I was lucky to have been able to attend the CIH suppliers lunch at the Dorchester this week - not only because it was a jolly event and a nice lunch at a great venue, but also because it's always good to be able to chat to folk 'at the sharp end' of the business, 'off the record' and in a social environment, when people say what they're really thinking, rather than worry about any comments being reported in the press.

One thing that struck me is that despite it having been quite a tumultuous year, there was a real air of positivity amongst those with whom I spoke. Yes, prices had risen a couple of times over the year but the consensus was that they had been suppressed for far too long anyway, and that everyone knew even before the Referendum took place, that it was only a matter of time before prices were increased, whatever the outcome of the vote might be.

In terms of Brexit, no one I spoke with seemed overly worried about Britain's ability to do well outside of the EU but what was worrying everyone was the ongoing scaremongering from 'the establishment' (and others) on both sides of the channel, which is causing not only uncertainty but which could also end up sending us into an unnecessary recession.

As some said (and we all agreed): the decision is made and now it's up to us all to be positive, pull together, see things through and ensure we come out the other side a lot better for it.

Indeed, CIH chairman Robin Millwood himself said: "We entered 2016 with probably more hope than usual - especially as it looked like we had seen the back of the recession, most suppliers were confident in their new ranges to be launched and with retailers praying that price stability would come to fruition... but nobody could have guessed that the world was about to change (and with this he was not only referring to the Referendum but also to the US elections).

"The sooner we get the stability back once Brexit is sorted, the better it will become... providing we all work together, we will come out of this stronger."

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Yours,

Jan Hobbs