We looked around for new premises in Edinburgh and could find nothing to buy. I had been kicking around the idea of building a pyramid. The logic was that we needed something that was different and would make us stand out. It was less about the efficient use of space and more about making a statement. A builder who was going bust decided that they would build it for us at a very competitive price and so we bought the land and built the pyramid.
We started to open branches with an open day. So we got the local MP round and he cut the ribbon. Then we all went off a ride around the area in a helicopter. One of our staff was afraid of heights and decided that he would conquer his fear once and for all by taking a helicopter flight. So he drove all the way up from Walsall to Edinburgh and was ready to go up in the chopper. We let all of the guests have their flight and then it was our turn. I walked out of the building but our Walsall man stopped at the door as though there was a sheet of glass there and stopped. He then had the pleasure of driving all the way back home for nothing.
SEC announced that they were going to leave and that the premises would then revert to me. They had actually moved everything out at that point I got a phone call 2 days before the date when they were due to vacate saying that “traveller’s caravans” had arrived on the car park. It was SEC’s duty to do something which they did – they got an emergency injunction moving them out and they duly left.
The day after SEC left I got another phone call saying the “travellers” (I’m being polite here) were back. I had agreed with a former colleague, Martin to look after things locally and I gave him a call. We agreed that the best idea was to pay them off. So I put £300 in a jiffy bag and sent it up to Martin. He had a chat with the “travellers” and they agreed to go on the next day. Martin then handed over the money. Being cynical I assumed that on the morrow they would simply stay put but they didn’t – amazingly they left. Martin immediately arranged to surround the car park with containers.
The sale concluded in December 2008 and for once we actually made a small profit.