Life is still tough in UK retail
In the aftermath of the last couple of days it might be easy to slip back and think that the worst is over but life on the high streets of the UK is still very very tough. The move to reduce interest rates is welcomed but this is not the crux of the problem as liquidity for businesses is still very thin on the ground. Even a ground swell of enthusiasm from the UK consumer would have little impact in the short term as money is still very tight.
In the real world, on the ground floor of the UK economy, Christmas will be tough and we will see more and more companies hitting financial difficulties. Just prior to and just after Christmas will see many high profile companies disappearing forever but what does 2009 hold? Is 2009 the year when it all falls back into place?
Many people seem to have forgotten that the UK is unofficially in recession, something which is certain to be confirmed by figures later in the year, and money will get tighter in the short term. While 2009 is likely to see a partial recovery in the economy it will not happen overnight and tough times still lay ahead for UK businesses.
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