Richard Siddle, opinion March 20

Like it or not the corridors of power and the voices of influence remain within the M25. For some they simply exist within the four corners of the House of Commons or the offices of our major newspapers and broadcasters.


As an editor of a magazine based on the fringes of the M25 I am only too aware of the dangers of becoming too London-centric. After all most of the major tastings and press events are held within the centre of London and it is where, to be blunt, it is the easiest to do our jobs.


But like any politician or broadcaster will tell you, if you really want to know what is going on, then get out of London. I recently got my own reality check when I embarked on a tour around some of the major drinks companies in the north west of England. It was a great opportunity to hear first hand how the economy is affecting businesses outside the capital. The feedback was crystal clear.

Yes things are tough, very tough, but with the right offer and the right business partnerships and customer base then there is no need to hit the panic button. In fact many of the companies we saw, including D&D Wines, Halewood International and Kingsland, are all looking to boost revenues in 2009 despite the economy.


It was also clear that companies are looking to move faster, get brands to market quicker and be more ruthless in deciding what is and what is not working. As suppliers they know the standards they have to meet to keep the contracts they have and are increasingly expecting the same of their customers.


It is very much a buyer's market and fall below the expected standard and you can expect to be cut adrift. The same can be seen across the industry be it the number of wine agencies swapping hands, or PR contracts being put up for renewal.


There has never been more pressure on delivering the level of service you promise. It is not just the big boys calling the shots, but right through the supply chain.

Which providing you know what you are doing can be no bad thing.

• Harpers Says...