Heaven knows in a recession you can’t afford to be picky. Dust off those CVs then for coat hanger and tinsel retailer Poundland, who plan to open at least 35 new stores next year, creating around 1,200 jobs. The brand is owned by Private Equity (remember them?) firm Advent, for whom it seems Christmas has come early as shoppers look to make their money go further (down the drain).  Like the discount grocers Aldi and Lidl, Poundland is attracting a new crowd of wealthier but increasingly price-conscious consumers. The nouveau poor.

Imagine a High Street without Woolworths! Well, this Wednesday Woolies is to announce its half year takings and that is expected to contain as many laughs as an episode of Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. Things are not looking good for the chain – especially as the UK’s biggest credit insurers, Euler Hermes and Atradius, have stopped providing new cover for firms supplying Woolworths and cancelled some existing policies linked to the company. Trade credit insurance covers businesses against the risk of bad debt due to the insolvency of their buyers. In other words, they don’t trust Woolworths…Bets on the losses to be announced on Wednesday range from £10 to £30m…the vultures are circling, including Iceland who have made an offer of £50m to buy the chain.

If your one of the two people who watch Harry and Paul on the BBC, you’ll know a lady loves a chocolatier. A fact compounded by the 20% rise in profits at Thorntons. Despite the impending recession, there’s nothing we like more than a bit of comforting choccy as we teeter, crying, and about to jump off the roof of the car park. An added factor for Thornton’s success is the revamping of their stores and new product ranges. Boss Mike Davies says that’s what its all about: Thorntons are no less susceptible to the under-pant spoiling atmosphere felt by others on the high street but you can weather it providing you’ve got “something new and continue to innovate”. Send in your pictures of how you’d innovate in the chocolate retail sector. A big thank you to R. Sleeker of Hampton for this idea.

Last week, I picked up on a story that M&S was looking at proposals to cut its redundancy payouts by 25% for its 70,000 staff. It caught my eye because a shift in policy in favour of the employer often is a sign that a swathe of axe swinging is round the corner. It was an M&S employee who blew the whistle on the firm’s plans, and now that man has been called to a disciplinary hearing next Monday to have his botty smacked. But why? The company confirmed that it was consulting staff about cutting the level of redundancy payments, which would limit maximum payouts from 72 weeks to 52 weeks – though they are keen to point out that this package still puts them ahead of their competitors. If you do go chasing their attractive grad packages, its worth remembering, what goes on tour, stays on tour. Big brother is watching. And wearing pants from the Per Uno range.

47-year-old Shaun Pulfrey went on Dragon’s Den with his Tangle Tweezers and was laughed off set. The London hairdresser’s device is designer to smooth knotted hair retails for £9.99 but the Dragons weren’t interested in 15% of his business for an £85k investment. More fool them; since the show was aired internet sales have rocketed and now Boots have signed a lucrative deal to sell the product in store. This has pushed the firm to a £800k turnover, giving Pulfrey a £200k profit. If a Dragon had invested they would have made £33k this year and £60k next, ending up in profit within 24 months (I done the maths). Its been a long time coming for the scissor twiddler; he came up with the idea for the life saving product 15 years ago and had been working on the prototype since 2004.