Newcomers: Scammers paradise

I've been unable to make any time over the past few weeks to sit down and document what's been happening with the pub. Suffice to say that its been all go and that we managed to get through the refurbishment without too much trauma and are now open for trading.

Our first week or so of being open to the public has had its highs and lows but we have worked very hard to adapt, improvise and overcome these teething troubles. There are still a few issues that need addressing such as our electrics seeming to have a mind of their own but, in general, the more time that Martin and I spend in the pub the more we are getting a feeling for the place and therefore able to spot potential problems before they arise. Our learning curve continues to be vertical.

We have been amazed at the level of encouragement and support we have received from the surrounding businesses. With the pub having being closed for the best part of a year our neighbours have expressed their relief that the frontage has been greatly improved and is no longer an eyesore with metal shuttering and a tatty exterior.

Offers of help have come from every sector and we are also proud to now be members of the Tollcross traders association who's tireless campaigning for the area has helped tremendously in getting us established as a new business.

There have obviously been downsides to getting open, for example we knew the pubco was prone to telling a few untruths but we were quite taken aback by some of the bare faced lies that they spouted. It only reinforced our attitude that we cannot under any circumstances take whatever the pubco now says as the truth until it is backed up with action.

It's quite possibly endemic in big businesses as we have been spun lines from some big companies who just haven't been able, or bothered, to come up with the goods, including two well known national food services and a large drinks wholesaler leading us up the garden path.

What I have also found interesting is the number of scam merchants we seem to have attracted. I guess this is linked to the pub opening and word getting round that there are new guys on the block. We have been offered everything from "legal" SKY at £100 a month to total pest control solutions at £500 a month. I don't imagine what size of mice they thought we may have but we would be cheaper hiring a big game hunter to patrol the building.

The biggest scam was from an alarm company. Our manager signed what he thought was a form to enable a survey to be done on our existing system. There were no figures or details on the form just a few boxes for signatures etc. The salesman then took it away and subsequently informed me that we now had signed up to a five year contract with them, and as it had been signed by the manager it was a legally binding document. It went in the bin. A total scam from a company that should know better, avoid.