[Tealeaf]

Several years ago I was told a tale of a business trip made to Accy by two senior executives who were looking to establish a distribution/warehousing facility around N.E. lancs. They were fully aware of the excellent motorway network, availability of low cost B1/B2 facilities and an overall low cost base around Hyndburn. The only thing they were unsure about was the general feel of the place and what other facilities the Borough had to offer.

Anyway, to cut the long story short, they arrived (by train from Preston) on a warm summer day. Proceeding down the ramp at the station they decided to order a cab to take them to the industrial estate they were interested in. Walking into the booking office – and I do not think it takes much imagination to work out which one – they were faced by a couple of 10-year olds who informed them that a cab would be a few minutes. After a quarter of an hour – during which time no adults were present the other side of the counter as the kids chatted away in Punjabi – they gave the cab up as a bad job and proceeded to walk into town and find another taxi company.

Although by now running somewhat late, they decided to pop into a hostelry for a non-alcoholic brew and possibly to seek the advice of the locals. However, this in turn was of no avail has one mon at the bar objected to their suits and briefcases and someone else accused them of being a pair of puffters for ordering a coffee and a fruit juice.

Needless to say, they turned tail to the railway station. and with it fifty or so jobs lost from Accy. The last time I got off a train there, nothing had changed so the moral of the story is yeah – upswept rubbish isn’t very nice, but it is not the only thing that needs sorting out. First impressions are crucial.