| I'd say we're in a decline also. Whilst I make no claims to be some economy know-it-all, I can only tell you what I know from my line of business, and it's not been as good as previous years. We specialise in the printing of takeaway menus for shops all over the country (so we're not hit by financial problems in any single part of the country) and we've noticed a decrease in order value. We're still getting the same amount of customers and jobs, but where orders used to be for 20,000 menus, they're now down to 10,000. 50,000 are down to 30,000, etc.
This says to me that as the takeaway need less menus, they're getting less people through their door. And this says that the general public have less dispossable income.
The printing trade has always been one to see the signs of a recession first, and whilst we're still doing OK, we know of lots of other companies that are struggling. Some have already folded. |