nursery matters JOHN BARKER
Barking Mad Pramland’s John Barker is full steam ahead on their warehouse, store expansion and trading through January into February, causing a few headaches along the way!
I
can’t start this month’s article without first telling you how happy I have been since Disney + launched the Boba Fett show, it’s really made me smile when really things have been a little grey. Ever heard the expression “blink and you’ll miss it”? You must have, and it relates perfectly to January 2022. In fact, I’m typing this mid February (much to Penny’s annoyance) and I’m sat scratching my hairless head wondering where the past seven weeks have gone. Work has started in earnest in the store and I’m having the forecasted and to be expected issues. The work is coming along nicely and hasn’t interrupted trade so far (I say so far, it’s inevitable that it will at some point in the not too distant future). In case you’re not aware of what’s afoot let me enlighten you - we are converting the existing on site warehouse in to an extension of the store in order to house furniture and other home equipment. It’s a medium sized project that should pay dividends in the long run. As part of the alteration we are having a new and very expensive (unfortunately) heater installed in the freshly converted warehouse. It can’t be chilly when 34
nursery today
you’ve got pregnant ladies looking to spend £1500+ on a furniture set. I digress, as part of the requirements for the new heater is an upgraded gas meter, something more substantial, something that can happily supply enough gas (aka gold air these days) to the entire stores heating system. This new meter goes by the name of a U25! Sounds like a German WW2 submarine and so far it’s proven as elusive! Considering I have zero, and I mean zero gas fitter experience, knowledge or training trying to get said meter installed by British Gas has turned in to a mammoth, time consuming task. It’s now become referred to as “John’s folly”. All the other works will be completed around the planned schedule but by time the heaters up and running we’ll be fanning ourselves and slurping on a nice cold ice cream in August. To compensate I did witness an experienced brick layer having a paddy (Hull speak for hissy fit) over being told to remove a uPVC door so the opening could be bricked up. “I don’t use a screwdriver, my tool is a trowel”. Once the foreman had sworn sufficiently at him the door was promptly (and very easily may I add) taken out and the
john@pramland.co.uk
The dreaded post Christmas credit card bill! Image source: pexels.com
