Trick or Treat

Maybe it’s an age thing and sadly I fear this is very much a Radio 2 perspective but are we the only ones here who find it amazing just how Halloween has snuck up on us in recent years and has now seemingly become as popular as the more traditional celebrations.

Years gone by the evening would pass with a few children accompanied by embarrassed parents would knock on your door scream boo and hope to receive a biscuit or orange for their troubles. Of course there were the more sinister types who (in more modern parlance) would demand money with menaces scoffing at the offer of a Cadbury celebration whilst angling their eyes toward your car sat on the driveway.

On a site visit this week it seems every retailer is now offering some form of Halloween merchandise from a “wicked selection of ghoulish costumes for you and your little monsters” to the usual array of masks, face paint and other assorted accessories that no self respecting ghost would be seen without. Nothing wrong with taking advantage of a market opportunity you may argue and a credit the advertisers for persuading us to part with our cash on a product that has a life span of approximately 3 hours. That said we too have been out buying face paint but, then again as little gnomes outside in all weathers we do need freshening up from time to time.

It has even been suggested that Halloween falling on a Saturday this year was a greater opportunity for the whole family to join in the celebrations… Ahem what are we actually supposed to be celebrating?

Well apparently it is Hallows Eve the eve before the Day of the Dead, on the 1st of November – nice eh? Think I prefer the alternative Samhain roughly translated as “Summers End.

So however you decide to spend the evening we’d just like to wish you a happy Halloween and should you feel the need for something to ward off those evil spirits here’s a few recipes… Enjoy

Pumpkin martini
Ingredients:
1/2 oz Silk Cream Liqueur
2 oz vanilla vodka
1/2 oz pumpkin liqueur or pumpkin spice syrup
1 tsp whipped cream
cinnamon stick for garnish
Preparation:
Pour the Silk Liqueur and vodka into a shaker filled with ice.
Shake well.
Add the pumpkin liqueur or syrup.
Shake again.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Top with a teaspoon of whipped cream.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Smashing Pumpkin Martini
3 oz. Infused Spiced Pumpkin Vodka
1 oz. Amaretto
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds for Garnish

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Stir gently and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
A good substitute for the infused vodka is 2 1/2 oz of Stoli Cinammon Vodka & 1/2 oz. of Bols Pumpkin Smash Liqueur.

Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Malibu Rum
- 3/4 oz. canned pumpkin pie filling
- 1/2 oz. Kahlua
- 2 oz. with cold milk
Garnish: sprinkle of cinnamon

Mix ingredients in blender with ice and blend thoroughly; Pour into graham cracker-rimmed highball glass and garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Pumpkin French 75
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Plymouth Gin
- 1 oz. Pumpkin Puree
- 1 1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon juice
- 1 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
- Champagne

Shake all ingredients (except Champagne) in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain the mixture into a Champagne flute. Top with chilled Champagne and serve.

Green Shoots.... A mis-gnomer?

So despite the billions invested in Miracle-Gro, propagation and no little amount of manure being spread around, we still find ourselves in negative growth for the sixth consecutive quarter. Whatever happened to those green shoots? It seems even some of our so called experts were caught out by an early frost. Political commentators we do not pretend to be but we certainly recognise the need to understand the markets in which we operate.
Down at the Gnome’s Retreat on Saturday night reflecting on the state of the economy, business was brisk, the dandelion and burdock was flowing and despite the Landlord’s special (drink one get one free) there were no takers for the hemlock shooters. A demonstration, if one were required, that it is ever more vital to respond the needs of the customer through clear understanding of the market and brand propositioning.
Although clearly there are significant regional variances with some locations faring better than others and further disparity amongst market sectors, there’s still cause for optimism. Whilst some operators are looking somewhat bleakly at a long hard winter there remains the perennials that continue to thrive as well as new entrants looking to respond to market opportunities.
So as we approach, perhaps for many, the most important trading period of the year it is interesting to see who is doing what. Here at Epoc we are delighted to have just taken instructions from New Look, Poundland and Lloyds Pharmacy who are all continuing to expand their portfolio and grow their market. A clear indication that demand remains for those businesses that continue to provide a value offer allied to strong customer service levels.

Another Bl&%dy operating system!!!!!

Blimey just when i had gotten used to all the bugs and quirks of running a multi platform office network, Microsoft go and bring out another OS. I wouldn’t mind if they offered a free upgrade since yet again the paying consumer will be their product testers and bear the grief of trying to find drivers for 10 year old printers and the younglings IPods. Maybe we will get the chance to use the touchscreen features if Eddie Ok's the budget...
Whoopee...

Bubba the Geek

Why aren't we shopping in space yet?

Well it seems our brilliant engineers on our planet have developed a power plant that would enable a space craft to reach mars in 39 days, compared to six months by conventional rocket power. This engine is in fact going to be tested on the International Space Station, hopefully launching about 2013. The Variable Specific Impulse Magneto plasma Rocket (VASIMR®) system encompasses three linked magnetic cells. The 'Plasma Source' cell involves the main injection of neutral gas (typically hydrogen, or other light gases) to be turned into plasma and the ionization subsystem. The 'RF Booster' cell acts as an amplifier to further energize the plasma to the desired temperature using electromagnetic waves. The 'Magnetic Nozzle' cell converts the energy of the plasma into directed motion and ultimately useful thrust.

This type of power plant is known as an ION drive first discussed during the original Star Trek series (another example of science fiction becoming science fact). Because Mars and Earth only pass close together every two years, space experts have always assumed a crew would have to travel one way, wait a year, then fly back the next time the planets were close together - raising huge problems for food, air and water storage but providing a captive audience for any retail opportunities (New Look space boots anyone...)

But ion drive could make a return trip possible during a single close approach of Earth and Mars opening more opportunities for the retail and leisure industries. Can’t wait to design and implement the new breed of retail space parks. I just hope the contractors are up to date with the latest building regs in space. (Pressurised fitting rooms anyone...)

Bubba the Geek

Whatever happened to autumn?

Our somewhat apparent predilection with all things horticultural coupled with this weeks unseasonal warm weather here in KT (seems we have our own micro-climate) has provoked a rather heated debate as to exactly when autumn actually begins and ends. Well “heated debate” is perhaps an exaggeration, Eddie just happened to mumble something over his coffee this morning about the official start of autumn…

But this just made me think how autumn gets a bit of a bum deal nowadays… With the gradual erosion of distinct seasons, we seem to finish late summer just as Christmas decorations start to appear in the shops. Perhaps it’s simply the power of media, it seems autumn is slowly being squeezed out in favour of more profitable seasons.

Time I thought to put forward a case for autumn and where better to start with the images of nature, a brilliant landscape of yellow, gold, copper and red, the smell of garden fires, conkers, clear days and chilly nights evoking memories of gloves and scarves and long walks.So instead of focussing on flu jabs and cold remedies lets put some positives back into autumn.

So just what is the essence of the Autumn Season we have the name but what are its core values and how do we create a new vision with weight, length, breadth and depth.

As everyone knows Autumn is various shades of Greenish – Brown, has a crunchy sound underfoot and a burning smell.

To help define the essence we find it beneficial to create a 'Seasonal bottle'. For all you dyed in the wool strategists out there requiring substantive objective research, here is the recipe:

Autumn Seasonal Bottle

Purpose:
Observation of Autumn - Formulation of strategic approach to re-brand

Materials:
Plastic bottles
Autumn leaves, holly and pine needles, silk flowers

Directions:
To make an autumn bottle, place 5-8 colourful leaves in the bottle. Fill with water.
Observe the leaves as they change colours and decay.
Make notes and plan approach.



Oh and by the way Autumn officially started this year at 21.18 on the 22 September!

How wide should hair be ?

Hair, in its natural state can only attain a certain width without resorting to perms, rollers, clips and ultimately scaffolding.

Here we show two examples us a style bordering on that maximum as seen on

.... Eddie and Jamie from the X factor.

Jamie we dont know but Eddie's is natural....So he says!

Tadcaster Brown Ale ?

Production of Newcastle Brown Ale is set to cease on Tyneside after its owners announced plans to close their brewery in Gateshead next year. Scottish & Newcastle (S&N) wants to shut the Federation Brewery in Dunston and transfer operations to the John Smith's factory in Tadcaster.The move, which would result in the loss of 63 jobs, is being blamed on falling beer sales in the UK. Brewing of the ale moved across the River Tyne from Newcastle in 2005.

Newcastle Brown Ale has been brewed on Tyneside since 1927.

As someone born in 'the Felling', a sad day for a truly global beer - and yet another product seeking to divorce name from any real heritage brand values - Eddie.

Gardening tip No 1 Late Summer 2009

Don't forget, this time of year you should be out there in you garden pruning your deciduous shrubs, sowing green manure to improve your patch and planting hardy herbs such as rosemary for fresh herbs through the winter months.

If your feeling creative and have a couple of hours to spare why not have a go at making your own willow obelisk!

Epoc's first designed Poundland stores open to acclaim

From shell surveys and store design schemes on the four former Woolworths outlets in Worthing, Aberystwyth, Cramlington and South Shields The first two stores in Worthing and Aberystwyth opened recently to great acclaim from both client and customer.

The Worthing store especially is helping revive what has become a somewhat beleaguered
shopping area, the local Argus comments,

A new Poundland discount store is moving into a shopping precinct badly hit by the recession. The chain is currently converting two empty shop units in the West End of Montague Street, Worthing.Poundland said the new store, set to open in October, will create between 30 and 35 jobs.The company refused to reveal how much it was investing but its arrival has delighted Town Centre manager Sharon Clarke. She said: “For that area of town it is fantastic because Poundland is a real footfall driver.“Given the amount of vacant premises there it's always been a difficult area even in good times.”

Our new website is launched - Phew!

After several weeks of blood, sweat, cursing, late nights and weekends, our new site is finally launched to position us clearly in terms of our current business.

A big thank you to all concerned; Andrew (Dawn Chorus - Budell) George, Chris (...Words are me, Chapman), Paul, Kate, Del, James, Jonathan and last but not least; Beth!

... for her creativity, unswerving sense of purpose and ability to tell us all to politely shut up as and when necessary!