Day of meetings with industry colleagues, DTI minister’s aides and then a little time with my family before an evening with the BMMG Chairman, Nigel Smith, plotting the industry’s next moves as the economy falters
Up on time and to the office for a good hours work. Telephone message from Romtec inviting me to call about the cancellation of BIT85; and we talk about the chances of saving the exhibition concept. I agree to talk to the organisers and arrange a meeting. I also call Dr Bill Unsworth of U Microcomputers to confirm my availability for his press conference on Tuesday and provide my help. Then the mail which does not contain anything particularly interesting – I have not seen Computing and Computer Weekly yet this week. At 10.15am Diana and I take off to St Neots and do the weekend’s grocery shopping together. I take round the pram whilst Diana handles the supermarket trolley and it is fun to see how good Daniella is and how she wants to see over the cot side and everything around her. Then to get a bail of straw from the farm and some ready-mixed sand and cement mixture from the Little Paxton tool hire depot; before setting off for Huntingdon and my train to London. Before we parted, we stopped at the riverside café/restaurant and had a couple of cups of coffee together. On the train to London I prepared my thoughts in respect of my DTI meeting. Angus Grey is my new contact at the DTI, and the background to the meeting was the forthcoming meeting with the new IT Minister, Kenneth Barker. But before making my way to Bressenden Place, I taxied to Theobald Road and took a brief lunch with my BMMG friend and colleague, Graham Clifton, at Transam Microsystems. It seems that he is involved in a new venture of intelligent modems for cellular radio and I wish him well but decline any personal involvement.
My eventual meeting with the DTI was late and long and took the form more of a briefing than any specific preparation, but I feel at the end that they understand a lot more about the BMMG and our policies. Back by tube from Victoria to Kings Cross and just in time to buy an Evening Standard, Exchange and Mart and a carton of tea for the journey. By the time I arrived in St Neots, Diana was in the car waiting for me and I hop in the back with a Debbie pleased to see me. Home to tea, some reading of today’s mail and then off again to Nigel Smith’s house for drinks and a meeting to review BMMG business. Nigel agrees that the newsletter should go out, that we need to rethink the BMMG guide and that his own efforts are needed on a number of action items. We agree on circulating my new report to the Council and end the evening somewhat late talking about a BMMG dining club, social events and establishment of an eventual Guild or Livery Company. Home to a late Bournvita and news of Nigeria following movements to reduce oil prices; the pound sterling at a record low against all currencies; but the stock exchanges prices at least have recovered.