Colourful language

BUSINESS people can be quite colourful in their use of analogies.

Take John Denholm, chairman of Glasgow-based J&J Denholm, who was recently explaining why the move to float its oil and gas division would free up capital for other parts of the business.

He said: "If we left it in the nest it would starve the other chickens!"

Mr Denholm also drew on marine imagery as he praised the performance of the firm's oil and gas arm, which booked an increase in profits last year despite the challenges brought by the falling price of oil.

"I always say it is easier to get up the Clyde when the tide is coming in, than when the tide is going out," he said. "I think the tide was going out."

Age gracefully

THERE was a time when to be a punk may not have exactly enhanced one's job prospects.

Happily this prejudice is no longer as pervasive, as evidenced by The Co-operative Group.

Its Funeralcare division revealed this week that its 1000th apprentice was one Jon Richards, 45. The Co-op proudly declared that the apprentice funeral services operator had gone from "punk band singer to pall bearer".

Jon said: "You'd think there's no prouder moment than being on stage with my band, but the sense of pride from caring for families at their most difficult time is something I wish I had discovered earlier in my life."

Even punks mellow with age, I suppose.

Gilbert's glowing review

DO rogue traders get good references? Apparently so, according to Aberdeen Asset chief Martin Gilbert, who after admitting that he "found it hard to work up any enthusiasm when I opened my copy" of the Bank of England's Fair and Effective Markets Review last week, has given it a positively glowing welcome.

He says many City firms "have been so cowed by current employment legislation that they give anodyne, meaningless references, for fear of ending up with an expensive tribunal case", adding that "every financial institution would love to warn others away from their bad apples".

Aberdeen job applicants, you have been warned.

Bright young things

NEARLY 40 of Scotland's brightest young entrepreneurs taking part in a "business boot camp" at the Apex Hotel in Dundee this week to help tackle pressing social issues.

The event, which runs until tomorrow, is part of the Young Innovators Challenge, a competition which tasks students to come up with ventures to address challenges in their communities, healthcare and the environment.

The participants have each been awarded £2000 to develop their ideas, and can tap into advice from experts to put them into practice through a series of workshops.

Books checked out

JK Rowling has chalked up another landmark, with three Harry Potter books in the top 10... of books left behind at Travelodge hotels.

Trumpeting its 30th anniversary, the UK hotel chain says the Da Vinci Code was the most left-behind book followed by Fifty Shades of Grey but Potter's exploits with the philosopher's stone, chamber of secrets and deathly hallows follow close behind.

Travelodge also lists the ten most bizarre questions asked of staff by guests, which range from requests to borrow suits for job interviews to doing children's maths homework.