Robert Hudson
Director
National Association of Shopfitters
“There are those who are saying that they’ve still got so much on, they don’t know which way to turn and there are those who are saying that clients are screwing on price. I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of work about, but we won’t be hit as bad as the housebuilders. We’ve had about four or five [National Association of Shopfitters members] who have gone out of business but, with a fair wind, we should end up with a net increase. We’ve just got to remain positive. It’s a sign of the times if companies like Styles & Wood are tendering for bathroom displays in B&Q.”
Brendan Boyd
Director
Patton Fit-Out
“Things aren’t as bad as they’ve been painted. From our perspective we’re still looking at a strong 2009, but the rest of the year will be challenging. Because we cover the UK as a whole as well as Ireland, we see pockets developing. Scotland’s very good at the moment and London inside the M25 is too. It’s a matter of tightening our belts and doing what we do – and doing it right first time.”
Dr Vaughan Chopping
Chief executive
Hills Target Group
“At the moment, it seems to be a mixed bag. Some companies are very busy and some are operating below capacity. We are finding that margins have been depressed and prices are generally low. If retailers don’t revamp their stores, they’re going to suffer, so we’re hoping they’re going to have the confidence to revamp.”
Lee Walker
Managing director
Barlows
“Some of our customers have got counter-intuitive strategies where they are using the downturn to invest in property. Wilkinson is a good example. We’ve also got leisure and some food retailers; it’s a good mix. The trick is not to be reliant on one sector. We’ve also been working on lean business practices for the past three years or so. It’s actually very difficult – it’s a culture and we’ve still go some way to go. We try to ask our customers not to look at the cost, but to look at what they’ll save if we give them an extra two weeks’ trade by finishing early. The problem is that that’s not the way property departments tend to look at it.”
Alan Davison
Managing director
Portview
“It will be bad for two or three quarters – I think things are still being disguised a little by big shopping centres like White City, Bristol and Liverpool. We try not to put too much work with one client.”
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