I’M sure you are as sick as I am of emails from companies telling you what their response is to the COVID-19 outbreak.
So you’ll be pleased to know this isn’t one of them.
All of these emails follow the same format, often include identical wording and are designed to reassure the reader.
But the main message I’ve taken from them is that those sending them have as much idea of what is going on as the rest of us.
Which is very little.
And that is no surprise given we are all operating in unprecedented times.
Whether you run a business, work for a company or you are retired, you, like me, will currently be unsure, uneasy and uncomfortable.
Everyday this week I’ve either had to make a difficult decision about my business or someone has delivered a message which has been tough to take.
As my partner said to me yesterday: “Well, look at it this way: you can’t get any more bad news because there isn’t any.”
Well, other than catching coronavirus I suppose.
There have been weeks where I’ve slept better but I remain positive.
I know there are many, many people in a much worse situation and it is at times like this that we need to support each other.
We all face many weeks of isolation as the nation looks to overcome this pandemic.
Given this blog is usually all about the people I’ve met, the events I’ve been to and the stories I’ve heard, you might expect it to “go dark” as they say in the theatre, for the weeks ahead.
But you’re not getting away from me that easily.
I’m going to have a go at raising morale, whether you lot like it or not.
So each week I’ll share a few thoughts, tell you what is making me feel cheerful and what I’m looking forward to.
I’ll share a video clip of a favourite comedy sketch, routine or joke.
Given my taste in comedy, you might not be surprised to know that most of the people featuring in the clips are no longer with us.
I may even look back over previous blogs – call it my greatest hits.
All right, please yourselves.
I would also love to hear what you think, what is keeping you going, making you smile and how you are coping with working from home and being confined to barracks for such a long period.
The photograph above is of me at the dining room table on the laptop with my co-worker Poppy.
She looks as interested in my weekly musings as most people do.
The main thing I take from the photograph is I must put some more starch in my polo shirt collar the next time I wash it.
Please feel free to send me your photos of working from home and I’ll publish them.
I was due to meet former Times journalist turned PR man Peter Davenport for a coffee yesterday.
Sadly it didn’t happen as he’s in self-isolation.
Given Peter is one of Yorkshire’s best dressed men, I wondered how he was handling being confined to quarters.
“This probably seems very trite in the current position, but I look at my extensive wardrobe each morning with real longing – and then slip into a tracksuit to work from my home office,” Peter told me.
I’m not sure whether Peter’s outfitter of choice, Rhodes Wood of Harrogate, has started to tailor tracksuits, but I bet he looks good.
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LAST week’s blog was unique in that every piece in it seemed to annoy someone who read it.
To be honest, I knew that having a pop at Leeds Dock would upset some of those people who run businesses there.
I was principally having a pop at the faux-excitement that Steph McGovern was projecting about her new Channel 4 programme, The Steph Show, which will be filmed in a studio at Leeds Dock.
I nearly said the only people that are likely to watch the show are housebound, but given that sometime in the next few days we’ll all be housebound, I’m glad I didn’t.
Those who have worked hard to build businesses based at Leeds Dock took issue with my comments, and fair play to them for that.
Matthew Briggs, chief executive of AutoProtect Group, an insurance and warranty business, sent me the following message:
“No offence David, I run the business which lives in the ex-Google building at Leeds Dock.”
He added a smiley face emoji so I don’t think he was too annoyed.
Others were a little more offended.
Alan Bowman, sent this message:
“David, as an avid reader of your weekly missive, this is the first time I have felt moved to reply and challenge you on your comments about Leeds Dock.
“Right away I will start by declaring an interest as an owner of North Star Coffee who run the independent coffee shop next to Pizza Express. We set up there, as the first business to try and provide an anchor for the area as something more than the dead legacy of the council’s dream of extending the retail centre of Leeds south. It has been a tough couple of years for sure and like all fledgling food businesses, we hover around a breakeven situation, like professional mourners around the sandwiches at a wake.
“But things are changing – Sky, Yorkshire Water and a whole raft of new digital and PR agencies are finding the Docks a great place to be. Intermarketing and Hatch have both invested significantly in enhancing their office spaces and the launch of C4 there is another step in the relentless but slow design to move south from the city centre.
“Maybe you should take some time to leave the stuffy sanctuary of the professional businesses in central Leeds and take a fresh look at what we are helping to create at Leeds Dock under a pretty tough trading situation right now. If you do you are welcome to North Star and while there have a look at the next door craft bakery we have set up to combat the Ginsters supply from Tesco’s!
“Some people really like it there – so broaden your horizons and your attitude a little and recognise there is a new generation of business in Leeds, who may reject the rounds of lunches and events of our generation, but are finding other ways to get together to get business done – like over a fine cup of speciality coffee!”
How can I challenge a viewpoint that is made eloquently, with both determination and humour?
As soon as we are all open for business again, I will join him for a coffee at North Star.
But I’ll wear a hoodie and check shirt to fit in.
Alan mentioned one of the creative businesses at Leeds Dock is PR firm Hatch Communications.
James Hickman, director at Hatch made these comments on the blog:
“Disappointed to read your thoughts regarding Leeds Dock. I’d be interested to hear when you last came down. There is a thriving community down here, with the likes of us, Ilk, Home, iseePR, Journey Further and Intermarketing to name a few.
“Sadly, for the ‘techies in t-shirts and creative agencies’, unlike our suited peers from the financial and legal sector, we can’t all be chewing the fat at Sous Le Nez, popping for a bottle or two of wine at Bar and Grill from 11am or wandering round outside making it ‘look’ busy when we’ve got work to do. Pop down whenever you like, our door is always open,” said James, who sounds possibly a tad frustrated with me.
I think he might also have been meaning me when he mentioned visiting Sous le Nez and Restaurant Bar & Grill.
Which is an outrageous slur.
I haven’t been in either place for at least three days.
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EVEN the normally affable David Richmond of Armstrong Watson accountants was miffed by last week’s blog.
I mentioned going to The Bradford Club Annual Dinner where everyone appeared to have white hair and I met a veteran entrepreneur called Dennis who started his career as a teenage gravedigger.
“Slightly offended by the “white hair” dig!!” said David, who is a stuntman for Kenny Rogers in his spare time.
He added: “Dennis the gravedigger……..sounds just like a client of mine. Did he come from top side of Keighley???”
I didn’t know there was a top side of Keighley, but there can only be one Dennis.
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THE final person who took me to task about last week’s blog was entrepreneur David Oddie, or ‘The Big O’ as I like to call him.
David said: “Just read your blog – wonderful as always. I must pull you up on one small thing though: Carl Stuart tailors was named after Walter’s late son Nigel Stuart Carl Grimes, who worked in the business with him but whose life was sadly cut short by cancer.
“Walter had the dubious distinction of making suits for four generations of our family.”
Given David is 6ft 7in tall, he’s a tailor’s dream client.
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Reasons to be cheerful.
DID you see that the BBC has had to halt production on EastEnders because of the coronavirus?
I know our public service broadcaster is currently engaged in keeping the nation entertained alongside bringing us trusted news.
But stopping broadcasting the nightly dose of doom and gloom from Albert Square must be a big step towards improving the national mood.
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THIS week I’m looking forward to:
I was given a copy of Andrew Roberts’ epic biography of Winston Churchill for Christmas the year before last.
Given it is too heavy to fit in a case to take on holiday – and I don’t want to spill pina colada on it – I have been restricted to reading it just before bedtime.
I’ve lost count of the times I’ve dropped off but given I’ve still not reached the First World War yet, it’s quite a few.
One thing I’m going to do over the next few weeks is read the book properly – and finish it.
Have a great weekend.
Brilliant David this made me smile – I’ve been working from home much more than I should for the best part of two years now – apart from the twice a month trip to London and occasional day in Platform – and I had made concerted decision in Feb to get out more – and now this! Fortunately my two cats are here for company and I’m not sure what I’d do without them. Will send a photo at my desk soon. I didn’t see you as a Pina Colada fan – they do a good frozen version in most supermarkets (or at least they did!) Thanks for keeping us all positive and I look forward to those comedy clips.