It’s been an interesting week; the fall out of the credit crunch rolls on, house prices continue to fall, various wars continue to take their toll around the world and what do the BBC, Gordon Brown and David Cameron choose to lead on? The rude and boorish activities of two overpaid radio presenters.
Oh well at least the Chamber has been doing it’s bit, meeting Members of Parliament, challenging the government on the payment of rates on empty business premises; calling for cuts in interest rates; and particularly looking at support for smaller businesses during the current economic upheaval.
Smaller businesses play a key role in the county employing high numbers of people , introducing innovative new ideas and as a vital link in the supply chain for their larger brethren. To many of the people running smaller businesses the word challenging no where near reflects the current situation.
Anyone who has put their house up as security to support a business will know the stresses on themselves, their families and life in general. People running small businesses can’t just lock up at night, go home and forget all about it.
Last Sunday I read the papers as usual and found myself becoming more and more angry as I read the various accounts of why we had got into the economic pickle in which we find ourselves. Angry because many of these so-called experts were the very people who had caused the problem. I don’t suppose many of them had put their house on the line.
Now the banks who largely caused the problem, those that courted the small companies whose businesses they so avariciously sought only a few months ago, are withdrawing their support. Not surprising I suppose when they don’t even have the confidence to do business with each other.
It is clearly naïve to expect things to return to normal overnight but surely the key ingredient we require now is confidence. Isn’t it about time the experts in the City and the banking community began to do something about it?
Oh, and what about Messrs Brown and Cameron? It’s probably better that they stick to worrying about the BBC.
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