I just have time, as I wind down for the holiday, to think back over the past year and of the changes implemented, new client’s met, tax investigations handled, and how everyone has met the worst recession in living memory with humour and determination.
Many familiar, large, businesses have left our lives this year, most notably for us was the loss of 
Borders at Fosse Park, Leicester, which finally closed at 9pm on the 22nd December. It was in the Starbuck’s upstairs at Borders that we have had our staff meetings for some years now. It was a central meeting place for everyone to get to and is not going to be easy to replace. The Starbuck’s staff have been redistributed amoungst other local sites in Leicester but none of them are so convenient for us to get to and park at.
Fortunately our small business clients have all survived the year. Some very changed and one, particularly, very damaged by the trading the conditions – but still there. This troubled one is run by a really nice chap who provides a bespoke private hire for local businesses. Acting as chauffeur for executives amoungst other activities. The downturn and concerns about unnecessary executive travel has badly affected his business as luxury services are generally amoungst the first to be hit and the last to be restarted. He is adapting though and aiming at a different market and the next few months will see if these changes will make the difference he needs to see to survive. I sincerely hope they do.
I have seen the standard of driving locally plummet. People seem too angry to drive properly these days and see their car as a means to punish other road users with agressive manouvering, hornblowing and light flashing becoming the norm. Even a simple wave thankyou is as rare now as rocking horse droppings. I hope this is just a reflection of people being sick of their daily stresses of job security, money, debt, family pressures and general lack of time to get things done. Maybe as the country slowly picks itself out of recession people’s moods will improve and this will pass back into their driving habits.
I for one will not be sad to see the end of 2009. We should all be looking forward to a general election next year but we are not. Who is there to vote for? Do we re-elect those who have failed us so very badly? If not, who else is there? I can’t see anyone behaving as the government in waiting and I can’t think of a single policitian that actually deserves my vote, of any party. I really hope this will change as the election approaches otherwise there will be a huge number of people in my position and consequentl,y a lot of wasted votes.
Anyway, I want to wish everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous and profitable New Year. I am confident that 2010 will be a much better year for all of us and that business will pick up dramatically giving much improved job security and confidence all round.
~Ray
Ray Stewart
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