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31/07/2009 - Hives destroyed due to bee disease - Four beehives are set to be destroyed in Scotland after an outbreak of a disease that affects colonies of honeybees.
31/07/2009 - Number of empty shops increases - The number of empty shops has doubled in some areas as the recession tightens its grip on the UK economy, a report has revealed.
30/07/2009 - Slowing decline of beer sales - The decline of beer sales has appeared to slow, with the brewing industry cautiously talking of there being "light at the end of the tunnel".
30/07/2009 - Nurseries `should ban soft toys` - Toys provided by nurseries and childminders may be spreading swine flu, according to guidance from the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
29/07/2009 - Landlord fined over faulty boiler - A landlord has been fined £2,500 after tenants at a house in Worcester were taken to hospital suffering from suspected exposure to carbon monoxide.
29/07/2009 - Overcharged shoppers await refund - A number of disgruntled shoppers are due to be reimbursed after technical problems with Bank of Scotland's electronic card terminals saw them charged twice for purchases.
28/07/2009 - Fresh food brought to local stores - A government scheme to get the population eating more healthily is to give corner shops nationwide a fresh food makeover by stocking them up with fruit and veg.
28/07/2009 - Impact of swine flu to be discussed - The impact that swine flu is having on industry is to be discussed at a special seminar after it was revealed that one in eight employees could be off work with the virus by the end of August.
27/07/2009 - Flood tide rips trench in field - Millions of gallons of flood water has torn a 15ft trench in a field near Durham.
27/07/2009 - Licence delay will aid businesses - Delaying a planned shake-up to licensing laws in Scotland is a "common sense approach" to the issue, according to justice secretary Kenny MacAskill.
24/07/2009 - Death fall prompts safety reminder - The death of a worker who fell through the roof of a DIY superstore has led the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to remind small companies of their responsibilities.
24/07/2009 - 'Combat swine flu with home workers' - Computer specialists have advised employers to make it possible for their staff to work from home in an attempt to curb the spread of swine flu.
23/07/2009 - Recession halts the 'good life' - The recession has postponed many people's dreams of seeking the good life through a move to the countryside, research said.
23/07/2009 - Caravans `needed for salad growing` - Caravans are needed to house migrant agricultural workers are a necessary component of cultivating the land, a High Court judge has ruled.
22/07/2009 - 52 pubs facing closure every week - The pub industry has been hammered by the recession, with 24,00 jobs lost in the last year and pubs closing at a record rate, figures reveal.
22/07/2009 - Scotland's retail sales bounce back - New statistics have shown that Scotland's retail sales bounced back in June after the worst figures for almost nine years.
21/07/2009 - Move to tackle under-age drinking - Leicester police tested off-licences in the first week of school summer holidays in a campaign to tackle under-age drinking as well as reduce anti-social behaviour.
21/07/2009 - Slump high streets 'must reinvent' - Struggling UK high streets must develop unique identities if they are to survive the recession that has already left some in terminal decline, a report has warned.
20/07/2009 - Flooded farmer still in caravan - A farmer who was forced to leave his home after the UK's worst flooding for 60 years is still living in a caravan two years later.
20/07/2009 - Four deny general store murder - Four men have denied murdering a sub-postmaster's son who was shot during an armed robbery at a family-run post office and general store in Worcestershire.
17/07/2009 - Mid-summer Christmas cheer at pub - A pub in Cambridge has decided to stir up interest in the Yuletide season by starting its celebrations in the middle of summer.
17/07/2009 - Plastic bags reduced by half in UK - Seven supermarkets that entered into a pact with the Government to halve plastic bag consumption in the UK have almost met their target, figures show.
16/07/2009 - Shop owners victorious in board row - Shop owners in Nottingham have emerged victorious from a meeting with council officials over whether they should be allowed to display advertising boards outside city centre stores.
16/07/2009 - Campaign on pub draught beer tax - A campaign group has called for the Government to "promote the removal" of EU laws on the tax on draught beer sold in pubs.
15/07/2009 - Heatwave boost for sales results - Non-food sales saw their best result since October 2008 over the three months to June, research has revealed.
15/07/2009 - Scots pay out for dining experience - People in Scotland are the UK's biggest spenders when it comes to eating out, new research suggests.
14/07/2009 - Welsh shopkeepers oppose `bag tax` - A proposed "bag tax" has been opposed by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) in Wales on the grounds that it might dissuade people from using local shops.
14/07/2009 - Former Woolworths shops still empty - Despite closing more than six months ago, seven out of 10 former Woolworths stores are still empty, research has found.
13/07/2009 - London flood `must be planned for` - A "catastrophic breach" of London's river defences might inundate Parliament, Downing Street and MI5's headquarters in half an hour, says Westminster City Council.
13/07/2009 - Headlines backfire on shop joker - Tongue-in-cheek billboards outside a West Sussex sweet shop have landed owner John O'Sullivan in the sherbet.
10/07/2009 - Good weather is bad news for shops - Good weather is bad news for struggling retailers as shoppers turn to sunning themselves on the beach, according to accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward.
10/07/2009 - British 'worst tourists in Europe' - British tourists may be considered the worst behaved travellers in Europe, but the rest of the world doesn't agree.
09/07/2009 - £2bn to ease rates rise for firms - The Government has announced plans for a £2 billion relief scheme to support businesses facing rates increases as part of a five-yearly revaluation.
09/07/2009 - Rising beer tax 'damaging to pubs' - The Liberal Democrats have called for above-inflation rises in beer tax to be scrapped because they are "damaging" to pubs and breweries.
08/07/2009 - Scots cleaning up after flash floods - Residents and businesses in Scotland are still on guard after torrential rain caused flash floods, with more downpours expected.
08/07/2009 - Inspectors plan unannounced visits - Food businesses in Wales will be subject to surprise inspections following an inquiry into the 2005 E.coli outbreak which resulted in the death of a five-year-old boy, First Minister Rhodri Morgan has said.
07/07/2009 - Tenants `have trouble paying rent` - Rising unemployment means that more domestic tenants are struggling to pay their rent, according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla). It says that in the past six months, three quarters of its members have reported difficulties, while nearly all have seen a rise in the number of tenants haggling with their landlords.
07/07/2009 - Businesses at greater risk of fraud - Research suggests that fraud and theft is becoming more of a problem for companies across the country as a result of the recession.
06/07/2009 - Fountain stolen in broad daylight - Cheeky thieves have stolen a stone fountain from outside a company's offices using a work van as a decoy.
06/07/2009 - Florist repeatedly targeted by thief - A drug user has been handed a community order after he stole more than £3,000 worth of flowers from a Mayfair florist in order to fund his growing heroin habit.
03/07/2009 - Britons `expect good shop service` - Hard-pressed shoppers conscious of how far they need to stretch their cash during the economic downturn are increasingly opting to complain about poor service, research has shown.
03/07/2009 - Teenage drink numbers on decline - The number of teenagers buying and drinking alcohol has dropped dramatically in the past five years, a new study has found.
02/07/2009 - Call to ban pub cigarette machines - Cigarette machines should not be allowed in pubs, according to a survey, showing that most people also support the smoking ban.
02/07/2009 - Small firms see trading recovery - Small businesses in the UK that suffered amid the global financial crisis last year are seeing better trading and economic conditions this year, according to a new survey.
01/07/2009 - Hookah trend hit by smoking ban - A council has called for the smoking ban to be updated in light of a growing trend for hookah bars.
01/07/2009 - Online tyre safety advice launched - A tyre safety organisation has launched a campaign to increase awareness among commercial vehicle operators about the dangers of driving on defective or worn out tyres.