Knowledge Centre
4th November 2009
Sir Alan Sugar has labelled some businesses owners "moaners" who have being 'living in a Disney World'.
Sugar, who is the Government's enterprise champion, made the comments at a business conference in Manchester yesterday evening, in response to a question by business owner Alber Goldberg about how the Government can help small businesses obtain finance.
Sugar said that people who have been doing business in the last 10 years "have lived in the unrealistic Disney World in the way banks dished out money" and that only 15% of small businesses who had been refused credit "had something to moan about".
"I can honestly say a lot of problems you hear from people who are moaning are from companies I would not lend a penny to," he said.
"They are bust. The moaners are bust. They are bust and they don't need the bank - they need an insolvency practitioner."
Sir Alan had appeared to be visibly angered earlier in the day when, at a business conference just outside Cambridge, he was questioned by a BBC reporter about the recession.
"I think it's about time that we stop talking about this recession," he said.
"Small businesses know how to trade, they know how to get on and do things and it's the businessman or the businesswoman who has to run their business and adapt to the climate that they're in at the moment."
Defending entrepreneurs, a spokesperson for the Federation of Small Businesses said: "Most small companies live in the real world, not Disney World, and they lie at the heart of our economy.
"They are not moaners, and the fact is they are working hard in difficult times and they need help from our banks."
IMAGE:Chicago/Chicago/EMPICS Entertainment
Small business owners "should stop moaning" says Sir Alan
Sugar, who is the Government's enterprise champion, made the comments at a business conference in Manchester yesterday evening, in response to a question by business owner Alber Goldberg about how the Government can help small businesses obtain finance.
Sugar said that people who have been doing business in the last 10 years "have lived in the unrealistic Disney World in the way banks dished out money" and that only 15% of small businesses who had been refused credit "had something to moan about".
"I can honestly say a lot of problems you hear from people who are moaning are from companies I would not lend a penny to," he said.
"They are bust. The moaners are bust. They are bust and they don't need the bank - they need an insolvency practitioner."
Sir Alan had appeared to be visibly angered earlier in the day when, at a business conference just outside Cambridge, he was questioned by a BBC reporter about the recession.
"I think it's about time that we stop talking about this recession," he said.
"Small businesses know how to trade, they know how to get on and do things and it's the businessman or the businesswoman who has to run their business and adapt to the climate that they're in at the moment."
Defending entrepreneurs, a spokesperson for the Federation of Small Businesses said: "Most small companies live in the real world, not Disney World, and they lie at the heart of our economy.
"They are not moaners, and the fact is they are working hard in difficult times and they need help from our banks."
IMAGE:Chicago/Chicago/EMPICS Entertainment
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I have to make it clear that although I asked the question our company GloMania DO NOT need a insolvency practitioner, as some papers are making out. The question was for all business's that are feeling the pinch by the banks attitude to raise the bar on SME's and lending in general. We are not moaners and work hard for every penny we earn, unlike our banks when they moan they get MONEY and lots of it. Who then really lives in Disney World. We are a small company that manufactures glow in the dark paints and products [url] http://www.glomania.net[url]
Posted: 10 Nov 2009 00:15