A TALK entitled Entrepreneurship in Novgorod - past and present is being given by Mr Pat Taylor at The Friends Meeting House, Church Road, Watford, at 7.30pm on Tuesday, January 23.

The talk will give the background to small businesses in Novgorod, tracing the traditions of trading through the centuries to modern times.

Mr Taylor has been involved in Russia for more than 30 years, initially as a diplomat attached to the British Embassy in Moscow. His experience has included responsibility for business and construction projects, including a £200 million Russian project in the Ural Mountains and Siberia.

His association with Watford's twin town of Novgorod dates back to 1993 when he started the first of two UK Know How Fund projects. Since then he has maintained strong links with friends and business people in the city.

Mr Taylor believes it is essential to understand the historical background in order to grapple with the problems of setting up a small business in Novgorod.

Although some problems are the same throughout Russia, such as the lack of intra-structure, many things are different from the rest of the country.

He gives as examples of small businesses, the repair of television tubes, shops selling goods from the West, ranging from perfumes to washing machines or software for a business game.