The Truth Behind Corrie Credit Crunch Crisis.

With even soap operas incorporating the economic downturn into their storylines, Laura Pittam, an Employment Solicitor at Eric Robinson Solicitors assesses the messages that are being sent to television audiences across the country.

Whilst I would never claim to be a die-hard fan, I will admit that I do keep an eye on what is happening in various soaps and with the economic doom and gloom dominating the media in recent months, I was quite surprised to see the first people in ‘Soapland’ suffering the effects of Recession are the normally light-hearted folk who live and work on the cobbles of Coronation Street.

It is true that at the time of writing this, the machinists of ‘Underworld’ are unaware that the factory’s owner, Tony Gordon, has used the money for their wages to prop up his ailing property empire. Tony has rather shrewdly blamed bad creditors for his lack of cashflow, managed to give his workforce a fraction of what they are owed as a goodwill gesture and persuaded them to carry on working because, if their next order is fulfilled, the injection of cash will restore harmony and everyone will be paid.

Whilst all the factory workers (except for the surprisingly shrewd and suspicious Julie) are reasonably content for now, we know that these set of circumstances are unlikely to change and Tony’s business and romantic partner, Carla, is likely to return to…well, nothing.

I never thought I would be using a plotline from ITV’s most popular soap as a point of reference, but Corrie, has in my view, quite accurately illustrated how effects on one business sector or market can impact on others. Whether the writers saw the economic downturn or adapted their storylines for the new development of flats on Coronation Street, I don’t know, but the stagnation of the property market and the subsequent loss in investment is making a huge impact on our local business scene.

My work is pretty much at the end of this chain - the awful point when companies have to make savings to survive and members of their staff are facing inevitable redundancies. I ensure that if companies are forced into the position of making redundancies, they do so legally, properly and fairly. I also work on cases where individuals seek advice and representation if they believe they have been treated unjustly.

Though I am glad to write I have yet to meet such a manipulative individual as Tony Gordon, I do watch the TV wondering why the staff of Underworld aren’t more suspicious? They must be more nervous at the absence of their pay packets. I want to march in to the factory, say I will represent them all and then take Mr Gordon to task.