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How are Northamptonshire businesses coping with economic slowdown?Ìý The Northants Crunchometer will take a regular snapshot of a selection of local businesses to see how they're managing.

Below are profiles of some of the companies.Ìý Others will be added later.Ìý Every few weeks we will update this page with details of how the businesses say they're being affected by the economic situation.

Paul Sargent

Shoe factory

NAME: ALFRED SARGENT & SONS
LOCATION: Rushden
ESTABLISHED: 1899
EMPLOYEES: 116 (Due to reduce to 80-90 in December)
For more than 100 years, the family-owned company has been making men's shoes.Ìý Sixty per cent are exported.Ìý In November, they announced redundancies totalling 25-30.

25/11/08 Paul said "I have had to make cuts to get into the luxury market, instigating redundancy not necessarily just because of the credit crunch but to develop our export business…"

Charles Reader

Farmer

NAME: CHARLES READER
LOCATION: Evenley
ESTABLISHED: Farming at Cloisters Farm since 1984
EMPLOYEES: 1
Cloisters Farm is a dairy farm.Ìý It has 170 cows of which 90 are milkers. The milk is mainly used for products such as cheese and yoghurt.

How's Charles Reader dealing with the economic downturn? Listen to his series of interviews on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Northampton:

Paul Cotter

Financial services

NAME: THE MORTGAGE CENTRE (NORTHANTS)
LOCATION: Corby
ESTABLISHED: 2001
EMPLOYEES: 4
Independent mortgage and protection advisors.

How is Paul coping in the current economic downturn? Listen to his series of interviews on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Northampton:

Chris Baines

Painter & Decorator

NAME: CHRIS BAINES
LOCATION: Rothwell
ESTABLISHED: 1988
EMPLOYEES: 2
After two decades decorating homes in the Kettering area, Chris has built up some loyal customers who he hopes will see him through the hard times.

How's Chris Baines dealing with the current economy situation? Listen to his series of interviews on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Northampton:

Mick Wilson

Shopkeeper

NAME: RUTHERFORDS LOCKSMITHS & ENGRAVERS
LOCATION: Wellingborough
ESTABLISHED: 1960
EMPLOYEES: 9
Recent work includes changing locks on repossessed houses and the offices of companies that have gone out of business.

Alan Cottle

Taxi Driver

NAME: ALAN COTTLE
LOCATION: Northampton
ESTABLISHED: 1979
EMPLOYEES: 1
Alan is an owner/driver and has been driving taxis in Northampton for 29 years.

How is Alan coping in the current economic downturn listen to a series of interviews on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Northampton: