‘Young’ Alan Sugar fires classmates

An eight-year-old who started a school tuck shop was today dubbed a young ‘Alan Sugar’ after he fired – his CLASSMATES.

Pint-sized entrepreneur Connor Pickering even put four other pupils running rival snack stalls out of business when he launched his own tuck shop at school in February.

He hired two pals to flog fairy cakes and biscuits to pupils at break times charging between 10p and 20p for each treat which he donated to charity.

But ruthless Connor invited his two classmates into his a makeshift boardroom in his class and told them ”You’re fired” when they failed to meet targets to sell up to 50 cakes a day.

The scene resembles Sir Alan Sugar’s BBC show The Apprentice in which he kicks out contestants.

Connor, from Nuneaton, Warks., makes £25-a-week and has now been dubbed ”Connor Sugar” by pals.

He said: ”There were a few other tuck shops at school but I didn’t like anything they were selling so I started my own.

”They only made £2-a-week but I made much more. I didn’t want to put them out of business but that’s just what happened.

”I hired two friends but we had a disagreement and I said ‘you’re fired’.

”They didn’t sell enough cakes to cover the costs. They weren’t pulling their weight and I can’t afford to have people like that working for me.

”The stall’s doing a lot better now that I’ve sacked the people that weren’t meeting the targets. We’re all friends again though now.”

Connor started the tuck shop after he watched winchmen from Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance on TV earlier this year.

He pitched the idea of a charity tuck shop to his teachers running a business course at Stockingford Junior School in Nuneaton.

He even decorated the cakes with England motifs during the World Cup Finals.

Dad Gareth, 30, and mum Donna, 29, leant Connor £15 to buy the ingredients and he made a business plan and baked a dozen cakes for his stall he named ‘C&G Biscuits’.

Classmates loved the fairy decorated with icing and sugar bobbles when he sold them every Monday break time.

He asked two classmates to help him sell the cakes and imposed strict targets to sell 50 cakes every day.

But the two lads flopped and Connor was forced to axe them in his own makeshift boardroom.

Proud dad Gareth said: ”Connor gave us a list of everything he needed to set up his business and we donated his first set of stock, then he went from there.

”After a while even the teachers were buying his cakes. He’s done brilliantly.

”He had a difference of opinion with the other two helping him and he fired them in typical Sir Alan style.

”But Connor loves to do things to help others. He’s a very lovely, kind and caring young man who

”With his school giving him this brilliant opportunity he’s going from strength to strength.

”Connor’s determined to be successful in whatever he does. He has his sights set on much bigger things.”

Air ambulances chiefs flew Connor in a helicopter when he handed over a cheque for £150 that he had raised from his tuck shop.

Connor added: ”One day I’d like to be my own boss by running an ice cream van, then maybe a fleet of them.

”I wouldn’t mind being a winchmen or helicopter pilot with the air ambulance either.

”I’m pleased that I made £150 for the air ambulance because they’re great and they save lives.”