Indeed, some of the news arriving on my desk during the comparative quiet of summer has been possibly encouraging with people from entrepeneurs to fairs organiser to dealers all confident enough to be expanding business.
From Gloucestershire I learn that antiques centres entrepreneur Julian Tatham-Losh is further expanding his banana republic in Tetbury with the opening on September 12 of Top Banana Three at 48 Long Street.
The new centre is located between the first Top Banana, which Julian opened at 1 New Church Street in November 2002, and the second, which was launched at 32 Long Street in February this year.
He told me: “I have been able to open this third shop on the strength of my waiting list, and the other Top Bananas are going from strength to strength.”
The latest centre will house nine dealers in decorative items, bringing the total number trading out of the three Bananas up to more than 60, with at least another 10 working from cabinets.
But it is hard work husbanding all these Bananas. When I spoke to Julian last week he had been up since 5am working on the invitations to his champagne opening reception at noon on Sunday September 12.
Bananas are not the only fruitful venture…
NOBODY is pretending that this year has all been sunshine and brightness for the trade, but nor has it been quite as terminally doom-laden as some commentators would suggest.
