BBC small business recession tracker October update

The October update on tracking small businesses through the recession is up on the BBC website today. "A solid month" seems to be the overall feeling, with all the retail firms reporting a rise in sales. Here are a few snippets from the report - there are some very positive indicators.

David Groocock from the St Maur Hotel on the Isle of Wight has high confidence for 2010, reporting an 80% rise in bookings year on year.

Harry Murray, HMS Joinery in Newcastle-under-Lyme says, "I have been snowed under with requests for quotations, something that wasn't happening a few months ago.

"While I have confidence in myself and my staff, the problem now is convincing the bank of the direction we are going in."

Leo White, from Hydrant Design in Cumbria says "Long-term projects continue to take time, and and attention to deliver, and generally clients have become increasingly demanding about what they require for their budgets.

"My feeling is that having grown the company over the summer - despite my initial plans not to do so - our profitability has reduced slightly, whilst my stress and the company risk levels have increased."

Read the report Solid month's work for small firms