Check it out guys, we’re not doing too bad after all!

The latest FENSA figures are out and our industry has recorded a second consecutive quarter of growth. If we were a whole economy we would have technically come out of a recession. So, to the figures:

July: +9.9%

August: +5.5%

September: +13.2%

Altogether, this represents a 9.5% increase on the same quarter as last year. What it also represents is good, solid progress. The industry has been in full recovery mode for most of this year and the fruits of our labour are well and truly out there for us to see. What’s more, it looks as though there is a lot more good news to come.

These figures are still down on 2007, the peak year. But if we experience a sustained recovery for a few years to come, we can look forward to year after year of more positive numbers. Providing the UK can keep the economy on the right tracks, I really am very positive about the outlook. I hope that many of our businesses can take on more staff, expand their operations turn our industry back into the powerhouse it can quite easily be.

On a side note, you will have seen that I have been a bit off the radar for a few days. We have got the keys to our house and we have been neck deep in cleaning, painting and generally ripping stuff up. It’s been a hard slog for the last few days and it’s meant that I’ve had to be away. All being well, we’ll back to some sort of normality and normal service will resume. And yes, it’s bugging me being away from Twitter!