"Old skool hooligans bikes" anyone know anything?

Go and work in a bike shop then?

Do you really have ambitions to sell cheap bikes for £40 profit to non cyclists? If so, you can get a load of unipacks and sell them on the market.

or maybe I'm just bitter from the seething jealousy.

There is a market for them. i am sure given the chance and resources he would make top end Brittish steel frames, the outlay and risk is that much greater. You don't start out with a known brand name and without alignment with racing teams this way to sell bikes and build a brand in the current econimic climate is pretty spot on.

Bianchi produce Puch bikes, they were always cheap as fuck and nasty builds - look at them now!

you have to start someplace and I'd rather start on a achievable business than a slow demise of soul eating jealousy ;)