Trading gossip

Feb 27 2008

PROBLEMS in the economy are clearly worrying local business people more than we thought as some are now turning to more mystical sources for their financial forecasts.

Cheshire-based astrologer Annabel Burton  is reporting a surge in entrepreneurs coming to her for advice.

She said: “Recently, I was asked to give advice on the best time for a business to be sold. It seemed highly unusual but I gather there has been growing demand for astrological readings from the business sector.”

However, not everyone is convinced the answer is in the heavens. Business guru David Coorey, also based in Cheshire, has dismissed the idea of allowing astrology to influence decision making as a “crackpot remedy”.

LEFTIES and Liverpool fans will no doubt rejoice but we are alarmed to hear that Dougal Paver, who heads up city PR agency Paver Smith, is to bring his blogging days to an end.

Announcing his departure from cyberspace in his latest blog, Paver says: “Forces are at play (do I sound like Mohammed al Fayed?) that mean that a daily rant against the iniquities of President Brown, the French, tree huggers, Guardian-readers and Norwegian football franchises no longer make sense.”

Has the “Laird of Lochaber” been silenced by the wicked forces of political correctness, we wonder?

However, Paver has vowed to continue his right- wing ideological rants “in the pub” and “over dinner”.

And a frank admission from another PR boss, Jon Brown founder of Factory Communications, in the glossy brochure published to celebrate 10 years of creative business agency, Merseyside ACME.

In an article accompanied by a rather sinister picture of him looking uncannily like actor and Fat Les singer Keith Allen (Lily Allen’s dad for younger readers), Brown confesses that he originally “knew nothing about starting a business” and found it all “a bit scary”. His employees will no doubt be hoping he has got the hang of it.

Brown was also recently appointed as a temporary and part time “head of spin” for Liverpool City Council’s communications department. No wonder he looks so worried in the picture.