do non-football fans in Liverpool buy the sun? When I lived there in the early 00s you couldn't find a newsagent who sold it

 

Edit: As a football fan and a NUFC fan of course I hate everything he stands for a refuse to spend a penny in his stores.

[Happinesstan]

The worst offenders are those that work for him, thus facilitating his evil megalomania. I don't care if you've got Children to feed? I've got money to give to sky. Peasant.

[Thumbheed]

Sure, it's just the only large scale football related boycott of a product I know of.

 

It's similar though in the sense that Mike Ashley has been a horrendous scourge on the City of Newcastle upon Tyne and it's not a massive leap to expect the people of the city not to shop in his warehouse full of s****. Unfortunately we have shown even that is beyond us.

 

I'd counter that Ashley has been a scourge of NUFC, as a provider of low cost sports wear in one of the less well off areas of the country you can say he has benefited the portion of the city who have no interest in football.

 

The Sun went beyond football with their reporting and it really was a city wide impact.

 

As for do non-football fans in Liverpool buy the sun? When I lived there in the early 00s you couldn't find a newsagent who sold it

 

Edit: As a football fan and a NUFC fan of course I hate everything he stands for a refuse to spend a penny in his stores.

 

To add to this point, with a £3.3bn turnover, what impact would a city wide boycott have? I'd argue, none.

 

Same with the boycott on The Sun. Yes, they have the moral high ground, but that's all they've got, respectfully speaking. 

[1964]

Do people in Liverpool who aren't interested in LFC buy The Sun?

Not many because not many of the newsagents stock it and have signs on the door to that effect

[Sean]

Just had a chance to properly read his PR piece from the other day and this stood out to me:

 

He says of Bin Zayed Group there was no bid to speak of, although later contradicts that with this: “The last bid, the one from UAE, he’s a prince and he’s got £38bn or £100bn, all these numbers — well, why would you even care what you’re paying then? What difference would £10m either way make? You would want speed, you would want certainty, you would want the keys and to get on with it.”

 

He can't even be straight with anything. Unless he means imaginary bids.