I have 3 manufacturing companies relating to home improvement and retail construction. One of which officially goes into liquidation tomorrow when I attend the shareholders and creditors meeting with the insolvency practitioner.

The other 2 have never had it so bad and it looks like only a merger and down sizing will save them (with some job losses)

The recession is on going and will be for some time and some sectors have yet to hit rock bottom. Thats my view.

I think the short answer to the question is no.

Government spending is not coming down fast enough if at all.

Banks won't lend whilst tough liquidity rules are being imposed on them.

Markets for our goods are also in deep recession, so they are not buying.

Pensioners' income is depressed by low interest rates on savings, so they are not able to spend

Raising interest rates would create large defaults from mortgage borrowers for the banks.

Lack of confidence by consumers depresses spending even if they are in work.

The large number of civil service jobs needed to go will not be taken up by the private sector with equivalent quality jobs, so less money in the economy.

We won't get decisive action until we get a one party government and then I wouldn't hold your breath.

I was shopping in Southport last weekend and noticed that there are shops which have suddenly sprung up out of nowhere. They are all selling temporary Christmas items such as cheap toys and decorations etc. No doubt they will disappear as quickly as they appeared. Are these "Pop up Shops"?

Heard some interesting comments today at my meeting with the insolvency practitioner, firstly he noted that the vast majority of small to medium companies do not survive more than 9 months following their 1st CCJ, I concur.

Secondly and very worryingly is that a lot of medium to large organisations are in what is called by the financiers & bankers as ‘intensive care’. This is where the banks cannot see the companies surviving but have no assets or recoverable value. They are then drip fed finance to the point where there is value in pulling the plug.

No good putting in a winding up order on a broke company but if most of the debt is to the banks it is in their interest to nurse the assets until they can generate a return on the lending through insolvency. Scary!

I have learned the hard way to not keep squinting at a very dim light at the end of a very long and winding tunnel, turn around; there may be a very big & bright opening behind you.