The commercial tenants at the Walker Arcade in Hamilton have just had to absorb a 12 percent increase in rent as of April 1. The good news for them was the spruce up (half a million dollars worth) that has been happening on the premises. More work is expected next year.

The Walker Arcade is probably unusual in that it managed to affect an increase just before the recession hit, and just after.

Managing Director of the Walker Arcade Ltd., Mr. B.W. (Jordy) Walker, said that the increase is the first one in four years.

The arcade is gearing up for the progressive retailer who wants to remain open in the evenings to attract visitors and other night-time shoppers. Just another one of the old ideas that had to be looked at with a fresh perspective during the recession when businesses had to work a little harder.

Meanwhile, Robert Buser, one of the owners of the Arcade Restaurant who we interviewed last week, said: "Renovations were needed to make the courtyard usable, including the addition of furniture and fixtures around the beginning of 1992.

"There were Health Department regulations that had to be adhered to and other changes that were needed. It all cost me close to $50,000.'' Mr. Buser said that although the article indicated that there had been no rental increase, in fact there had been a sizable increase.

"There was an increase in the amount of space I occupied by about 25 percent.

The courtyard area was measured down to the last millimetre. And that was why the rent went up by 25 per cent around that time.'' * * * The new Little Venice Club is spending about $500,000 on the changes being made at the Bermudiana Road premises. Extensive work had been completed on the re-development of the old upstairs nightclub, the Club.

The Little Venice building is still the most Bermudian-looking building on their side of the street, ironically.

Much of the final details of the half a million dollar work is expected to be finished up this week and next.

Officials said that it was their way of sending a signal to the Bermuda community of their commitment to the Island and their optimism for the future.

* * * Business leaders are finding more and technologically-advanced methods of helping staff be more productive. No where is this more evident than in communications. For example, Business Diary had to call the Finance Minister, the Hon. David Saul, one morning last week just after 8 a.m. in his Fidelity International office.

The recorded message advised that no switchboard operator was on duty but that I could be automatically transferred to an employee's extension, by dialling the extension number on my touch tone telephone. Who knows what extension he is at? The computer read my mind and suggested that I could also get to his extension by spelling his name out on the 'phone keypad.

Brilliant! It reminded me of the last time I called Fidelity for Dr. Saul. Even with a switchboard operator I was put through to another recorded message that surprised me with the announcement that I had called the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI).

I was just a little taken aback, even though it is well-known fact that the BUEI is being heavily backed by Fidelity owner, Edward Johnson III.

But how did the Minister of Finance, who would have jurisdiction over anything taken from the sea-bed, end up at a BUEI extension. It turned out that there was nothing nefarious about it at all.

Dr. Saul was forced to set up a temporary office in the basement of the building, because work being done to his office.

Yes, even the Finance Minister has to get his office re-carpeted every once and a while.