Friday 28 November 2008

Big gathering of government 'advisers', not many deals done...

For the last couple of days, I’ve been at the Thames Gateway gathering at Excel, where I’ve been trying to extract any sort of business lead to create a new property deal which would raise the prospects of my ever being able to retire.

Not much chance of that, if what seems to be going on these days is a measure of the state of the industry. Apparently Margaret Beckett was making the ‘keynote’ speech, but I didn’t bother to listen to that.

The house builders are putting on a brave face, and so are their consultants. The building industry is all but grinding to a halt and this means that all the suppliers, producers etc are being hit hard as well. The agents are all scratching their heads too, which is unusual.

But an overriding factor of all this gloom is the huge bulge in the number of government appointed organisations to promote/advise/consult new development. Add the local councils, and you finish up with a big wave of people with rules and regulations, which eventually restricts and stifles any entrepreneur who is willing to risk everything to make a property development work for a profit.

I usually try to avoid talking with any of the government reps, as they’re usually commercially naive, incapable of saying anything which doesn’t include their own jargon (or more likely, acronyms), and swan around as though they are important. The one conversation I had with a bored government quango man was inconclusive, uninteresting and summed up by his hanging around for another free drink on a stand (which was run by a private business of course).

There were one or two shining examples of councils trying to get something going, but the majority will always stick rigidly to the rules and eventually cause the previously interested party to give up and go and do something else.

So, to alleviate the gloom, I’ve managed to meet the stunningly lovely lady again (coat removal expert from last year); avoided every Wii game going for fear of making a complete arse of myself, spent several happy minutes with a glass in hand, polished off loads of crisps and felt sick, missed my train (twice), been to a function which was billed as a photographic exhibition, and didn’t see one picture, had a good group rant about the failings of Gordon Brown, (which did look quite promising and could have turned into a riot), and fallen flat on my back on a tube train after someone removed the glass screen by the door just as it was picking up speed. Three kind gentlemen helped me to my feet, but it was really very funny and we all had a laugh about that!

Oh, and I did manage to do some business eventually, but it ain’t going to be easy...

13 comments:

lilith said...

Oh Scrobs. You are a brave warrior. We need to bulldoze the quangos.

Old BE said...

someone removed the glass screen by the door just as it was picking up speed

That is quite common nowadays. The other one is the invisible banana skin and the seat vomit which only appears after you have started your descent.

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Thanks Lils - can't stop now can I!

Good news is that I've just been invited to Twickers tomorrow to see the All Blacks get beaten 21-9...

Daisy said...

scrobs...i understand and am after that retirement ring myself...well in that direction anyway...i'm looking at other positions within the organization to move into perhaps next year...i've always liked what i do...but the last couple of years have been hard and it is starting to wear on me a bit more...i think a nice office job would be better...no actual human contact...sitting with my ipod on and typing away...oh hell who am i kidding i would be bored out of my everloving mind! arrggghhhh

Anonymous said...

I appreciate your problems with all those quangoes...

Anonymous said...

Scrobby, you have just discovered the Nulab theme tune: There's no business like...er..no business. Get down the PO and collect your giro at once.

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Blues, yes there are inherent faults with underground trains these days...

Another is picking up a day old Metro, and realising that about fifty pairs of hands have been riffling the pages for the last twelve hours; they get slightly 'oily', and not too clean!

Another fault is waiting while some thicko was trying to scan their Oyster card which was buried inside a huge bag...

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Daisers, I really have to carry on regardless, there's still time and in fact we've had a better day - so far!

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Bane of my Life Mutters, they just get in the way and contribute nothing at all!

Sen. C.R.O'Blene said...

Reevers, rather than go down to the River Po, can't I just go to the local poast office?

Ha ha ha ha - my little joke of course!

Daisy said...

scrobs...i'm glad today is better for you...i have the day off today so it's great for me...lol

Anonymous said...

Scrobs: 16.50: Certainly, if you can find one open between where you are and Venice!

WV: cullyst - someone for the chop then?

Electro-Kevin said...

Scroblene, I'm full of awe and admiration for REAL business people.

I simply wouldn't have the guts to go out there and stand on my own two feet let alone getting employees up on theirs.

I don't think people should be allowed to be politicians without having worked in the real world first.

Straight out of college and then schmoozing the corridors of power for the rest of their careers. These people know nothing, think they know everything, think they're better than everyone.

They've done NOTHING.

Achieved NOTHING.

Yet people listen to them, pay them attention,

They are FUCK ALL