It seems the Tomorrow’s World vision of our childhood dreams is finally materialising. News greets us from across the Atlantic that a pair of firms (One Canadian, on Mexican) have launched jet packs for sale to the general public – well, anyone foolish enough to part with £80,000-£120,000 for something that only keeps you in the air for 30 seconds, and, as the boss of Toronto-based Jetpack International Troy Widgery admits, “If something goes wrong, you can get killed”.

They might look like something from Space 1999, but inventor Rob Gaukroger reckons that his new pods, built from sustainable timber, will be the next big thing in eco-tourism.

From the big-sideburned “Dragon” who brought conveyor belt Sushi restaurants to the nation, Simon Woodroffe, comes another idea imported from the weird and wonderful nation of Japan – capsule hotels.

Manchester-based web designer Mark Fraser spent a couple of years developing Sell Student Books.com before bringing in a six-figure investor (David Kaitiff, who made £1.7 million from the sale of textiles firm Friedman’s) and launching the all-singing all-dancing website this year.