Implementing my re-organisation, hearing of great news of a £194.6K DTI grant and spending the evening with the family as two IRA bombings claim the lives of police and service personnel
Up on time and my normal breakfast of toast, fruit juice without coffee. To the office and prepared multiple copies of my reorganisation memo. Together with John Lamb to brief our Comart Computers Co-directors; Daniel Fear and Ian Nickson and then our other two senior managers Carlton Lowe and Derek Morgan. Carlton’s promotion to Works Manager and future responsibility for Derek came as a shock to them both and Derek took some offence in view of his receding chances of a Company Directorship for the future. Great news this morning from Tony Keston of the Department of Trade and Industry. With effect from the 14th May 1984, all expenditures towards our Research and Development Programme and Production Programme can be set against our grant applications for SFI and IDU moneys to the tune of up to £70.5K and £124.1K respectively. This £194.6K is the first such grant made against the INIS criteria and also the last – the scheme is being dropped for the future due to government cut backs.
I relay this excellent news to the Management Meeting and also to Stephen Day and Peter Smith of Kode. This excellent bonus, I told them, would make it two favours that they owe me and, now the reviews are proceeding to plan, I am looking forward to a good simple legal contract and negotiation. Then to brief Leslie Saunders, previously the Marketing Director’s Secretary and now, like June Hamilton, stepping down and across to help the new incumbents of the function rather than following their bosses and, over lunch, to brief Marketing Manager David Slinn and his assistant Deana Plimmer. I announce the changes and also our purchase of Grove House, Little Paxton, to the gathered mass of Comart Middle Managers at the start of the Product Introduction Meeting and knew that, by the end of the day, it would be common knowledge throughout the factory. Peter Smith phones my top executives today and reassures them about the future and plans to trade up their shares. At the end of a busy day I secure the keys for Grove House and show round the affected personnel – they are most impressed with this new corporate office. Home in early evening and a chance to talk to Diana and Daniel before repairing Daniel’s bicycle by fixing a new rear inner-tube. A relaxing hour in front of the television watching the working history of the coal mining industry. News today of two separate IRA bombings killing in each case two people – some policemen and some servicemen off duty at an angling festival. The Russians are still sticking to their decision to boycott the Olympic Games.