2 Ex Banker Types go off to save a hotel and dairy farm.

fc123

Just started watching this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mf3g6/Can_You_Bank_on_Me/

Documentary following two ex-bankers who, until recently, earned huge salaries and enjoyed all the trappings of a high-flying lifestyle. The bankers spend a week working with a struggling business that has been on the receiving end of the credit crunch. The pair, one banker who was made redundant and another that resigned, see first hand the human cost of economic meltdown.

Griselda, 31, spent years working as an analyst in hedge funds and banks. She was made redundant in November 2008. Griselda is appointed to work with the self-described Queen of Blackpool, Pat Mancini, MBE, at the 107-room Queens Hotel. Like many businesses in Blackpool, the Queens has struggled for business in recent years and the credit crunch has delivered what Pat fears may be the killer blow.

At the hotel, Griselda learns the ropes from the ground floor up, working in the housekeeping department, the restaurant, the kitchen and the bar. But can she come up with a corporate hospitality plan to help save the Queens?

Amit, 28, worked as a senior analyst for a large bank. He specialised in providing debt and equity to real estate-backed deals and resigned after feeling unchallenged when the credit crunch stopped his bank doing big-money, high-risk deals.

Amit spends a week working in the picturesque village of Weobley, surrounded by the rolling hills at the Dairy House. This small organic dairy produce company supplies local stores and supermarkets with handmade yoghurt, cheesecake, curd cheese, cream and butter.

Amit mucks in at the Dairy House, getting up at the crack of dawn to milk the cows and make products in the small factory. But can he use his business experience to convince a group of entrepreneurs to invest some much-needed cash in the Dairy House?
Broadcast on:BBC One, 9:00pm Monday 24th August 2009 Duration: 60 minutes Available until: 9:59pm Monday 31st August 2009

chopperharris

the farm will be given to another farm and the hotel will be bailed out by the government via buying shares.

Of course the 2 guys will still get their bonuses though , although they will have to give back some of their pension.

PasturesNew

They had the banker bloke on yesterday morning's news. They showed a clip where some mature lady asked him if what he'd done had anything to do with her loss of pension value. He said it had made him feel uncomfortable because being on the inside it didn't occur to him/them that these things affected real people out there doing low paid jobs.

dgl1001

Very interesting program. A few thoughts:

a) both bankers added some form of value to the companies
b) where oh where was the personal responsibility of the people with either no savings or credit card debits?
c) Some people had a massive chip on their shoulders

bendix

Two investment bankers. One upper middle class blonde with big ears, and a young Asian lad.

Very representative. It was like watching The Apprentice all over again.

nollag2006

Neither of them seemed to be very big hitters though. The girl said she was earning £75k a year. While this is much more than many folks in the UK earn, its not unreasonable for a middle tier role in a professional job in London.

Both businesses seemed to benefit from their commercial nous, and each banker learnt a little humility. What's the problem?

The hotel staff, who seemed to take no personal responsibilty for their huge credit card debts, seemed the most arrogant of the lot

bendix

nollag2006 wrote: »

Neither of them seemed to be very big hitters though. The girl said she was earning £75k a year. While this is much more than many folks in the UK earn, its not unreasonable for a middle tier role in a professional job in London.

True. And, I suppose, if they were any good at their jobs they wouldnt be prostituting themselves on projects like this. They would be snapped up by another bank immediately.

PasturesNew

Just finished watching it. Good programme. Highly recommended.

PasturesNew

I can't believe the hotel hadn't been optimising the use of their function room, as soon as they walked in there on Griselda's walk around I thought "big opportunity". It wasn't my first thought ... my first thought was "!!!!!! is going on with those tablecloths??" - and that's from somebody who has no idea about being posh or sstyle, the appearance was very 1980s minging.

Masomnia

That woman who worked in the hotel who was going on about her credit card debt really got on my nerves. 'I'm working class, this is how we live, we need debt...' I'm from a pretty working class background, and I can tell you my mum would never take on debt other than a mortgage. My grandparents likewise. In fact, my grandparents had nothing to call their own when they were married, but they worked hard and saved up, and built a comfortable life for themselves, the only debt being a mortgage.

It's all a cop out by people who either won't work to earn the money before spending it, or aren't willing to go without something they don't need. My grandad always used to say 'If I have to ask how much it costs, I can't afford it.' But no, they blame the banks who 'forced' them to borrow.

I think the bankers came out looking a lot better on that programme, and it looked like Amit and the farmers built up a genuine respect for each other. Quite an enjoyable programme.

mr_fishbulb

This may have been through editing, but the farmers didn't want to hear or appreciate the guy's opinions that it wasn't just banker's greed that caused the problems.

I'm sure he was about to talk about people's greed in wanting material goods and not thinking about how they were paid for, but the farmers diverted it to bonus culture.