St. Petersburg service sector was on the brink of survival

the service Sector in St. Petersburg is gradually resumes its activity, however, many companies today are forced to fight for survival. What must be done by the authorities to support private medical clinics, fitness centers and beauty salons, entrepreneurs said during the fifth online-marathon “to Save the business: mission (im)possible?”. The event, organized by IA “Rosbalt” in conjunction with the Deputy of St. Petersburg legislative Assembly Irina Ivanova.

So, Natalia Borulko, the representative of the Association of operators of the fitness industry in Saint-Petersburg and Leningrad region has noted that during the isolation period customers are used to online training and personal coaching in the fresh air. This can significantly affect the revenue of fitness clubs.

“Some customers, after three months at home, ask for a refund for the remainder of the year. We hope for a moratorium on returns — otherwise the organization just will go bankrupt,” said Borulko. She also said that he does not understand why CPS is not allowed to open fitness clubs in shopping malls — because in St. Petersburg about a third of the centers are located there.

“Good support for urban fitness clubs would be the state and city projects for the improvement of the nation: we are ready to engage with the disabled, pensioners, children and people from other disadvantaged categories in that case, if there is financial support from the state or city. Similar initiatives exist in the region,” said Borulko.

Elena Beluga, President of the Association “Union of enterprises and specialists of beauty Industry of the North-West,” outlined a number of conditions under which city beauty can survive. Among them are subsidies for the repayment of utility services or discounts.

“Yes, fines are not accrued, but the debts are piling up. We were refused and the Committee on energy and the Committee on tariffs of any the support — whether in installments or discounts. Monopolists meet also did not go. And from July 1, rising housing prices is bad news for the entire business,” says Beluga. Also, according to her, it is important to extend tax holidays for the third quarter of the regions that would later come out of the pandemic.

“no loans will save us from bankruptcy, if not indulgences. And we ask extend the UTII (Single tax on imputed income — “Rosbalt”) until the end of 2023. Cancellation from 2021 and the transition to VAT and the simplified tax system for the beauty industry absolutely unfeasible from a financial point of view. Allows you to pay imputed income tax from the employee and the company is keen to keep them. And USN paid with the revenue. VAT will kill beauty services in principle”, — said Elena Beluga. It was supported by Deputy Irina Ivanova

“I don’t know who in the government is so stubborn he wants to cancel UTII — we’re all used to him, he produces real results, so why do we need to translate everything in a simplified system? Now every company needs to seriously find a good accountant to make it all figured out”.

Also Elena Beluga drew attention to the fact that private educational institutions, training of hairdressers, beauticians and makeup artists not included in the list of affected industries, and this needs to be corrected.

Lala Sadykova, public Ombudsman of the Association of entrepreneurs of the beauty industry, noted that Federal and regional support measures should be extended to June.

Alexander Solonin, Director of “Association of private clinics of Saint-Petersburg” has made emphasis on the fact that medical private clinics were not included in the list of affected industries, while in April the decline in demand was recorded at the level of 80-90%, and many institutions were closed.

“in addition, the CPS in March announced ban the physicians work part-time, and its still not canceled. But this ban affects the employment relationship within the industry and medical organizations, it is unclear what to do with the doctors who work remotely, via telemedicine projects, interpret MRI, CT — why can’t they combine? You want to cancel the ban,” — said Alexander Solonin.

the Owner of a network of private dentists Sergei Lobanov agreed with his colleague and added that the need to make the requirements of the soft loan at 2% for SMEs more specific.

“In terms of, for example, stated that the period of observation of the dentist is six months — that is, only then we will know what interest rate we will pay? Everyone is afraid to take it, it is not clear, it is a commercial or subsidised,” explains Lobanov.

Earlier, the “Rosbalt” wrote that St. Petersburg fitness centers lose customers and the demand for the services of private clinics fell by 40%.

Stories about how you tried to get help from the Russian state in terms of coronaries and what came of it, email it to COVID-19@rosbalt.ru