Markets change, and we must adopt with the times. If I was still doing exactly the same thing that I set Well House Consultant up to do in 1995, I would be stuggling - or to be accurate, we would probably be out of business by now. But we've taken ideas, adopted and adapted, experimented, not been frightened to try and gently drop some ideas, and have had "plan B" in place most of the time ... had to use it at least once too.
In Edinburgh, where I was last week, the bottom seems to have dropped out of the Sporran market ... and indeed companies who haven't moved on now look rather down at heel.
Competiton, in the form of a free sporran given away with every sale over 30 pounds at a neighbouring shop may be something to do with it ... or perhaps the Sporranmaking business has now separated manufacturing and sales, and sales are mostly online
The Open Source programming language niche that we inhabit - with courses in Lua and Tcl, Ruby and Python, Perl and PHP - is a good one. I taught when I set up Well House in 1995, but I taught none of those subjects; and other things have been added too. The accommodation to go with the course was a natural extra. Then - give that, the natural extra of letting rooms to others. And, we thought, perhaps letting rooms for events. But in that latter, we've only proven it to work for certain clients, and we're on our "Plan B" of not marketing the capability; we simply can't do it and cover our costs at the low volume we're able to handle, and we don't have all the specialised facilities to turn out conference after conference, which could be lucrative.
Perhaps there's a more general story here ... including the changing times in many markets. Of course, I don't know much about the sporran makers who appear to be shut down ... how hard they had to fight for their market, but there does get to be a point that a business takes a look at something and says "we need to do something radical and move on". I heard about one Melksham operation about 10 days ago that had lost 80% of its trade in 2 years, and how such a radical decision had been taken for and on their behalf. And arriving back here now from Edinburgh, I also hear of the potential redeployment of their significant aspects into something forward looking.
(written 2011-06-25, updated 2011-06-26)
Associated topics are indexed as below, or enter http://melksh.am/nnnn for individual articles
Z402 - Melksham Chamber of Commerce and Industry [717] A customer service company - (2006-05-11)
[1223] Asda opening large new store in Melksham - (2007-06-08)
[1250] Business speed networking - a place tonight! - (2007-06-28)
[1429] Remembrance day - inside a church and inside the day - (2007-11-11)
[1432] Wiltshire County Council - Budget Consultation - (2007-11-15)
[1476] Shopping for Christmas and looking forward - (2007-12-17)
[1504] Flooding by Asda-s proposed new supermarket - (2008-01-12)
[1507] Comments on proposed Asda Superstore for Melksham - (2008-01-14)
[1633] Changing a screen saver from a web page (PHP, Perl, OSX) - (2008-05-06)
[1642] Summer! - (2008-05-15)
[1748] Hotel room prices - Melksham, Wiltshire - (2008-08-11)
[1792] All the pieces fall into place - hotel and courses - (2008-09-10)
[1880] Melksham Chamber of Commerce, or the FSB - (2008-11-12)
[1881] Wiltshire Council says - part 1 - (2008-11-13)
[1892] Melksham Chamber of Commerce and Industry - (2008-11-17)
[1904] Ruby, Perl, Linux, MySQL - some training notes - (2008-11-23)
[1934] Lidl opens in Melksham - (2008-12-11)
[1979] Looking forward, in Melksham, in 2009 - (2009-01-05)
[1987] One Cheer for Local Democracy - Asda in Melksham - (2009-01-11)
[2043] Confidence, Customer Service and Tourism in Melksham - (2009-02-15)
[2095] Blue Ridge and Melksham Chambers of Commerce - (2009-03-21)
[2111] Business Networking for Melksham - 23rd April - (2009-04-01)
[2119] Make your business a DESTINATION business - (2009-04-05)
[2181] You cannot please all of the people all of the time - (2009-05-14)
[2194] Melksham Business Map - Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Information and Town Council - (2009-05-21)
[2220] Melksham Traders - where do we go? - (2009-06-05)
[2260] Important - the future of Melksham / Chamber of Commerce - (2009-06-28)
[2288] Wiltshire Community Area Partnerships - (2009-07-15)
[2289] pre-Inaugural briefing - Melksham Community Area Partnership - (2009-07-15)
[2328] Melksham - no trains, no southbound buses through the town - (2009-08-08)
[2437] Wiltshire Unitary News - Chamber of Commerce Intelligence - (2009-10-04)
[2459] New Web Site for Melksham Chamber of Commerce - (2009-10-18)
[2465] Melksham Town - asleep or awake? - (2009-10-21)
[2487] Melksham Forum - (2009-11-01)
[2495] Planning the future of Wiltshire - (2009-11-07)
[2508] Community Area Partnership - inaugural AGM - (2009-11-20)
[2514] The road show has been - where now? - (2009-11-27)
[2521] Melksham Market - Tuesdays, 09:00 to 14:00 - (2009-12-01)
[2531] Melksham - new Tuesday Market - (2009-12-09)
[2540] Rock and hard place .. and the relaxing right one won - (2009-12-18)
[2544] Vision for Wiltshire - (2009-12-20)
[2546] How well do you know Melksham - a quiz for Christmas - (2009-12-21)
[2568] Forums for your Melksham and open source discussions - (2010-01-09)
[2594] Melksham Area - your community view is sought - (2010-01-23)
[2640] How is your tax pound spent? - (2010-02-18)
[2666] Random thoughts on Melksham Town Planning and development - (2010-03-08)
[2683] Car Parking in Melksham - (2010-03-18)
[2725] How do our tactics help us meet the strategy, for the greater good? - (2010-04-16)
[2770] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - Presidents report to AGM - (2010-05-19)
[2779] The history and future of Melksham Chamber of Commerce - (2010-05-25)
[2782] Tell the Melksham Chamber or you only have yourself to blame - (2010-05-26)
[2827] Melksham - a gem in Wiltshire - (2010-06-26)
[2837] Lorry Parking in Melksham - (2010-06-29)
[2853] Transport in Wessex - today and into the future - (2010-07-04)
[2867] Cycling in Melksham, and looking forward - (2010-07-11)
[2872] Moved - Melksham Lorry Park - (2010-07-15)
[2883] Melksham Oak - photos of the new community school - (2010-07-22)
[2891] Wiltshire Council ask how they can help businesses - (2010-07-27)
[2932] Getting into and out of Wiltshire towns .. a.k.a. Car Parking? - (2010-08-23)
[2957] Welcome to Countrywides new Melksham store - (2010-09-15)
[2959] A Melksham news roundup - (2010-09-18)
[2982] Travel, Transport and Tourism - A vision for Melksham, 2026 - (2010-10-03)
[2995] A river in Melksham is not just for boaters. - (2010-10-11)
[3088] Melksham - two many councils? - (2010-12-16)
[3113] Trowbridge and Melksham to Chippenham - more roadworks, even slower journey over the winter - (2010-12-30)
[3117] Opportunities for Melksham - new businesses in the town - (2011-01-01)
[3141] Wiltshire Rail services - a golden opportunity - (2011-01-21)
[3162] Keep your business customer-friendly! - (2011-02-09)
[3172] On consultations, car parking, and Melksham town centre - (2011-02-17)
[3173] What is the Melksham Chamber of Commerce? - (2011-02-18)
[3188] What proportion of the British Workforce still works a Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, week? - (2011-03-01)
[3193] Melksham Campus - what, why, questions, concerns and how you can input - (2011-03-04)
[3214] Melksham Campus - any last minute inputs from Melksham businesses? - (2011-03-26)
[3217] Vandalism and riot from the minority - the effect - (2011-03-28)
[3246] Melksham - the way forward. 26th April, Well House Manor - (2011-04-13)
[3249] Events - Spring and Early Summer 2011 in Melksham - (2011-04-17)
[3272] Melksham Car Parking - current charges and limits - (2011-05-01)
[3275] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - grows to appoint new Press Officer. Welcome. Sam - (2011-05-02)
[3279] Letter to The Editor - (2011-05-06)
[3299] Presidents Report to Melksham Chamber of Commerce, 24.5.2011 - (2011-05-24)
[3307] Melksham Community Radio launches - (2011-05-28)
[3325] The Olympic Torch, and Melksham House - (2011-06-14)
[3340] Summer Sunday Timetable - TransWilts Trains - (2011-06-30)
[3343] Summer Sunday Train Service Starts - Swindon Chippenham and Melksham to Weymouth - (2011-07-03)
[3380] Melksham Jelly - An Occasional Office for Home Workers - (2011-08-06)
[3383] Are people who walk into Melksham being asked to subsidise parking? - (2011-08-09)
[3420] Making best use of the new enthusiasm for Melksham - (2011-09-05)
[3423] 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 12? - (2011-09-07)
[3427] What is on the Melksham Agenda? - (2011-09-09)
[3438] Melksham to become a part of Trowbridge? - (2011-09-13)
[3470] Currently pictured in Melksham - (2011-10-09)
[3475] Havant - Shop Frontages. - (2011-10-12)
[3481] Some thoughts in answer to some Melksham Campus questions - (2011-10-14)
[3492] Upcoming events in and about Melksham - more dates for your diary - (2011-10-22)
[3495] Looking forward - Chamber of Commerce has 2012 and beyond on the agenda - (2011-10-26)
[3496] Melksham - Business to Business Speed Networking - build ahead for 2012 - (2011-10-26)
[3527] Melksham - changing times, an opportunity for the future - (2011-11-23)
[3560] Melksham, Month by month through 2011 - (2011-12-23)
[3598] Melksham Civic Awards - report and pictures - (2012-01-29)
[3627] Meeting Report - Tuesday 21st Feb - to Melksham Chamber of Commerce from Shadow Community Operations Board - (2012-02-27)
[3663] Changing shops and organisations - Melksham, the last and next five years - (2012-03-21)
[3672] Melksham Train Service - please support the TransWilts case for regular trains - (2012-03-25)
[3677] Some advise for guest speakers at meetings - (2012-03-31)
[3682] Melksham Business Newsreel - (2012-04-03)
[3693] Wiltshire Business Support Service - (2012-04-11)
[3696] Melksham government and business organisations - (2012-04-14)
[3697] Events in Melksham - read all about them, and tell us about yours - (2012-04-15)
[3700] Why do people use chains rather than independent traders? - (2012-04-18)
[3706] An exciting Chamber of Commerce AGM - sound like an Oxymoron? - (2012-04-25)
[3710] Encouraging business in Melksham and its neighbourhood - keep business local?? - (2012-04-27)
[3714] Just 12 winners? Or 371 or more? Town Centres. - (2012-04-30)
[3732] Ten more visitors to your premises every day? - (2012-05-14)
[3739] Go green - business seminar in Melksham - (2012-05-21)
[3748] Not everyone has a computer - 9 more ways to learn about the Melksham Campus - (2012-06-03)
[3751] Public transport for international arrivals into Melksham - (2012-06-04)
[3752] Melksham Visitors Map - Bus routes and train lines to and from the town - (2012-06-04)
[3767] How well do you know Melksham? - (2012-06-17)
[3768] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - looking to our future shape. Pivotal meeting next Tuesday - (2012-06-19)
[3787] Melksham Pride - the Chamber of Commerce, and the future - (2012-06-29)
[3812] The Melksham News - July 2012 - Part 1, Campus and Chamber of Commerce - (2012-07-22)
[3818] Making things happen - litter and ASB and lost dogs in Melksham - (2012-07-25)
[3850] Bus times - Chippenham Station to Melksham, with London connections - (2012-08-25)
[3867] The difficult interface between the business, council and voluntary sectors - (2012-09-19)
[3880] Chamber of Commerce - looking forward in Melksham and in Wessex - (2012-10-04)
[3889] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - whence in 2013 and beyond? - (2012-10-12)
[3948] Quiet little town? Advanced Technology Centre? - (2012-12-08)
[3987] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - join us in our future - (2013-01-21)
[4002] Images of Melksham you havent seen before - (2013-02-13)
[4014] Costa Coffee in Melksham - is it a good idea? - (2013-02-22)
[4041] Report on the last year - Melksham Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Melksham Without Parish Council - (2013-03-11)
[4046] Over a hundred welcoming businesses - Melksham Town Centre - (2013-03-17)
[4097] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - Report for AGM, 21st May 2013 - (2013-05-21)
[4103] Questions from children about Melksham Campus - (2013-05-26)
[4151] Tell me a bit about Melksham - (2013-08-10)
[4164] Melksham Market - every Tuesday - (2013-09-03)
[4170] Herman Miller coming to Melksham - the Chamber of Commerce is briefed - (2013-09-10)
[4278] Future Swindon - Westbury train services. At current level into the future? - (2014-05-25)
[4399] The Campus in Melksham - name, logo, and livery choice - (2015-01-18)
[4672] Annual review of Melksham Matters for Chamber of Commerce AGM - (2016-05-15)
[4738] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - my final Presidents report - (2017-05-10)
Some other Articles
Return trip - Dogs Trust, NewburyHome Grown Pigs, near Melksham StationEfficient travel - from Melsksham to Edinburgh by Sleeper TrainPractical Extraction and ReportingA lesson from the sporran market?Honesty and a friendly welcome goes a long wayDNA to Amino Acid - a sample Perl scriptComparing Alloa and Melksham - stations and servicesA lot of exercise this weekPerl from basics