Using Google UK search for web design bristol the** #1 and #2 **spot are populated by companies that are ranked with footer links, directory spam, suspect links and other tactics. The #2 spot is even using cloaked anchor text in most of his footer links. The rest of the first page do not fair much better, it is generally a bit of a mess!
The problem is you guys are going to tell me that they will lose in the end, that I should ignore it and carry on, but the problem is these sites have been there for years, those links and those tactics are standing the test of time and in a competitive B2B niche it is hard work to push forward with quality content and valuable information when people can just spam and cloak year after year and outrank you...
I know for a fact that if you search for SEO Bristol that several of the top five guys are using private blog networks, not even very clearly ones at that...seriously, how can we all sit here with a straight face adviding people that content is king while it clearly is not!
That became more of a rant than I intended it to 
