Scott95

Cheers for all the comments anyway guys. Some good stuff posted. I'm still no closer to deciding what to do however ?

Had all sorts over the years. Molding someone is the route i'd go down if I could choose but it never really seems to pan out

Not big enough to have a manager really although I totally get what you are saying. I was discussing this the other night in the pub actually. The guy I was talking to is reasonably successful and says the magic number is 1 manager per 10 members of staff. I unfortunately don't have 10 staff, and finding another wage for someone purely to manage the guys I do have isn't feasible. Unless I totally let go and turned my attention towards another revenue stream

I have spent a lot of time looking inwards believe me. I don't think i'm a shitty boss. never really fell out with staff and I always muck in without disappearing when the going gets tough.

Buy cheap buy twice is the saying. In the case of machinery you risk causing other damage also. For the sake of saving a few quid I would always go original

Near Blackpool but I cover quite a wide area

I do pay a decent wage, certainly above the average by a long shot. Perhaps I am just unlucky

i've had a mixture of staff over the years with different amounts of experience and different age groups. The problems persist.

I've been in this game now for 15 years and am now making serious consideration to packing it all in and starting a new business. I love this job, pretty much everything about it but there has been one constant throughout the entire time running my business that has given me the same issues. STAFF! I like to think i'm a reasonable easy going boss. I never rant and rave, I pay my staff well, let them have early days most weeks, and regularly buy them lunch or a pint after work. Despite that they come and go. Most of the time they are asked to leave as they simply are not up to the job despite coming out of colleges with all the tickets and thinking they know the job. They could learn it for sure but it seems no one has the desire to really be the best they can these days and simply want an easy life. I am thinking a lot of this is due to the training courses not giving a realistic expectation of what the job truly entails. I think it should all go back to where it began with the old YTS schemes, with trainees working on £30 a week but getting hands on training as they go. Everyone on those schemes got a true taste of what the job was and also knew that if they performed, not only would they get their tickets but would come out of it with a job for life. Fast forward to now where everyone completes a 1 or 2 year course and automatically assumes they have earned a job for life. Why were these schemes abolished? As I said, I am literally on the verge of packing it all in. Just can't handle the stress anymore and despite what I do its pretty obvious that its something thats out of my control. I know i'm not the only one as I see the same companies repeatedly posting on here and elsewhere for staff. I feel their pain! Despite saying earlier I never rant and rave, I guess thats more or less what i'm doing as I don't believe there is an answer out there to solve this problem!

Both are amazing fighters

A great day out. Me and the guys will be visiting for 2 days.

They certainly existed once upon a time. Not seen them lately though, and can't remember how they were classified. maybe B?

I have a pair of Yukons, they are surprisingly good for the money. I remember when I first started you would do well to even find a pair of trousers over £100. Prices have rocketed for the top of the range ones. Justifiably, who knows

Is that the new one with the dodgy bar and chain?

You basically have the wrong type of machine if you're after good quality chippings