3rd February 2020
Russell Copley
It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead. It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
While none of us possess a crystal ball, it is uncanny how accurate some of these forecasts have been over the years.
Here, Business Link catches up with Russell Copley, Managing Director at Greenborough Management Limited.
I look towards 2020 with a degree of optimism that I haven’t felt for a few years. The political result at the end of 2019, whether we like it or not, should bring a period of certainty and an end to prevarication.
I think that these sentiments will be reflected in the business community, with paused investment projects re-started and a renewed drive towards growth rather than just survival. I expect that business growth, and an increased optimism and positivity, will be felt more strongly in the regions in 2020 than in the past. I certainly believe that the 2020’s in total will see an economic rebalancing away from London and the South East.
I suspect (or hope) that we will start to see the green shoots of a backlash against the internet giants taking over our shopping habits, and perhaps the smallest of starts to a revival on our High Streets. The Government must surely now start looking at ways of redressing the economic imbalance between online retailers and the more traditional physical retailers? If they do take this opportunity then I think that this, coupled with the growth in nationalism unleashed by the Brexit debate, will lead to an upturn in the independent retail sector.
Other predictions? I’d certainly be happy if my beloved Nottingham Forest invest in a new striker in the January transfer window and drive us towards the hallowed land of the Premiership! I also see England winning the 6 Nations Grand Slam with a young team under Eddie Jones’ leadership.