When the stand won't deliver

The herd of septuagenarian investors at the AITC's Consumer Roadshow leave the chairman in hospital

"I'm sorry," I apologised to the chairman of the insignificantly-sized investment group SmallBluePlanet as we basked in the splendour of the Grotmare Ballroom and Bingo Hall at the Threeways Novotel - the magnificent setting for the first date of the AITC's sell-out 2006 Consumer Roadshow tour. "I would love to help but I just can't be seen to be playing favourites." "But can't you hear them?" the chairman almost whined, his voice growing shriller with a note of panic one doesn't normally hear before last orders is called. "They're swarming - I can feel it. And you know what they're like. ...