Business Diary: August 24

A MAN should always have a hobby. But the demands of running a business mean that many leaders have to make sacrifices and don't always have the time.

Having completed four management buyouts in seven years, Diary wonders whether Andrew Cope, MD of Zenith Provecta and father of four, has any spare hours.

He does, he said, and he likes to fill them by picking up a guitar and playing blues and pub rock. His favourite music now is Chicago blues from the 1950s and 1960s. He also likes folk.

"The one who really got me into guitar was Jimi Hendrix," he told Diary. "He really was a genius."

Diary wonders if there are any other secret rockers in the Yorkshire business community. Emails to the address below please.

Dog stars

IN these cash-strapped times, it pays to be kind to your customers, especially those with four legs.

Businesses are brushing up their canine etiquette in the hope of being voted the North's most dog-friendly business at the Open for Dogs Awards 2010.

Yorkshire people have just a week left to nominate the places they like to eat, drink, sleep, and visit with their dogs.

Diary has received the following press release, sent on behalf of the Kennel Club: "With the credit crunch putting more and more pressure on struggling businesses, and the dog-owning public accounting for approximately 25 per cent of the UK population, hundreds of shops and services are starting to see the advantages of implementing a dog-friendly policy."

Caroline Kisko, a spokeswoman for the Kennel Club, added: "We are delighted that more and more businesses are starting to offer first-class facilities for dogs and their owners.

"There are more than eight million dog owners in the UK, many of whom are holidaying at home instead of abroad in order to save money, and it is great that their dogs can now be included in their activities.

"Shops and services are also clearly reaping the rewards, both in terms of financial gain and a better all-round atmosphere, so it's a win-win situation."

To nominate a dog-friendly business in your area, visit www.openfordogs.org.uk and complete the nomination form.

The winner in each category will be determined by the number of recommendations received by the Kennel Club by September 1.

Cheers, that's fab

ARE we really such a friendly county?

Diary is constantly astounded by the studies that claim to have a finger on the pulse of Yorkshire life.

The latest offering is a survey commissioned by Chichester-based greetings card company Me to You which claims to reveal that Yorkshire people are choosing new ways of expressing their gratitude other than by saying "thank you".

According to the survey of 3,000 people, saying "cheers" is the most popular way to show appreciation.

A third of people in Yorkshire believe saying "thank you" sounds too formal – opting for more catchy, chatty words like "ta", "lovely" and "fab".

The survey also claimed to show that two thirds of people questioned believe that, as a region, Yorkshire is quite rude.

Excuse our raised eyebrows. How many people in rural Yorkshire shout "fab" when they return their neighbour's lawnmower? Diary is a tad sceptical.

Corporate mumblings

DECIPHERING jargon in company statements is often the bane of a business journalist's working day.

Corporate gobbledygook hit a new low last week with American Airlines' latest press release.

The airline announced the "realignment of executive resources to capitalize on opportunities".

That'll be a boardroom shake-up to you and me. If you've come across worse we would love to hear about it, email Diary.