Living and Working

When visiting a relative living in Switzerland, I noticed businesses and residential property sitting side by side amicably. In the small village on the outskirts of Basle, there were flats, houses and factory units side by side - all well cared for and neat and tidy. Here in Leith, as in may locations in Scotland, we have a similar situation. Not always as neat and tidy perhaps!? Where there is regeneration and property development, a tension sometimes develops. More land is sought for building and the pressure for more house building or perhaps for more profit to be made is too tempting sometimes for private individuals,organisations or local authorities. Often the businesses lose out and in locations on the East and West of the country I have heard stories of businesses growing and wanting to stay in their local area to employ local people. Often the type of premises they need are not available or if they are the cost is too high. How do small businesses survive today with all the pressure from the big supermarkets and rising costs? Its hard hard work running your own business and when you have responsibility for staff wages too it can be a worry. Increasing legislation means that businesses with smells and noise generate lots of complaints. Fish markets by the sea with new housing nearby get complaints about the early morning noise. Someone expressed it in an interesting way to me recently. Its all about proximmity. All this is fine unless its on your doorstep and then its different. So of course the fish market has a right to carry on as it has for many a long year - did anyone think of this when they built the houses or did any of the house owners pay attention to this when they bought the property? Somehow a solution needs to be found, otherwise small businesses will disappear and we will all be the losers as the skills and services available on our doorstep and the employment that they bring for young and old alike will vanish never to return. Think about it next time you feel the urge to complain about a business near you and also think about where you place your business. I have never regretted moving my car maintenance away from a big chain to Logans Garage in Gordon Street under Mark Allan. My car is in good hands with people who care about me and my business and offer cost effective solutions. I have saved so much money and also saved myself all the hassle of dealing with that large organisation made up of people who neither cared about me of the quality of the work that they did. We all need to live and work together. Start paying attention to the small businesses around you and support them where you can. Scotland needs more small businesses and entrepreneurial skills as well as work for its young people.