Page 173 - It's a Rum Life Book 3 "Ivy House Tales 1970 to 1984"

THE BUSINESS PLAN
We were using Midland Bank for the main business at the time and after going through all
the usual channels, our manager in Lincoln suggested meeting a local businessman who
could well put up the ‘venture’ cash for the project.
Meetings took place and I took the prospective finance folk to see the type of operation I
had in mind. We travelled to Bradford to view a similar plant and show them at first hand
just what was involved.
They really liked the idea and the profit figures were good too.
One thing about this trade was that you could start small and investment was not huge.

Finding the property was the greatest hurdle, then
installing and running the machinery needed my
specialist knowledge. Progress could be smooth as the
machinery and capacity was increased by adding
multiples of the same.
Even without the co operation of the independent dealers
I had approached, it was quite feasible to start small on
my own.

ALL FOR NOUGHT
The property became the stumbling block. I had found ideal premises to rent next to our
distribution depot at Horncastle Station Yard.

Plenty of covered secure room and outside storage. Unfortunately or perhaps it was to turn
out in the future, no bad thing, planning permission was refused due to the property being
too close to recent residential development.
“No chance”, the planners said!

The finance man from Lincoln became difficult very quickly, he wanted me to appeal or
find another suitable site.
He began pressurising me constantly, the stop on the project by the planners sent him into
a frenzy and I began to see him in a new light.

Isn’t it strange how circumstances that you might think were against you, eventually turn
out for the best.
I shelved the business plan for the retread plant and my old friends Fossitt and Thorne
went ahead almost straight away and built their own plant at Kirton near Boston, (close to
residential development) using the same style of equipment.

The financier was most unpleasant. Nothing had been signed or decided but he had been
to our house in the country!!
We found out through a third party that he had designs on the house and if we had put it
up as security… he had been determined to end up with it!!

The story does not end here……the struggle continues!

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