Planning!

My wife and I decided to close the shop on Sunday and Monday in order to start making some plans. This was a very important step, as until now we both acknowledged the net was closing in on us, but hadn't actually sat down and decided what we were going to do about it.

The first very tough decision was to agree the shop had to close and decide exactly when it was to close. Our choices were to close when my rent runs out on 8th May or to keep trading until we had sold pretty much all the stock we had remaining. In order to do this we would have to pay another three months rent or get into arrears with our rent, something we haven't done in the past seven years. On the face of it the decision looks pretty easy, close when the current rent period runs out. Unfortunately, this was one of those occasions where sentiment and emotion started to cloud our judgement. The idea of taking away the service we offer to many local people (though not that many that it could save us) filled us with a great sadness. Being a village shop, your customers become friends, you visit them in their homes and share their lives. Despite our precarious financial situation, the effect we may have on others suddenly seemed more important.

However, after a couple of beers (don't worry, they were a gift, we weren't being extravagant) and a quick look at our negative bank balance, we returned to the land of the logical and decided there was no value in putting off the inevitable and adding to our debt. Our business will officially close on the 8th May 2012.

I subsequently drafted a letter to my landlords solicitor and to my landlord informing them of our impending closure which were duly posted this morning by recorded delivery. The response to this letter could be interesting as the relationship between ourselves and our landlord is particularly fractious.

We also had a productive hour getting our filing system in place. All our creditors will be pleased to know they have a very special place in our home by means of their very own individual manila concertina file, that hopefully will keep all their correspondence in tip top condition.

I've decided that we need to plan for the here and now and not think too far in advance about things that might or might not happen. This isn't particularly easy, as it is human nature to look at all the if's and but's. However, to remain in control I need to deal with the things that need dealing with today as opposed to the things yet to come. Hope that makes sense.... Well it does to me anyway.

Well that was our first constructive course of action. Wasn't too painful in the end, but I suspect isn't even an indicator of what's to come.

To finish, a very good school friend of mine died last week aged 48 and I woke up the next morning in relatively good health listening to the birds ushering in a new dawn. Despite my predicament, I know who the fortunate one is.... RIP Paul