Trouble at the Top

For four generations the Patemans have been making traditional men's footwear, but a strong pound and cheap imports have taken customers away. Steve Pateman has convinced his father that thigh-length boots and high-heel shoes for men is the answer and the 100-year-old Northamptonshire company must get enough orders by Christmas - or face closure.

The potential market for Vogue magazine in post-Communist Russia is huge. But Condé Nast International's multi-million pound launch is fraught with disaster from the start as the Russian government devalues the rouble.

Petra Doringisthe founder of Cabouchon, the costume jewellery firm that was the most successful direct-selling companyin Britain until it went bust last year, owing £7 million. This documentary follows Doringas she struggles to rebuild her empire from scratch, ataskwhich involves retrieving her hostile sales force, creating a new catalogue and securing investment.

Home House is a decaying 18th-century mansion in London's West End that has been empty forthe past 12 years. Brian Clivaz , a former restaurant manager and hotelier with £12 million to invest, plans to reopen it as a five-star private members' club. But 16 weeks before opening, with 70 rooms and a restaurant, bar and health spa still unfinished, his chances of finding 1,500 customers and opening on time look uncertain

Broadcaster and managing director John Myers has a reputation as the grim reaper of disc jockeys. Now it is six weeks till the launch of a new commercial radio station in Manchester. But will his chosen star, notorious politician Derek Hatton , make the grade as Degsy the talk show host? If he fails John plans to pursue exclusive commentary rights for Manchester United football games instead. Tensions mount when the first set of official audience ratings is released.

When the Pierre Victoire restaurant chain went bankrupt last year, a consortium of its restaurateurs, led by Richard Willis and Simon Edwards , staged a buy-out. But with only three months until the start of the lucrative Christmas trade, would the group manage to transform the £20 million business?