We Are In A Recession

[homeless]

Lets not beat about the bush here folks.The recession is well and truly on-going.

Retail sales are crashing as we speak, nothing is selling and at any price.

I work in building and the wqork has crashed so hard and so fast that im now thinking of a career change instead of fighting it all the way to the bottom.

every single one of my suppliers is telling me there selling nothing, which is some small way is comforting because it lets me know that my competitors are suffering just the same as they buy at same places as me.Which also lets me know that i aint doing anything wrong.

b&q stated 65% drop in profits and would have been a huge amount more if they didint have proffitable french and german stores proping up the uk, if they only were a uk company they would have been reporting losses not profits at all.Have you ever been in b&q lately there are more staff than customers.

Everyonme i speak to here in all the diffrent trades its the very same story there all hurting and laying off staff and full oin panic mode has set in.There undercutting prices to the bone to try to get any little work there is out there.

I have people phoning up for jobs then 2 days later cancelling they have no money at all.

The building industry is often the bellweather of the uk economy and of house prices in the uk, and i can tell you for A FACT. the game is up the good times are long gone and its all a mass scrabbling for the crumbs.

Im getting out before i beat myself into the ground with the rest.flogging dead horses is not in my nature.

[a j]

I work in building and the wqork has crashed so hard and so fast that im now thinking of a career change instead of fighting it all the way to the bottom.

I thought you were a management consultant three months ago?

On a similar note however, the availability and hourly rates for HGV drivers have been coming down since Christmas. At the moment the industry is trying to pretend that this is seasonal, but lower volumes of goods are being transported than this time last year.

[homeless]

management consulting ? your mistaking me for someone else

ive stated many times i work in construction on here

at the moment im just pretending to work in construction becuase im getting no work in

[Guest Winners and Losers]

On a similar note however, the availability and hourly rates for HGV drivers have been coming down since Christmas. At the moment the industry is trying to pretend that this is seasonal, but lower volumes of goods are being transported than this time last year.

Where did you hear this???

The UK is currently suffering from a massive shortage of qualified HGV drivers. This means that there are over 80,000 driving jobs - so you will be in great demand.

The competitiveness of the UK economy could be dealt a £1 billion blow, according to the country's largest ever survey into the employment of truck drivers by Skills for Logistics.

By the end of March 2006, there could be a shortage of 46,000 LGV drivers. Currently, companies are already reporting driver shortages and 60% of road haulage firms are struggling to fill vacancies. These national statistics are reflected in the East of England, where employers need an additional 3,000 drivers. The Haven Gateway and Thames Gateway are growing considerably and will continue to do so over the coming years. However, sustaining such rapid growth will prove difficult with a shortage of drivers.

Overall, Skills for Logistics believes that these problems could cost the UK economy £1 billion a year, unless action is taken to remedy recruitment and retention problems in this sector.

Most of the 1,200 companies that took part in the survey said that the industry has a negative image which hinders recruitment. An aging workforce is also making life difficult, according to John Paterson, Human Resources Director of TNT.

"The majority of drivers are aged between 45 and 55 and the industry has failed to recruit young drivers," he said. "This year we are actively recruiting and training young drivers with the assistance of the Skills for Logistics Schemes."

Edited March 27, 2006 by Winners and Losers

[the don]

I see that you hail from Blackpol, Homeless

the north is finally seeing the slowdown that started 2 years ago in the south

i am also involved in building ( and managment consultancy)

heavsyside building material sales are pretty dire nationally

we will shortly see if they pick up in line with the normal seasonal surge at easter, but i suspect not.

i think the recession is currently confined to the private sector ( retail, manufacturing building and motor trade) and will only hit the public sector once the treasury starts cutting funds.

the definition of a recession is when you know someone who is unemployed

a depression is when you are unemployed

[gfromls]

I agree

The slump came for us in the middle of feb (just like someone had turned a tap off).

Everyone else in business (locally) says the same.

What happened ? (mid feb)

Why do the stock market – government – sheeple, appear to be unaware?

[a j]

Where did you hear this???

The UK is currently suffering from a massive shortage of qualified HGV drivers. This means that there are over 80,000 driving jobs - so you will be in great demand.

The competitiveness of the UK economy could be dealt a £1 billion blow, according to the country's largest ever survey into the employment of truck drivers by Skills for Logistics.

By the end of March 2006, there could be a shortage of 46,000 LGV drivers. Currently, companies are already reporting driver shortages and 60% of road haulage firms are struggling to fill vacancies. These national statistics are reflected in the East of England, where employers need an additional 3,000 drivers. The Haven Gateway and Thames Gateway are growing considerably and will continue to do so over the coming years. However, sustaining such rapid growth will prove difficult with a shortage of drivers.

Overall, Skills for Logistics believes that these problems could cost the UK economy £1 billion a year, unless action is taken to remedy recruitment and retention problems in this sector.

Most of the 1,200 companies that took part in the survey said that the industry has a negative image which hinders recruitment. An aging workforce is also making life difficult, according to John Paterson, Human Resources Director of TNT.

"The majority of drivers are aged between 45 and 55 and the industry has failed to recruit young drivers," he said. "This year we are actively recruiting and training young drivers with the assistance of the Skills for Logistics Schemes."

WAL

I work in a company which employs a lot of HGV drivers in the M25 area. Prior to working for my current employers I worked for one of the largest trucking/logistics company in the UK - I'm still in contact with a lot of people there.

What you have noted above was entirely true for the last few years and until the start of 2006 - there has been a perceptible change in the market since then. We are paying less per hour for agency drivers than a year ago and don't have problems finding agencies with the staff available. There may be localised issues with recruitment, and companies don't like paying the market rates, but there is nothing like the shortage of drivers there was a year ago. 'Motor Transport' has been reporting the same for the last couple of editions - this is not just my view.

[Guest Winners and Losers]

WAL

I work in a company which employs a lot of HGV drivers in the M25 area. Prior to working for my current employers I worked for one of the largest trucking/logistics company in the UK - I'm still in contact with a lot of people there.

What you have noted above was entirely true for the last few years and until the start of 2006 - there has been a perceptible change in the market since then. We are paying less per hour for agency drivers than a year ago and don't have problems finding agencies with the staff available. There may be localised issues with recruitment, and companies don't like paying the market rates, but there is nothing like the shortage of drivers there was a year ago. 'Motor Transport' has been reporting the same for the last couple of editions - this is not just my view.

Oh dear. Does not bode well for Mr WAL then. I keep telling him he better hang on to his job! Thanks for confirming what I guessed. How do you think it will pan out for HGV drivers in a recession then? Mr WAL is in steel.

[nodumsunreader]

Lets not beat about the bush here folks.The recession is well and truly on-going.

Retail sales are crashing as we speak, nothing is selling and at any price.

I work in building and the wqork has crashed so hard and so fast that im now thinking of a career change instead of fighting it all the way to the bottom.

every single one of my suppliers is telling me there selling nothing, which is some small way is comforting because it lets me know that my competitors are suffering just the same as they buy at same places as me.Which also lets me know that i aint doing anything wrong.

b&q stated 65% drop in profits and would have been a huge amount more if they didint have proffitable french and german stores proping up the uk, if they only were a uk company they would have been reporting losses not profits at all.Have you ever been in b&q lately there are more staff than customers.

Everyonme i speak to here in all the diffrent trades its the very same story there all hurting and laying off staff and full oin panic mode has set in.There undercutting prices to the bone to try to get any little work there is out there.

I have people phoning up for jobs then 2 days later cancelling they have no money at all.

The building industry is often the bellweather of the uk economy and of house prices in the uk, and i can tell you for A FACT. the game is up the good times are long gone and its all a mass scrabbling for the crumbs.

Im getting out before i beat myself into the ground with the rest.flogging dead horses is not in my nature.

I am told a recession is 2 quarters wwith falling output. According to the CBI, manafacturing is reporting increased order books this year so no recession yet.

[CASHKING]

Evening from Devon,

I have been saying this for since last October. My sales are over 40% down on this time last year and i own a company that has national coverage. Its not that we are missing business due to high prices, its just that the phone does not ring, and i will not go out and buy turnover and lower prices.

Its the same to everyone i have dealings with. My haulier is in the shite, and he uses 50000 litres od Diesel a week, magazines keep phoning me up to try and make me spend more. printers are sitting on their backsides, ditto graphic designers.

Its got bad enough that i mentioned last week that i am thinking of STR by business units, i have a valuer coming tommorow so shall see.

I am in recession and most people i have dealings with are, its just that they carn't admit it to themselves. Maybe they still think they are rich because of HPI.

[CASHKING]

Again,

Spoke to my broker in London who purchases all my Euros(-0.4% under market) and the exchange rate is hurting at the momant, especially buying in chunks of Euros 100000+ , and its going to get worse he says. Remember the carry trade, well he says that is why all the commodity currencies i.e. ZA rand, NZ $, A$ that tanked in the past two weeks, just look at the NZ$ today!!! are starting to take hits as trades are completed.

I asked him about the Euro and expect the trading range 1.38 to 1.43 to become a reality in the near future, so for all those buying a house in Spain this year. Don't.

[homeless]

cashking im sick to hell of all the people phonbing me up wanting to advertise.

what i especially hate are the lies they speel to justify me advertising with them, and this is from large companies as well.

for instance ive had buissness pages,thompsons,yell.com,123trades.com and others all trying top tell me there the one people go to and all stating %of people ect, surely they cant all be right ehhh.

im getting more calls from advertising sales than im getting for work.

i swear there must be millions of people now working in tele sales on commisions, i can imagine there gonna be the next to go into recession

[CASHKING]

cashking im sick to hell of all the people phonbing me up wanting to advertise.

what i especially hate are the lies they speel to justify me advertising with them, and this is from large companies as well.

for instance ive had buissness pages,thompsons,yell.com,123trades.com and others all trying top tell me there the one people go to and all stating %of people ect, surely they cant all be right ehhh.

im getting more calls from advertising sales than im getting for work.

i swear there must be millions of people now working in tele sales on commisions, i can imagine there gonna be the next to go into recession

Hiya,

Exactly and you know what else, each time these national magazines phone me its another sales person who joined last month and will be gone in two months time. For most of them i give this website address and tell them to phone me next week and i may consider giving them a contract. I quizz them when they phone back and if they are all excited by finding this site and start telling me how they hate the spin, estate agents etc. i give them the contract.

Doing my part down here in Exeter ( by the way where is Starcrossed)

[DabHand]

My father ran an independent reputable carpets/cutains and furnishing place for the last 20 years. He threw in the towel about 2 months ago. He examined the figures and predicted the increased costs and a significant decline in business would mean plenty of pain and no gain culminating in likely bankruptcy. He was telling me the economy was screwed before l had a chance to tell him the same!

This is an economy that is kept afloat by borrowing....imagine what its gonna be like when the credit party comes to an end.

[homeless]

ohhh will also add this

i took load of waste in my van to the ransfer station about least 8 months ago.

today i get a letter through telling me its illegal to carry waste from my jobs in my van without a waste carriers licence, and they noted i had took waste to the transfer station (8 months ago)

and that i should purchase for 130 a licence to carry my own waste off of jobs

Now first bit that gets me about this is

why did they wait 8 months since i last went and dumped stuff?

why did they accept my waste to dump and charge me 47 pounds +vat per tonne to dump it if i didint have the required licence in the first place.

This to me by waiting so long since i went there stinks to high heaven of touting for extra cash

this waste carriers licence is basically another tax on top for anyone that would make waste in carrying out there buisness.As they charge me 47 pounds +vat to dump it as it is surely i am already paying them?

also will add there is still much of the public out there that think i can remove there waste off a job for free, becuase simply they can take it for free in there car.Lost count of the number of times ive had to explain to people im charged so much and not counting the time to do it, and now not counting this waste carriers licence i will have to purchase too.You may say best getting a skip but the trouble is i dont have enough waste on each job to justify a skip, so now im just gonna completely refuse to remove waste from jobs under any circumstances, even for little old ladies in flats.

waste carriers licence indeed, i mean how would they prove what is actually waste and what is materials for jobs if they stopped you anyway, just another tax on the self employed. 47 pounds + vat a tonne or part of tonne is surely enough without this too.

[Bagehot]

we are not in a recession!

[Guest Winners and Losers]

we are not in a recession!

A W

[CASHKING]

we are not in a recession!

Hiya,

No disrepect, but i admire your judgement in such a profound statement like that.

Do you own a business??

Or am i just unlucky like all those other companies going to the wall

Please back up your statement with facts

[gasket37]

some interesting anecdotes - keep 'em up guys and gals.

WAL - i'm not having a pop but isn't the quote you got from skills for logistics bods exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from a trade body? i seem to remember the same thing happened in I.T. after 2000 - bleating from various bodies about skills shortages, fast track visas and the like.

then suddenly it was like a tap being turned off...

anyway my contribution - check the jobs section in your local rag - is it wafer thin these days? mine is.

[Guest Winners and Losers]

some interesting anecdotes - keep 'em up guys and gals.

WAL - i'm not having a pop but isn't the quote you got from skills for logistics bods exactly the sort of thing you'd expect from a trade body? i seem to remember the same thing happened in I.T. after 2000 - bleating from various bodies about skills shortages, fast track visas and the like.

then suddenly it was like a tap being turned off...

anyway my contribution - check the jobs section in your local rag - is it wafer thin these days? mine is.

No, I agree and I'm sure you are right. That is why I keep telling Mr WAL that all may not be as rosy in the HGV business. However, he has had no problem finding work. Turns up somewhere and they employ him - at the moment. Granted, those days could be over soon.

[pobby]

Posted here a few times regarding my sales agency.Yes can only agree that the down turn is well on the move.For me it started 2005 and this year it is looking worse.

Already had a few businesses go under or simply have given up.As far as I can fathom out I can`t see a recovery for a long time yet.I can`t see where the recovery might even come from.If the ``boom`` was created from borrowed money then maybe it`s payback time.

I am involved with selling gee gaws mainly imported from China,many of these products are now 65% cheaper than they were 5 years ago.Considering that our {that is the individual} savings are little better more than 3 quarters of a half of sweet fanny adams I see a re-deployment of wealth going rapidly east.Although the average person in China earns a very small fraction of Western wages,there saving rates are approx. 50% of there income.So the Chinese banks lend the West money so we can buy there products.

Homeless,I would be interested to know which part of the country you are in.My brother-in law runs a small roofing company in Reading and still is very busy.Could this be a regional thing?

[Guest horace]

Mrs H and I went to MFI this afternoon to cost two replacement wardrobe units et al.

We had several designs and quotations produced which took about one and a three quater hours. We left the store at 1815 hours.

During our time there we noticed we were the only ones in the store.

Probably MFI`s busiest times are weekends but can Mondays always be so sparsely populated?

h

[Live_in_hope]

Resession eh think you find that it started in 2000.

Then what did the banks (& government do) drop interest rates which only helped to put us further into the brown stuff (no pun intended ) & create a level of debt which will destroy this country

This is why we now see so many UK owned companies selling up (to overseas investors / companies / competition) & taking what profits they can

So this year will be the death of UK plc.

Next year...........timber....................

[nodumsunreader]

Mrs H and I went to MFI this afternoon to cost two replacement wardrobe units et al.

We had several designs and quotations produced which took about one and a three quater hours. We left the store at 1815 hours.

During our time there we noticed we were the only ones in the store.

Probably MFI`s busiest times are weekends but can Mondays always be so sparsely populated?

h

What is posted here is retail in recession. That is not the same as the whole of British industry being in recession.

[gasket37]

No, I agree and I'm sure you are right. That is why I keep telling Mr WAL that all may not be as rosy in the HGV business. However, he has had no problem finding work. Turns up somewhere and they employ him - at the moment. Granted, those days could be over soon.

cool! hope he can keep it up!

HGV's are a funny game - you've got your guys like willi betz & the like driving over here whose drivers are paid £400/£500 per month at one end and your eddie stobarts at the other wearing collars and ties.

someone i know drives 7½ tonners for a major FMCG brand - he hasn't had a pay rise in 3 or 4 years now