I remember when the new registration plates used to come out on 1 August. For the first few days you’d “car spot” and as the years went on, the numbers seemed to get greater every August. Garages would open up specially so that you could come and admire their stocks and collect your new car on the stroke of midnight.

There seems to be a return of those days. New cars are getting rare enough to grab people’s attention. There’s nothing quite like the pleasure of driving your new toy out of the showroom and knowing that it’s your own choice – right down to the shine that only a new car can have.

The news freshly out from the Government in their promise to help out Britain’s car industry will hopefully raise the spirits of the millions of people employed there. Loan guarantees and re-training are promised as well as an additional billion pounds in loans to encourage investment in “green” vehicles.

Hopefully, when the full package is unveiled, it will prove to be rather more than the “pretty small beer” comment from shadow business secretary Ken Clarke, who has accused labour of lagging behind in their offers of help.

So it looks as though its going be “any colour, as long as it’s green” and fingers crossed for the easing of finance to get trade going again.