Whilst the general mood of the town is that business is significantly quieter than it should be what are we doing about it?

When the first lockdown hit, I for one was completely convinced that as soon as it was lifted after three months, we would return to a thriving community with everyone keen to get out and enjoy life after being compulsorily locked up.

But...it soon became obvious that the situation was going to extend for way more than three months and the world in general has now taken a big hit in every way.

A recession was predicted way before the crisis was over, although the current situation in Ukraine has had a far greater effect on the economy than many realize and this, we could never have predicted.

Apportioning blame, no matter how appropriate does not bring in more business, and action speaks louder than words.

Failing to prepare for such circumstances can often lead to preparing to fail, but coy little phrases aside many commercial suppliers are extremely keen to retain your business, now more than ever and if this leads to you driving a harder bargain than you have previously done then so be it.

A couple of days spent on the telephone endlessly chasing the best deal from suppliers may sound like a rather uncomfortable task, especially if you have a good relationship with the supplier but that’s even more of a reason to drive a hard bargain.

Many utility suppliers have now realized that with prices hitting record highs, the opportunity for more business can be found by keeping their prices below the competition, and for those that feel they are tied in to a 3-year contract with severe penalties for leaving, I will be as diplomatic as I can be and say, little research can reveal a different story which will be ultimately to your benefit.