The shop was to open two hours late to accommodate the meeting. Arthur stood up and spoke "Hello and thank you all for coming, especially those on days off. We have managed to speak to you all individually now I want to tell you the plans we have for the shop and Pottery. Not all will be immediate, but we do have a plan for everything I am mentioning today." He took a sip of water "The main emphasises of the business is the Pottery, so that will be our main focus. As some of the contracts with most of the independent trader's expire they will not be renewed and they know this. Some have accepted a termination fee so we can start our plans. The Studio are will be updated and the new manager will work with Mr Emrys to keep the pottery working throughout. That area will be enlarged to enable us to make the changes." Arthur paused and looked around for any reaction before continuing.
"Then we will make the whole of that area dedicated to the products made by the Studio team. I have already spoke to the traders who have cabinets selling the more historical pieces, and they are going to help us set up an area explaining the history of the firm. Eventually I hope to have a small museum of such pieces. The rest of the shop will gradually be turned over to other British companies to show and sell their products. These will be companies who produce items of a decorative nature, I am already in talks with some, I can't go into detail other than to say they will also display and sell out products as part of the deal. This was suggested by a staff member here and is a good and practical way to highlight the crafts that are still based in the UK." Arthur looked around to see how the news was going down, taking time to smile at Merlin, after all his suggestions featured heavily.
"There will also be an area set up to deal with postal sales as we intend to start up an internet site. As I said all this will take time but will happen. The present coach tours that stop outside will be attracted in, I am talking to the tour managers to offer a free drink to their passengers. It will be up to us then to make them spend money here. All your contracts of employment will be looked at. In the other companies I run we offer a system of bonuses to all staff based on profits. But for that you have to give the company your best, we will look after you if you look after us.
My sister and I will be here for the next week and after that we will visit frequently, but we are also available and will speak to any employees who request it, although in the first instance please speak to Gwaine Green. I deal with the business side and my sister Morgana Knight deals with human resources and the computer systems. You will also have regular visits from our accountant Leon Knight and other key figures from the head office. As I said thank you for coming and I look forward to working with you. Now any questions?"
There was a long paused before Merlin decided to start by asking "Will there be any redundancies?"
Arthur gave him a smile "Not as such, after Morgana has spoken to everyone and assessed their present role with the company there may well be changes made, and some people may choose to leave rather than take on new roles, if they do that will be negotiated individually. But I expect the staff levels will remain the same for the present and some recruitment as out plans are implemented."
No one else asked anything, probably not wanting to draw the attention of the new boss.
Arthur sat down as the staff started to filter out. As Merlin stood up Arthur called to him "Merlin may I have a word please before you leave?"
Merlin walked forward as he arrived at Arthur side the blonde gestured to a chair "Take a seat please. I would like to thank you for your ideas, most if not all will be implemented. Gwaine also has someone coming today to speak to your team and arrange for the correct ergonomic chairs and equipment for each of you, he will come back until you are all happy. Now I wondered if you had chance to think about that piece for my mother. It's her birthday next month and if possible I would like something by then."
Merlin grinned he was well ahead of Arthur "Yes I have I have a couple of ideas sketched out." He put his hand in this pocket and drew out a couple of pieces of paper. "This is my personal favourite based on what you said. It's a large charger which I will carve once it is thrown. Around the edges will be vignette's showing the history of the pottery, each of the girls will decorate some of the panels. Then in the middle we could have a painting of your mother's favourite pieces or maybe a pet? Or there are other ideas, but if you have any thoughts please say" Merlin put down the drawings.
Arthur looked thoughtful. "I like that idea, showing the history. I will talk to my sister and see what she thinks about the centre. Will you have time if we leave it a few days?"
"No problem" Merlin said. "But if you change your mind and want a pot instead let me know and I can think again."
With that Merlin went home and started to do his household chores. He had a small cottage inherited from his mother three years ago, she had died of cancer and it was hard to watch her slowly ebb away. He would never want to move, he loved the place but knew it needed work. Now that it looked like his job was more secure he might risk borrowing money to get it done. It really needed rewiring and also he could do with some new furniture. He was loathe to change too much, being sentimental in nature he liked his home how it had always been. Merlin also loved his garden and kept the flower beds and vegetable garden tidy and productive. It gave him the peace and tranquillity he needed to think. It also gave him somewhere to hold BBQ's for his friends from work. They were a tight group and the nearest thing Merlin had to a family. They had been a great support to him over the last few years
Merlin walked up to sit under the old apple tree, he had scattered his mother's ashes there when she died, just as she had wished. When he sat there he felt nearer to her. "Well Mum I've had an interesting few days, the new boss is hard to read though, I hope he does what he says otherwise I need to find a new career. I'm not moving from here."
It was a thought that had occupied more of his thoughts lately than he liked. But he needed to be prepared. Even if he moved it was unlikely he would find another job as a potter and he didn't have the finances to set up his own kiln and shop. No he would say here and find something that would give him enough money to live on. At least he didn't have a mortgage, even if the place did need some work. He did think about fostering but thought it unlikely that they would be interested in a single man. Anyway he doubted that would pay him enough. He was nearly thirty and didn't really want to retrain, he had been lucky enough to get his present job straight from school and had learnt his trade under a very talented Master Potter. He had never thought of doing anything else. Standing up he said "Well Mum this isn't getting the lawn mowed."
He was startled as a voice answered him "Do you often talk to yourself?" came a voice he recognised. Turning round he saw Gwaine Green looking over the hedge.
"I was talking to my Mum, her ashes are under the tree, what are you doing here?" he demanded. After all he lived eight miles from the pottery.
"I came to see a room that was for rent. I don't like hotel rooms" Gwaine said with a grin "No good, the room was nice but the woman had four small kids, I'd never have any peace and one was a baby, I'm sorry but I'm not ready to be woken up in the night with crying babies yet"
"That would be Mrs Jones I take it? She has been trying to rent that room out for ages" Merlin laughed "Needs the money with all them kids. I'm just going to make a coffee want one?"
"I swore I hear you tell your apple tree you were going to mow the lawn" Gwaine chuckled
"I will after my coffee, so do you want one?"
"As long as you don't have four kids I'd love one" Gwaine grinned
"No just me and the cat and I don't know when he is at the moment" Merlin said as the brunette came through the gate.
Gwaine looked round the garden "Nice place had it long?"
"I was born here so was my Mum" Merlin told the other man "So thank you, I think it's nice but I have little to judge it against. Needs some work doing inside but I love it. Maybe if the boss lives up to his word I can risk a bank loan and get it done"
"He will do his best, he isn't a man that failure comes easy to, in fact I can't think of anything he has failed at" Gwaine said as they walked indoors and into the kitchen.
It was a cosy if dated room like much of the house. But Merlin kept it clean and reasonably tidy. As he boiled the kettle Gwaine glanced around and thought the house matched its owner. Practical and just a bit individual. "So Merlin no significant other in your life?"
"No and you" Merlin didn't want to go down that route he still had painful memories that needed burying.
"No free and single, never found anyone willing to put up with me. Anyway I travel a fair bit for the firm. Most years I'm on the move" Gwaine admitted. "But as I said I hate hotels especially for a year."
"I wouldn't have thought you were the sort to lodge with someone else, why not rent a flat? There's some in town, especially at this end of the season" Merlin suggested.
"I could, but I sort of fancied having people about, I've had a flat by myself for a couple of years and it's kinda lonely when you get home. I was brought up with lots of people around me. Ma and Pa had eight kids. Anyway most of the flats available are in areas that come next summer will be full of holiday makers, and I would like something where people don't arrive back drunk in the early hours, that's ok at the weekend but not all week.
"If you had a big family I would have thought Mrs Jones would have suited you!" Merlin said "You miss your family?"
"No not really we have scattered to the four winds, Ma and Pa have gone on and we don't keep in touch now, they were what held us together I was the youngest" Gwaine admitted "Arthur and the gang are my family now"
"I was an only child and there was only ever me and Mum. I never knew my father, don't even know his name" Merlin admitted. "It must have been fun having siblings"
Gwaine snorted "Sometimes I suppose, but as I said I was the youngest and it wasn't always easy. Pa was a drunk, that's how they died, he ran out of road. Anyway less of memories, it gets maudlin, what do you do with your spare time, besides mow the lawn?" In a few words Gwaine changed back to his devil may care attitude, leaving behind the more bitter side he briefly showed.
"I look after the house and garden and like to go for long walks, to be honest I keep pretty busy with work" Merlin said. "The gang do get together sometimes and in the better weather we have a BBQ here every couple of weeks"
"It must be nice to get on so well with your workmates"
"Not always, we know each other to well, sometimes it can be hard if you just want to be left alone." Merlin's mind drifted off and he had to force himself back to the present. "Any way you seem pretty close to Mr Pendragon and his sister"
"That's true, all the group get on well, Leon the firm's accountant married Morgana a few months ago. And the security advisor and the advertising man are also close friends. But unlike you we don't work together all the time. You will meet them soon."
Merlin had made the coffee and got out the biscuits "Come on let's sit in the garden and make the best of this nice weather"