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A Home and Small Business Viewpoint by Len Tondel, from 1st - 31st August 2011

31.08.2011: Banking reforms to go ahead. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14726568 Even the CBI is taking up arms in defence of the banking sector as splits appear in Government over the proposals. Clearly, if that is the case, it's a sign that the nail has been hit on the head.

30.08.2011: Country facing a 'homes' crisis: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14708841 Delivery of 170,000 homes over the next four years is called for to avert a homes crisis. On the other hand, what of the 750,000 homes standing empty (as reported lower down on 07/08); not enough money in it for local councils and developers?

29.08.2011: Bad Business Joke Of The Month: banking regulation risks economic recovery, whines the British Bankers' Association. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14708023

Consumer confidence is up but discretionary spending is down. http://www.brc.org.uk/brc_news_detail.asp?id=2018&kCat=&kData=1 A third of British consumers feel that they have no spare money for discretionary spending, the latest report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has revealed.

Consumers' greatest concerns for the coming six months are increasing utility bills, the economy and rising fuel costs. Despite consumer confidence levels improving in the second quarter of 2011, 71% of shoppers stated that they are shopping for bargains to cut household bills, and two thirds have switched to cheaper grocery brands. (BAD News)

28.08.2011: Unemployed may have to pay full council tax. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14692596 Apparently, the move is designed to encourage the unemployed to find work. Except there isn't generally enough work to go around and unemployment is going to get worse.

27.08.2011: Google chief blasts Britain's 'luvvie' mentality. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/google-chief-lambasts-the-uk-for-its-technophobic-luvvie-culture-2344672.html So what have we been saying in our comments about media pulp like The Apprentice and training and engineers?

Royal Mail and its links to scam mailings. http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_9525000/9525992.stm

BT puts up call charges. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14677298

A newsletter looking at a number of cloud security issues: http://www.ukfast.co.uk/cloud-security-report-email.html

Laser printer buying guide: http://www.crazyprinters.co.uk/download/Buyers%20Guide%203.pdf

26.08.2011: Business Awards for talking 'guff' (such an inspid word it merits an award in itself!). http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-14653080 Our own award for bollock-speak goes to EDF, who made the following statement recently '. . . customers now leaving meter readings via our automated telephone system will not be negatively impacted,' after having overcharged tens of thousands of customers.

7 years on - what happened to cheap first-time homes? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14410589

25.08.2011: Riot High Street aid fund launched. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14649232 Freephone helpline open for enquiries: 0800 093 5858. Applications being taken from Friday 26 August. Only £3 million has been donated to the fund so far although I understand the Government is saving its pennies for a contribution to The Loot Libya Fund at The Conference of Western Economic Pariah States, meeting next week. Will Little Britain's investment and share of the atrocities turn out to have been worthwhile? Or will Hilary Clinton tell David Cameron to f*ck off like Condo Rice told Tony Blair?

Small business overheads often not 'lean enough'. http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/business-news/small-business-overheads-not-lean-enough.html A salutory little article here on the British Chambers of Commerce website which I am largely in sympathy with although even more important than cost to a small business is quality and reliability and very often, payment terms. I would still agree though, that many small outfits don't do their costing thoroughly enough. Whereas medium sized and large companies are even worse.

PPI complaints continuing to rise. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14647739

An Australian reporter with a sense of humour: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/iga-dumps-toilet-paper-product-20110825-1jats.html For our US visitors.

Renewable energy courses are now available at Imperial College, London. For full lists of similar courses available near to you, go here: http://www.EUenergycentre.org/training There is a huge shortage of qualified personnel with alternative energy knowledge and skills. This is a superb, small and home business prospect requiring only a modest capital investment.

24.08.2011: 'Tax us more', say France's rich. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14646975 In a so-called gesture of solidarity which will have their peers putting out contracts on those who spoke or even acknowledged the idea, I do wonder how such an initiative would go down with the UK's F.O.E - Fags of Eton - and their City chums?

Bit of a publicity stunt, though, even if what it is trying to achieve escapes me. The biggest drain on the French economy by hundreds of light years are millions of fonctionnaires, both attending those places where they are supposed to 'work' or otherwise officially retired after thirty to fourty years of doing nothing. Will French fonctionnaires forego a proportion of their bloated salaries and pensions in a gesture of solidarity? Not until flying pigs break the sound barrier.

Ironically for all that, it's France in my view, which is the most vulnerable country of all in the eurozone. The Germans have had enough and despite their euro debts, Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy can export their way out of trouble. An unfettered DM will be fancying its chances and is likely to take along with it, the Benelux countries. (Exit Prime Minister Cameron to ask Obama what to do.)

Free 2 day build your own website workshops from Business Link. Monday 19th and Tuesday 20th September at Peterborough City College. East of England businesses only. Call: 0845 601 1000.

Bigoffers Flash sale is TODAY at 6.30pm till 10pm. Details of the free gift and special offers are on the website http://www.flashoffers.co.uk/

Cheque system re-think: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14632599

23.08.2011: Cycling boom adds £3 billion to the UK economy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14610857 Brilliant bit of news to add to the country's standing as one of the world's most successful cycle sport nations where men (and women) are real men and not a bunch of pornographically overpaid flouncing fairies. If you are contemplating buying a bike or any bits around one, try to remember to buy British, though. Any good bike shop will advise.

A couple of scam alerts for you. Boiler room shares; three sent to jail: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14623571 and loan fee scam complaints on the rise: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14616642

Interesting read from Polly Toynbee at The Guardian about British entrepreneurial spirit being strangled by supine politicians and and a lack of lending from the banks. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/22/small-business-banks-entrepreneurialism I'm not sure if I would use the word 'supine' to describe the present breed of British politicians; a lot of more appropriate words than that spring to mind. The banks (as do other large corporate interests) own the Prime Minister and the Government. British democracy is fully bought and paid for. Perhaps Polly should take another look at her copy of The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Best-Democracy-Money-Investigative-Globalization/dp/1841197149 Businesses - especially micro and home businesses - borrowing more is not the solution.

One also has to weigh against the thrust of the article that, according to the banks, borrowing has voluntarily become weaker. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14628875

10 best picnics. Obviously compiled by Londoners who have never had a proper picnic in their lives, here are some pretentious suggestions for you with the doggy end of summer about to be overtaken by lashings of rain: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/the-ten-best-picnics-2342246.html See what I mean? Out-of-season strawberries. Water in plastic bottles. Ubiquitous farmed salmon. Imported lobsters. Dear, oh dear.

For a proper, English picnic. I x 2 lb genuine Melton Mowbray grey pork pie (Per person. Never found one yet in London.) A bone with proper, cooked English ham left on. From a proper butcher. Chunks of cut-off ham for you. Bone for the dog. (Dogs are obligatory on picnics.) A loaf of freshly baked Hovis bread. A half-pound of salted butter. Jar of pickled chutney, home-made out of preference if not, Branstons at a long push. Big chunk of Wensleydale cheese. (Blues are too strong for picnics.) Handful of tomatoes and lettuce out of the garden. Local CAMRA ale out of glass bottles. If not/as well as, proper lemonade out of same. A big plank to put everything nice and level on the ground and planed smooth on at least one side to avoid the necessity for plates. Napkins. Big wicker basket to carry everything in (except the plank) and for the dog to scent the ham bone. That way it won't run off. It's so simple. Not a bit of paper or plastic in sight; eminently affordable; delicious; and you'll be supporting your own country's businessfolk.

22.08.2011: Talking of Enterprise Zones - as we were just a mo ago, how's about the following piece of enterprise from one of the country's biggest serial waster authorities, Cornwall? http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anger-over-19000-olympic-torch-job-in-cornwall-2342057.html It was just a few days ago I was reading a headline to the effect 'That The South Finally Gets A Look In' after having received a number of Enterprise Zone allocations. Nice work if you can get it.

Entrepreneurship figures boosted by retirement and redundancy: http://www.paystream.co.uk/Limited-company-news/Limited-company-contracting-on-the-up-for-retirees.aspx?aid=800700839&cid=438036713

Retirees and those made redundant account for 27% of small business start-ups, according to research published by Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank. The report suggests that the aging population and increasing redundancies happening as a result of the economic downturn have had a positive effect on limited company contractor numbers. The results of the research show that 7% of small firms have been started by retirees and 20% were started by people who were made redundant. (BAD News.)

Home finances fell by 40% in August: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14608763

New website here offering various business deals: http://www.AllSuppliers.co.uk

21.08.2011: Ofgem to send in the accountants to investigate energy pricing. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/energy-pricing-probe-stepped-up-2341511.html Another quick-off-the-mark piece of regulation which started back in March. Not quite sure which year, though. There is plenty of legislation about to cope with the UK's big three cartels - energy, telecomms and banking. It's the lack of effective policing which in turn, is down to a lack of political will, which are the problems.

Last chance for best prices on European InterRail passes. http://www.thetrainline.com/interrail/?UID=TTLNEWS?
WT.mc_id=EMAIL000000279&aff_code=InterRail&utm_source=email&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=110821_TTL_L_N_Peak_Offpeak

For all the bad press that UK rail travel attracts - and it is pretty bad for regular commuters, I agree - for occasional, business and leisure travellers on the other hand, services and fares have improved and are now ultra-competitive. No, I'm not off my trolley. Book directly online with the train operators themselves rather than via a general booking agency if you want the best prices; book well in advance and travel off-peak; and put yourself on the train operators' mailing lists to be notified in advance of special deals and ultra-cheap fares. Within this context UK rail travel has become even cheaper than the offers of their French counterparts, the SNCF which a few years ago, would have been unthinkable. For a general overview of what is happening, the following link is just a suggestion: http://clktrk3.email-domain.com:80/read/archive?id=17483&e=INFO%40HOMEBUSINESS%2eORG%2eUK&x=7359e73e However, do take a look at what your regional train operator offers.

Finally, just to re-visit InterRail, people of my generation will usually have fond memories of bumming around the length and width of Europe with a student rail pass and nought but a few pounds for spending money, earning a warm milk breakfast here and scrambled egg tea there in exchange for splitting some wood or a bit of fruit-picking. Do not forget however, that a bit of travel does not go amiss if you are a business start-up or even a regular with an eye on exporting. You can't beat it for setting up and massaging your own networks - and STUFF the internet and its variants. Use it for exchanging a few pleasantries or an initial introduction or two but after that go to your marketplace. In person. (And have a holiday at the same time.)

If you can't even afford an InterRail pass or the more specific destination fares on offer, then there's always Eurolines, the international bus company which in the UK generally operates out of Victoria Coach Station in London. Although the coach stations and the buses themselves probably fall into the least-desirable travelling experience available in this day and age, you won't need much more than the cost of a few packets of cigarettes to get you to and from the majority of European destinations.

Of course, everyone talks about lo-cost flights but airports still need to be travelled to and from which will often cost more than the flight itself; and despite sometimes taking over half a day or more with flight and security delays, you end up being no more than a industrial 'battery'-traveller where the journey can't often be put to productive use. What a journey should be used for is to make friends, get to know people, their languages, their customs and their habits; to network. All of which I personally find very agreeable.

Facebook apologises to users for anti-spam algorithm: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/20/facebooks-spam-program_n_932200.html

20.08.2011: Talk Talk and Tiscali fined £3 million for overcharging. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14569918

19.08.2011: Suppliers being sought for World Fruit and Veg Expo, Excel, London, 16 - 17 November 2011. Since our Registration for visitors opened several weeks ago, we have reviewed the "Interested in" category and found we have visitors looking to find the following at our event: Fruit- Vegetables- Organic fruit & vegetables- Dried fruit- Mangoes-Vegetables for freezing and as ingredients- Ethnic fruits- Fresh flowers-Exotics- Pomegranates- Services- Potential growers from UK & Spain- Preserving / Packaging- New varieties/types/trends in vegetables- UK Produce- Potential suppliers and Transportation solutions.

If you can supply any of the above, go to http://www.wfvexpo.com for more details on participating as exhibitors or e-mail: info@wfvexpo.com

More information and FREE entry for visitors also available on line. Click here to register to visit

Andrew Ferguson's Kitchen Table get-together reminder, long and quick versions. Details in HBA Members' area, eBOSS August 2011.

Online VAT filing to become compulsory for small businesses with turnovers of less than £100,00. . http://www.enterprisequest.com/news/2011/08/online_vat_filing_to_become_co.html In view of the Government's catastrophic performance so far with anything to do with IT, this does not bode well for the future of small business administration in the UK. Why not just have online filing as 'preferred' but with a human element to turn to if need be. Why is that so complicated?

18.08.2011: 13 New Enterprise Zones: http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/business-news/government-creates-13-new-enterprise-zones.html Hot on the heels of politically embarrassing unemployment figures (with much worse to come) 13 new enterprise zones have just been announced.

Without wishing to be a wet blanket yet again, the £150 million investment in these zones is not only insignificant but totally misplaced. Enterprise Zones are actually a misnomer for what is effectively a measure to slow down local rates of unemployment, usually because a large company in the area has shut down or because the area in question is geographically unsuited or lacking the skilled personnel to support a natural business evolution. Talk of superfast broadband and reduced business rates is using string where there should be a weld. Local bureaucrats will set up in bespoke premises with lots of new computers, desks and carpets and nothing will change except the available budget will dwindle quickly until there isn't enough left to make a difference where it counts.

Even the most casual glance at the headlines will reveal that the country is desperately in need of engineers. So invest the money in training them. Apprentices also, are in short supply. So train them. There is a shortfall of 750,00 new rural homes. Build them. British goods and produce are highly sought-after in many parts of the world. Make them; export them. Put the money where there is already a demand and the tools to do the job and leave the 'countryside' - which is where many Enterprise Zones are focused - to the farmers and the lifestylers. De-urbanisation is a growing trend and the idea isn't to move into an area filled with booming industrial estates. Keep those where they are. Whereas the growing number of residents who have moved into designated enterprise areas will create local jobs naturally. Jobs which are in keeping with the local conditions and not artificially created by politicians and their advisers trying to impress on the cheap.

RBS starts restricting customers' choice of ATM: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14563897 I can see this becoming a banking trend. It cuts down on costs so to be expected, I suppose.

Going on 'worliday': http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14526949 What a stupid word to describe something which has been going on for a couple of decades now! But good enough for half-educated French pseuds to add to their Froglish vocabularies along with 'footing', 'fooding', 'glamping' and 'woofing'. Although happily, I suppose, at least this particular piece of 'junkabulary' doen't end in 'ing'.

17.08.2011: 10 Ways To Increase Your Email Opening Rates from my latest Business Link newsletter. Plus some other interesting bits 'n bobs. http://businesslink-news.org/Augustloop2011/3QN-AD5-E19M9RJA1-6Y2EG-1/emailopen.aspx?dm_i=3QN,HS43,9M9RJ,1G2NR,1

Number of student start-ups soars: http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/business-news/number-of-student-start-ups-soars.html Not surprising, given the fact the thick buggers can't get proper jobs with totally useless degrees in the humanities, for example. There's plenty of vacancies in engineering, though. The country's crying out for them. Trouble is, engineering studies take a lot of work.

Official rescue package for riot-hit businesses: http://www.britishchambers.org.uk/business-news/government-launches-rescue-package-for-riot-damaged-firms.html Let's hope the money gets to the victims faster than it took our brave Prime Minister to put in an appearance in the affected areas.

16.08.2011: 5 plumbers arrested by HMRC for fiddling tax. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14545770 What!!! Arrest plumbers!! You can't arrest plumbers. It's vocational discrimination. It's unheard of. It's like arresting the Government for crimes against humanity. Or the Government being the real reason for the recent rioting. It's true. But what's that got to do with it? Let the HMRC's pipework come back to haunt it.

EDF customers overcharged: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/edf-energy-customers-overcharged-2338494.html A technical glitch apparently, has been responsible for overcharging a fiver here, a fiver there. Unfortunately for EDF. the fault has been picked up and a couple of hundred thousand pounds have been reimbursed. Better luck next time, EDF. The company is desperately in need of money to overhaul its French infrastructure which has seen maintenance and investment neglected and mismanaged for over fifty years earning the company its nickname - Emmerdeurs De France. Then, a few years ago, Britain looked like a soft enough touch and the company is now living up to its established reputation in addition to having already gained the accolade as one of the country's worst for customer satisfaction.

Rural broadband to get a £362 million boost: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/aug/16/rural-broadband-boost The kitty is going to be split up between over 40 counties - and there you go, I never knew there were that many rural areas left in Britain! Furthermore, how the money is going to be spent will be decided by local councils so plenty of jobs coming up for the boys.

"I am absolutely determined that the UK will have the best superfast broadband network in Europe by 2015" said Jeremy Hunt, he of smoothing relations between the Government and the Merdoch propaganda empire after that norty Vince Cable spoke his mind. It's good to set targets. Britain is currently languishing along with France as the worst broadband providers in Europe so quite a way to go. And there's the towns and the cities still to do, as well.

Rail fares going by 8% up, though. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/16/rail-fares-rise-next-year Plus, there's a shortfall of around 750,000 new rural homes. So I suppose the coherent, joined-up Government thinking here is that if the latest (in a long series) of rural broadband proposals don't make it this time around, no-one will notice because there won't be anyone left to be able to afford to travel to their homes in the countryside any longer - assuming they can find a home there to buy in the first place.
Useful link here on how the rail fare increases might affect you: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/aug/16/rail-fare-rises-affect-you

Group purchasing discounts for small businesses and sole proprietors: http://www.huddlebuy.co.uk/#Skip Nothing new here just the latest kid on the block. I'm always surprised these schemes don't attract more members. Don't forget however, that HBA Members, iConga have been offering the same type of benefits for a long time now.

Businesses going into liquidation are on the increase: http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/201108/index.htm The number of companies becoming compulsorily or voluntarily insolvent in the second quarter of 2011 has risen to 4,233, according to the Insolvency Service. This is an increase of 4.4% compared with the same point last year. Individual insolvencies have risen in the second quarter of 2011 to 30,513 compared with 30,145 in the first quarter, but have fallen 12.2% compared with the same point in 2010.

No surprises, then. Plus we'll see another increase as an aftermath of the rioting. If there is a sunny side to all of this, albeit a grim one, it means less competition for the businesses which survive and a lot more lucrative work for the Government's 'morally bankrupt' business support policies and services.

RBS offering interest and fee-free loans to small business customers hit by the riots. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14534183 What I call shrewd, proper help and not the buck-passing and fossicking about of a government more interested in its media image than the plight of those affected. Let's hope the other banks follow suit and quickly. (And yes, I know that it's the taxpayers' money ultimately but where would you rather see the money go? Bigger bankers' bonuses or helping local employers and communities get back on their feet again?)

15.08.2011: Half of small firms turning to personal sources to finance business: http://www.makeitcheaper.com/media/press-release/2011/08/family-silver-246669.aspx

Reporting from BAD News: 'Nearly half of small businesses (47%) use personal sources of finance to keep their business going, a survey by Make it Cheaper revealed. An "unbearably expensive" business environment has forced 27% to borrow money from family and friends due to difficulties acquiring a bank loan and 13% have remortgaged their houses to remain solvent.'

There used to be a time in the not-too-distant past when nearly all business finance came from personal sources, including money saved specifically for the purpose of starting or supporting a business activity. In the days before financial crises.

14.08.2011: Yes, I know it's Sunday but if you're a home business. you never stop working. Anyway, I've already had a lie-in this morning and my farmer neighbour went by with his tractor and trailer just before 7 am, so guilt prevails.

I look at interesting advertising on Sunday mornings, the headlines in the newspapers being otherwise depressingly 'samey'. Here are three for you. Firstly, a pc for the price of a mobile phone with cloud computing. http://openemm.xicon.com/form.do?agnCI=1&agnFN=fullview&agnUID=1.3p.adti.1ll.lc7m2lv1fi

Secondly, some facts for you about digital publishing.
The average customer spend is increased by 25 - 30% in digital publications where products are sold
The average customer `page view` increases by 70% compared to web sites
Digital publications have a bounce rate 7- 8 times LESS than a website
Typical readers spend twice as much time browsing (this can double again if video content is included)

I adore the quality of today's digital publishing and would certainly acknowledge that it will become an increasingly common feature of doing business. Trouble is that for someone like me, who doesn't even know how to text or programme a video recorder (although I'm told video is now out of date) all the wonderful little bits 'n bobs you get with a digital publication leave me totally confused and I end up not reading the content. I still prefer my comics. Anyway, there's a lot more about the subject here: http://www.thedigitalpublisher.co.uk/ Because not everyone is an i.Dummy like me.

Finally, another desirable feature for your website or business generally, is a professionally produced video. Not the absolute crap you see normally but something shot by a professional cameraman, then compressed, edited, proofed and professionally presented. I always thought the bill for something suitable would run to a few thousand. Not so. How about 3 videos for £595? The same company has also produced a study which suggests that 'on Google, an indexed video is around 50 times more powerful towards ranking on the first page of results than any given textual page in the index.'

The company is now booking for August so here's a sampler if you're interested: http://www.videowebpresenter.com/yourwebsite.php?encoded_link=www.homebusiness.org.uk

Finally, because it appears to be all the fashion to import American 'wisdom', I have added another, very comprehensive link about starting up in business particularly in the US, to one of our features pages. http://www.homebusiness.org.uk/features2.htm#15 This is an authoratitve US link, unlike the Prime Minister's choice of a US 'supercop' pronouncing on the cause and solution to Britain's rioting without first, having examined the facts - something which a professional policeman would never do. Still, another soundbite for Merdoch's propaganda, with the underlying hope that by importing further US 'expertise' our own police officers will then be able to return to their more ignonimous duties as formatted by Butcher Blair's government, of eavesdropping for the media. Whereupon we will see the reasons for the rioting shift from racial tension to Libyan terrorism.

13.08.2011: A nationwide selection of 50 top gastropubs. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/the-50-best-gastro-pubs-2335605.html Just what the doctor ordered. And what a change from the pubs I remember from my student days. A pint of warm bitter with a pickled onion or pickled egg and a bag of stale crisps. Or in a London pub, you might get lucky and find jellied eels.

12.08.2011: Useful selection of Business Links business briefings here: http://businesslink-news.org:80/3QN-I042-E19M9RJA1/cr.aspx

Construction sector news (see below) - another Government statistics cock-up, it seems. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/gdp-hopes-dashed-by-statistic-error-2336520.html The last time we noted an official statistics cock-up was with the figures for sole traders. Over-estimated by 400,000 for some years although we had been suggesting as much for quite a while. (See: http://www.homebusiness.org.uk/ThingsYouSayJune11.htm, entry for 01.06.2011 Ed.) At this rate, those responsible will be able to get jobs at the HMRC; or become official advisers on the Government's next IT programme.

Construction sector definitely picking up. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/construction-boost-for-the-economy-2336520.html And coming up is an absolute beanfeast with London and large parts of other major cities to rebuild. Assuming the judges don't adopt their usual tactic of sentencing hoody filth to a hotel at the taxpayers' expense, it might be an idea to put them all on the end of a shovel or a hod for a few thousand hours' community service to help rebuild what they've destroyed. Win some, lose some.

Blow to rural transport: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/11/rural-transport-cuts-isolate Here we go again. Political decisions based on three month forward planning to make a BIG HEADLINE for The Sun and let someone else worry about the consequences next year.

The country's recent rioting will stimulate still further many peoples' desire to 'go rural' (already a growing trend despite a neglected rural house construction programme) but with less and less available spending power, the ability of individuals and families to live in the countryside and still function socially and commercially, are critical factors.

Whereas the internet has been talked of as the great facilitator for allowing teleworking and distance working (in theory if not in reality), the other crucial issue for flexible employment is transport. It is expensive already to run a car in the countryside and if you are a freelancer or a self-employed home business, it is one of the first items to look at for cost-cutting. Strictly speaking, unless you're a tradesman needing to carry around the tools of your trade for example, a car shouldn't be necessary any longer for you to make a comfortable living or to pursue a 'lifestyle' business. Hopping on a low-cost mini-bus to go to a larger town from where you could get on another, national bus or train service to visit family, friends and clients is a social and business facility providing such obvious benefits, they shouldn't be beyond the grey matter even of local and county councillors or the Eton Mess. (Presently hiding up in trees, armed with a pair of binoculars, watching the barricades from a safe distance.)

But that would be a little bit too radical because the established political priority is to encourage selfishness and greed and tempt the public to waste, to spend needlessly. It's called consumerism. And we've just seen all around the country what happens when you get dissatisfied consumers who can't do enough consuming. (Although it's all the fault of the police; just as with phone-hacking; or the financial crisis.)

11.08.2011: New proposals for debt management advice. http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/consumer-issues/docs/m/10-1185-managing-borrowing-call-for-evidence.pdf Business minister Edward Davey has published several proposals for the improvement of debt management advice, following a recent consultation.

Some of the most significant of these plans includes: strengthening voluntary codes of forbearance to allow debtors time to seek debt advice; facilitating access for bankrupts to a basic bank account; increasing the petition debt level and giving the Money Advice Service a central role in the co-ordination of debt advice.

Online resource from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to help distance traders comply with regulations. http://www.bdo.uk.com/business-news/2011/8/oft-launches-online-selling-resource-for-distance-traders The OFT found that only 9% of businesses are aware of the laws and regulations involved in selling via e- and m-commerce, telephone, interactive television and mail order. It also provides information for distance sellers on handling customer complaints, refunds and returns.

The Distance Selling Hub can be found at: http://www.oft.gov.uk/business-advice/treating-customers-fairly

10.08.2011: The 'Skillionaires' Club. Just announced. Britain's richest 100 businessmen who didn't get any academic qualifications. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/an-unqualified-success-multimillionaires-who-prove-you-can-prosper-without-a-degree-2334149.html

Britain's richest 'skillionaire' is the chairman of the yellow digger maker JCB. Sir Anthony Bamford, whose wealth is valued at £2.15bn, started his working life with a two-year apprenticeship at Massey Ferguson in France in the early 1960s. JCB itself is valued at £2bn, but Sir Anthony's family also has private assets including a 4,500-acre Staffordshire estate and a 1,500-acre estate in Gloucestershire.

I had a quick look at the first twenty names on the list and would you believe it - not a single fortune made from the internet! Well, I never.

But. The country's internet generation have done a Tripoli on London (minus the body counts) and ruined the lives and businesses of tens of thousands, because it seems, they haven't got any jobs or enough money for their daily fix, or a white tracksuit with a hood, a baseball cap to wear back-to-front and a pair of Nikes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14460111 Well, apart from the regular, organised anarchists who could easily be caught under anti-terrorist legislation, I would have thought that for the rest, a few weeks' holiday in Somalia might help to broaden their horizons. Good also, to see that online social networking is coming into its own - for organising collective thuggery and fencing looted goods. http://www.enterprisequest.com/news/2011/08/social_enterprises_are_booming.html

Not that the wreckers really want to work, of course. The community element that does want to work has just had its businesses and homes trashed by this filth despite offering the local youth their very best chance of finding jobs in the area. Anywhere, in fact. And it is just as well this working element consists of immigrants and ethnic groups with the guts to take over from the 'Government' and its 'police' or even London's 'chav' areas would have gone up in smoke by now. All reminiscent of Napoleon's jibe at a 'nation of shopkeepers' (taken from Adam Smith), who beat the most powerful army in Europe nonetheless; and the last Battle of Britain. Fought and won by furreners.

The Eton Mess has come up with a rallying call for the nation, though. "Don't do as we do, do as we say." And all the sociologists will be lining up to stick their fingers in the pudding bowl, too.

New Enterprise Allowance announced. http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-2020905/Jobless-offered-chance-boss.html The scheme aims to help unemployed people to start a business and is available to anyone who has been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance for 26 weeks or more and has a business idea. They will receive a weekly allowance, guidance and support from a volunteer business mentor and will be able to apply for a loan of up to £1,000. A spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions explained that this scheme is "part of a drive to create a much more business-friendly environment" and added that it would "help rebuild the economy and create jobs." There used to be a time when official statements like this had at least some plausibility.

08.08.2011: For a couple of decades now we have been reporting our findings of patchy cover from Trading Standards and today we find there is a story about the problem in BBC News. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14405020 There is a very helpful survey of the areas where intelligence is at its most effective with Wales in top spot with 2,192 reports and totally unsurprisingly in our view, East Anglia bottom with 0 (ZERO) reports. This will be most helpful to scammers deciding where to centre their operations.

The underlying problem apparently, is two parallel database systems which aren't mutually compatible. Or, another Government IT cockup.

Agri-crime on the rise: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14415420

07.08.2011: Programme to renovate empty homes. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/homeless-people-and-charities-to-revamp-derelict-houses-2333260.html Best bit of news I've read for quite a while as an estimated three quarters of a million houses stand derelict or empty in the UK. Government, local authorities, charities and homelessness groups look like they are going to start pulling together for once. Well, that's the idea because the common sense of tackling empty housing stock has been blindingly obvious for years. Trouble is, it doesn't offer quite the same scope for bent politicians both central and local.

Speaking of bent politicians, congratulations to Standard and Poor's for finally downgrading America's credit rating and primarily on the grounds of Washington's brinksmanship and mismanagement. Good to see the States still has some centres of influence run by men with balls making a call which has long been overdue. It was Mark Twain who memorably described the US political scenario with a maxim which holds true to this day: 'It is the foreign element that commits our crimes. There is no native criminal class except Congress.' Not that the Americans have any exclusivity on political criminality and incompetence. It was British governance that sent its social and religious rubbish over to the American continent in the first place to thin out the competition on its own patch.

Still, no time like the present for stocking up on tinned food, flour and bottles of water. And wood to keep you warm and to do the cooking. AND if you invest in an ex-army surplus field kitchen, you'll have an original home business idea for feeding the entire local community! Every cloud has a silver lining.

06.08.2011: 50 Best Farm Shops. Luvverly. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/the-50-best-farm-shops-2330954.html?action=Gallery&ino=50 All you need to do to eat well in Britain is to get out of London. These top 50 spots not only offer good food and produce but also make a pleasant day out. Plus you'll be supporting home businesses like yourselves. Don't forget to take a cool box to pack your fresh meat and dairy produce.

Brits behaving less badly abroad: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/05/brits-behaving-less-badly-report Britain has one of the worst reputations in the world for a lot of things but the travelling Brit is something else again. You are all ambassadors for your country. The better you behave the easier it is for the commercial sector to sell what the country makes and does. It's that easy. (Despite the feral antics of the Eton Mess.)

Personal insolvency numbers stabilising, up by only 1%: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14416410 Meanwhile, the number of businesses going bust fell by 5% to 1,232 in the second quarter, though they were still up 22% on a year ago.

Man behind 27 million Facebook spam messages turns himself in. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14428730 I'd have thought it would have been cheaper and easier to ban Facebook.

Council tenants sub-letting their homes could face jail: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/sublet-fraudsters-could-be-jailed-2332916.html

05.08.2011: Small businesses under threat from increasing costs. http://www.enterprisequest.com/news/2011/08/small_firms_under_threat_from.html Transport, energy and insurance premiums are seen as the biggest drain on profits for the coming year.

I am reminded of a recent article in a US business newsletter I receive in which the author referred to, 'My Father, The Entrepreneur.' Ditto for my own father and a couple of million like him in the years following the Second World War when graft alone would probably have earned you well-merited success. Transport costs didn't exist. Only doctors could afford cars. And there was always plenty of work locally to cut out issues like commuting. Energy requirements were met by cutting a stack of wood for winter and the house was selectively illuminated at night by a couple of 40 watt lightbulbs which were turned off religiously when leaving the room. There weren't any electrical gadgets either, least of all a computer or a telly. (If I wanted to watch a telly, clear off to America, my father always said.) And insurance cover was unheard of.

There were no bank overdrafts, loans or credit cards and no mortgage, either; the house had been paid for in cash with help from extra money earned from working overtime and further odd jobs at weekends; all takings were cash as well, usually 'up front' and were deposited at the Post Office; no solicitors or accountants (I started keeping the family businesses' books from the age of eight), no telephone or internet, no holidays (well, the odd bus outing or so to the seaside) and no plastic-wrapped shite from supermarkets pretending to be food or other 'consumables'. Growing your own food was normal, even in big towns and cities where allotments were cheap and readily available.

That generation made lots of modest fortunes which lasted for many, many years and the quality of life which people consequently enjoyed, was reflected through all aspects of society from law and order through to education and retirement. Then, along came a lot of very clever people who didn't want to work to give us all what we have today.

04.08.2011: AXA continue to press for an end to referral racket. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14400857 Gladdened to see that AXA - who I use personally - has remained the only UK insurer to press for an end to this scam which bears directly on the spiralling cost of car insurance.

Small business compliance costs estimated at £16.8 billion a year. http://www.enterprisequest.com/news/2011/08/rising_compliance_costs_increa.html Just think. With that sort of money saved, the UK could have invaded Libya properly and committed far more atrocities than just the 1,100 + dead civilians (including 400 + women and children) it has been jointly responsible for so far. (Non-propaganda source for casualties: Libyan Red Crescent.)

Major shortage of affordable rural homes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14397412 A 78% deficit (around 150,000 homes) has been identified by The Countryside Alliance, which does somewhat endorse the notion that housing stock in the UK isn't built to meet housing needs but rather the greed of property developers and their corrupt little friends on local councils. The councils in turn, are blaming the Government for not allowing them to borrow enough money for building.

A third of UK's adults now using a smartphone. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14397101

03.08.2011: Group mortgage buying concept from Australia, here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/offshorefinance/8675574/Using-the-power-of-the-collective-in-Australian-banking.html Probably illegal in Europe (catering for the consumer) but very interesting, nonetheless.

It now appears the earlier story about the intelligence of Internet Explorer users was a hoax. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14389430 Just goes to show. You should never believe what you read these days.

Internet Explorer users have a much lower than average IQ. In the 80s apparently, which is about the same as someone who buys The Sun. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14370878 Made my morning, this story. Said Professor David Spiegelhalter of Cambridge University's Statistical Laboratory: "They've got IE6 users with an IQ of around eighty. That's borderline deficient, marginally able to cope with the adult world. I believe these figures are implausibly low - and an insult to IE users." Sounds about right to me. (And what do I use? Even worse. Assholes OnLine. AOL. Can you imagine?!)

I bet people who watch Dragons' Den are IE users. http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/aug/02/dragons-den-blackmail-threats-twitter And I think I read recently somewhere that the younger generation are looking up to tv pulp like Dragons' Den and The Apprentice as sources of entrepreneurial inspiration. Poor buggers.

UK construction industry 'stable'. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14376540 Even though full-time employment figures for the sector are down the performance of the UK's construction industry is one of the major indicators for the well-being of the country's self-employed. If you know how to use a shovel and climb a ladder your chances of paying your bills remain much higher than sitting behind a computer trawling the internet.

Proposed tax on carrier bags as supermarkets fail to control their use. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/8667993/Calls-for-tax-on-carrier-bags-after-failure-of-supermarkets.html Amazing how creative governments are becoming at finding money these days.

02.08.2011: Useful-looking website here for those of you interested in exporting to or setting up a business in Spain; a couple of interesting downloads to be had. http://www.exporttospain.net/

The IMF suggests British households will lose £1500 a year for the next five years. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/imf-warns-households-face-losing-1631500-a-year-for-five-years-2330327.html

Some UK Debt Statistics: Latest figures from Credit Action reveal a number of sobering statistics: (Taken from the latest K2 Turnaround Times, now posted in the HBA Members' Section.)
331 people will be declared insolvent or bankrupt every day of the year. This is equivalent to one person every minute, during a working day.
100 properties were repossessed every day during the first quarter of 2011
£20.71 million of loans are written off every day by banks and building societies
The Citizens Advice Bureau dealt with 9,072 new debt problems every working day in England and Wales during the year March 2010 to March 2011.
The average household debt is £55,862 (including mortgages)
126 people became unemployed for more than 12 months every day for the year ending April 2011

Still, there's nothing to worry about. Everyone these days, is a guru. The world is in safe hands. So here's a smile for you. http://onlinebusiness.about.com/b/2011/07/27/im-a-guru-and-my-own-biggest-fan.htm?nl=1

I noticed from our statistics a few days ago that someone had been trawling our site for information about the recent rebranding of the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies about which we finally added some reporting to the August issue of eBOSS. To the average businessperson, it's not really an issue. It's an internal matter for the business support sector which to all intents and purposes, has now been killed off by the present Government. (R.I.P.) I personally, have found the NFEA's performance variable over the years. We were the UK's first business association to have signed a Memorandum of Co-operation with the Agency just about 15 years ago but once the 'leadership' changed, the relationship became non-existent through to pig-ignorant. I have heard other associations and end-users complain in similar fashion. The NFEA's prime motive became - quite understandably - one of chasing funding and self-preservation rather than helping the small business community.

Our colleague from The Breakthrough Network, Andrew Ferguson, added to this story in his latest 60 Second Emag.

'Face Time: Probation Officers allocate only 26% of their time to face to face work with users; “tick-box bean-counting” accounts for the rest, says Alan Beath’s report. This actually compares rather favourably with the proportion of Government Business Support cash that gets invested in “face time”.

A third of the budget never even leaves the Department responsible. The balance is passed on to distributors like BusinessLink, Centec or in the old days Manpower Services Commission, who take their slice (another 33%); it's for the 3 ‘C’s – cars, carpets and computers; we must now add the modern obsession ‘compliance’.

The remaining third is passed on to delivery agents such as Enterprise Agencies, colleges and (again) in the old days small entrepreneurial outfits like Breakthrough Centre. These agents use about half the dosh they receive on promotion and management of the delivery team ... who consume half their time filling in the forms and reports the bean-counting superstructure require.

So what’s that? 8% face-time! Still, it’s all been scrapped and the wheel’s being re-invented, so there’s no face-time at all now! ... which of course is where this astonishing network of professionals will come to your rescue!'

All based on the French administrative model, no doubt, where a recent official audit suggested that even the police spend just 6% of their time in face-to-face contact with the public - and then it's only to collect speeding fines. In fact, the French police aren't even allowed the dignity of being referred to as 'officers of the law' for example, but are commonly called 'fonctionnaires'. (Aparatchiks; bureaucrats.)

01.08.2011: The mood darkens for the British business community: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-set-for-low-growth-as-the-mood-darkens-2329769.html And: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/manufacturing-sector-contracts-2329971.html

For those of you who like a Forex dabble or two, forget the crap you might read in the dailies and bear in mind that the real experts' view is that sterling is dead, the Americans have just passed the economic parcel and the euro is living day-by-day. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/offshorefinance/8663575/Forex-focus-why-sterling-is-a-dead-duck.html

Gold might have been a sound investment if you'd bought it a couple of years ago but it's now inaccessible to the average homeowner; ditto for other precious metals and commodities. A cheap publicity stunt though it might sound, the most immediate impact most people can make on their futures is along the lines of the Government's Big Society. It's time for local leaders to start emerging and for old-fashioned community spirit and values to begin a revival. 'What's in it for me?' has had its day. Now, it's time to clear up the mess.

Chapter 8 of Henry Cazalet's Mobile Marketing Nirvana is now available in the Members' Area.

I have posted a Poland Convention Bureau newsletter link into the events.htm page on this website to mark the country's current term of EU presidency. It's just about the only European country which isn't in the financial mire and so more interesting to try and do business with than traditional alternatives.

With our usual gratitude and thanks to BAD News and Cobweb Info.

Previous month's Viewpoint/July 2011

Viewpoint June 2011

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Take care. With our usual gratitude and thanks to BAD News and Cobweb Info.

Len Tondel

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