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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.
30/06/2009 - Growth of light vans to be studied - A 40% growth in the number of light commercial vehicles in the last 10 years means that there are now more than three million on the road. As a result, the Government is to study how the sector is organised and regulated, and how much it is likely to grow in the next few years.
30/06/2009 - Sewage floods Manchester stadium - The City of Manchester stadium, which was built for the Commonwealth Games in 2002, has been badly affected after sewage leaked from a collapsed drain.
29/06/2009 - Bosses urged to take summer breaks - A new campaign is urging managers to plan holidays this summer, arguing that time away from work can boost health and improve productivity.
29/06/2009 - Pups stolen from dog-grooming firm - Thieves have stolen a litter of puppies and their mother from a dog-grooming business in County Antrim.
26/06/2009 - New London restaurant for TV chef - The experimental chef Heston Blumenthal has decide to cook a more traditional selection of food at his new restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Knightsbridge, London.
25/06/2009 - Rare monkeys snatched from farm - A pair of Goeldi monkeys have been stolen from a children's farm in County Durham.
25/06/2009 - Historic pub launches smoking drive - A pub in Wiltshire, close to where tobacco was reputedly smoked for the first time in England by Sir Walter Raleigh, is to run a stop-smoking course.
24/06/2009 - Discount store opens in ex-Woolies - A family will open up an 89p discount store in a former branch of Woolworths.
24/06/2009 - Belfast Zoo cafe ruined in blaze - The cafe at Belfast Zoo has been left gutted by an overnight fire, according to emergency services.
23/06/2009 - Rents hit by property oversupply - An oversupply of properties to let is continuing to force down rents, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
23/06/2009 - Warning over 35,000 shops closures - Retailers continue to face difficult times, with research showing that up to 35,000 shops could close by the end of the year.
22/06/2009 - More landlords increasing portfolios - Research shows that buy-to-let landlords increased the number of properties they bought during the second quarter of the year as they looked to take advantage of house price falls and record low interest rates.
22/06/2009 - Fears for future of rural traders - The Rural Shops Alliance and the British Beer and Pub Association are warning that more than a thousand country pubs and village shops could close during the coming year because of a continuing shortage of affordable homes in rural areas.
19/06/2009 - Floods threat to business insurance - Insurance cover for businesses is likely to be hit hard by rising flood risks connected to global warming.
19/06/2009 - Foreign spending in UK holds firm - Even though the UK has suffered a drop in foreign tourist numbers, the actual amount spent by overseas visitors is holding up well, new figures show.
18/06/2009 - Concern over tobacco display ban - More than three in four corner shopkeepers are afraid their businesses will be badly hit by a ban on tobacco displays in store, research shows.
18/06/2009 - Shops see sales volumes fall in May - New figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed the pressure on clothing and footwear stores last month when retail sales volumes fell.
17/06/2009 - MSPs warned over licensing deadline - The Scottish Parliament has been urged to allow off-sale outlets to sell alcohol beyond the September legal deadline for obtaining licences.
17/06/2009 - `Tat` costs charity £10,000 a year - A charity in Dorset has revealed that the disposal of unsellable donations costs it £10,000 a year.
16/06/2009 - Wedding bills cost firms £10,000 - A £10,000 Jersey wedding has left a string of businesses out of pocket after the happy couple allegedly decamped without paying.
16/06/2009 - Pressure too much for some bosses - The strain of the recession is causing bosses to resort to increasingly bizarre forms of motivation just to make their staff work harder.
15/06/2009 - Car crashes through diner window - Terrified lunch-time diners at a Northern Ireland restaurant were covered in broken glass when a car crashed through the window.
15/06/2009 - UK's highest cafe opens on Snowdon - A cafe on the peak of Mount Snowdon has reopened for business as part of an £8 million visitor centre.
12/06/2009 - Thieves make off with Sugar Puffs - A lorry carrying a load of Sugar Puffs has been broken into in the early hours of the morning in a layby near Kilsby, Northamptonshire.
12/06/2009 - Fire legislation a cause for concern - A coroner plans to tell the Government there is a "risk of future deaths" if more investment is not put in to fire safety in hotels, an inquest jury has been told.
11/06/2009 - Sheffield once again hit by floods - Businesses and homeowners are staying on alert to the possibility of more floods after surprise downpours caused disruptions to parts of northern England on Wednesday.
11/06/2009 - Ten arrested over brewery theft - Police have arrested nine youngsters and a 30-year-old on suspicion of stealing alcohol from a brewery in Faversham, Kent.
10/06/2009 - Charities in dark over compensation - Only a quarter of charities know how much compensation they would be entitled to from a depositor protection scheme if they lost money through the collapse of a bank.
10/06/2009 - First Lady surprises London pub - The US First Lady and her two children made a surprise visit to a traditional London pub as part of their private holiday to the capital.
09/06/2009 - Tobacco display debate continues - New Health Secretary Andy Burnham has insisted that controversial measures outlawing tobacco displays in shops can be implemented without harming small businesses.
09/06/2009 - Like-for-like sales down in May - The latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that sales during May fell by 0.8% compared with the same time last year.
08/06/2009 - Fog devices 'putting lives at risk' - Police claim hi-tech gadgets that emit clouds of blinding fog to see off armed robbers could put lives at risk.
08/06/2009 - Shops unite to combat bad behaviour - Shopkeepers in a town in Cornwall are joining forces to stop drunken anti-social behaviour by refusing to sell alcohol to anyone who looks as though they "may cause trouble".
05/06/2009 - Appeal to prevent workplace deaths - The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has urged businesses across the UK to place greater emphasis on workplace safety and prevent thousands of deaths every year.
05/06/2009 - Domestic rents continue to fall - Domestic rents fell by 0.4% in April, reducing the average to £635 during the month, 6% cheaper than last year, according to letting agent Your Move.
04/06/2009 - Boy 'too tall' for child's meal - Restaurant staff measured a 10-year-old boy who they considered to be too tall for a child's discounted meal, it has been reported.
04/06/2009 - Faster planning process promised - Rooting out planning delays in Wales has been promised by the country`s environment minister Jane Davidson, who says she wants a more streamlined system that will help boost the economy.
03/06/2009 - Council in rogue trader crackdown - Trading standards officers in Hampshire are clamping down on rogue traders after a Yately man was conned out of £25,000 for work on his roof.
03/06/2009 - `New money` fails to boost lending - Figures show that lending to businesses fell by almost £5 billion in April despite efforts by the Bank of England to boost money supply through its £125 billion quantitative easing (QE) programme.
02/06/2009 - Small firms shortlisted for award - A family butcher, a volunteer-run village shop and an independent department store have been shortlisted for a national consumer award, which recognises local businesses that go the extra mile for their customers.
02/06/2009 - Incentives for landlords urged - The Government has been urged to introduce incentives for private landlords amid reports that thousands of tenants are living in sub-standard homes.
01/06/2009 - Help for Scottish businesses urged - Small businesses that have been hit hardest by the recession should receive help from the Scottish Government to top up workers` wages, firms and union leaders have said.
01/06/2009 - New charity regulator for N Ireland - Charities in Northern Ireland are now required to register with a new commission that has been set up to regulate, monitor and investigate charitable organisations.
29/05/2009 - Which? names best trader in London - The best local trader in London has been named by consumer website Which? as MC Perrin, a family-run greengrocer based in Coulsdon.
29/05/2009 - House prices stage slow recovery - A rise in house prices over the last month has been partially caused by a housing shortage, as people choose to rent out and not sell their property, an expert said.
28/05/2009 - Call for tourist information in pubs - Tourism chiefs have launched a campaign calling for pub landlords to offer information to customers as well as a pint.
28/05/2009 - Rental market 'is stabilising' - Research shows the rental market may have begun to stabilise with the average rent in May remaining unchanged for the first time in nine months.
27/05/2009 - Naked woman ad complaint rejected - A complaint against a university outfitter has been rejected as an image of a semi-naked woman was unlikely to cause offence to the audience.
27/05/2009 - rish flock north for holidays - A 25% increase in the number of holidaymakers visiting Northern Ireland from the Republic boosted tourism revenue by almost £50 million last year, it has been revealed.
26/05/2009 - Rental rates fall in crowded market - Homeowners frustrated with failing to sell their property have turned to the rental market, causing rates to fall 16% in the past 12 months.
26/05/2009 - Shop selling illegal alcohol raided - Officers from West Mercia Police have seized "a substantial quantity" of alcohol with unpaid duty of more than £1,800.
22/05/2009 - Tourism chiefs angry over tax plan - The tourism sector could lose millions of pounds a year under plans by the Government to scrap tax incentives on furnished holiday lets, according to industry leaders.
22/05/2009 - Call to speed up tax repayments - Tax refunds for thousands of people across the country are being held up because of new security checks introduced by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), an accountancy firm has said.
21/05/2009 - Brothers set to open £2m restaurant - Two brothers are planning to open a £2 million restaurant near Spitalfields market in London this autumn.
21/05/2009 - Scotland retail sales see 8.2% rise - Retail sales in Scotland rose 8.2% year-on-year in April boosted by warm weather and a late Easter, new figures show.
20/05/2009 - Plumber jailed over gas offences - A self-employed plumber has been jailed for putting lives at risk by doing unlicensed gas-fitting work after being instructed not to by a health and safety prohibition order.
20/05/2009 - Calls to raise VAT to fill deficit - A university professor has said the Government needs to increase VAT to 20% to plug its budget deficit.
19/05/2009 - Shops close after ceilings collapse - Ceilings have collapsed in 19 stores at a Doncaster shopping centre after heavy rain also caused the closure of a main road.
19/05/2009 - £170m of CCTV having little effect - Levels of crime are not significantly affected by closed-circuit television (CCTV) in city centres, housing estates and on public transport, a Home Office-funded study has found.
18/05/2009 - UK 'won't become cashless economy' - A report claims Britons will continue to rely on notes and coins and not credit and debit cards as a result of the recent financial crisis.
18/05/2009 - Sales figures inaccuracy addressed - Retailers have not enjoyed quite the level of sales originally indicated by official figures, it has emerged.
15/05/2009 - `Reckless` drinks promos targeted - A crackdown on `irresponsible` drinks promotions would see pubs, bars and off-licences face fines of up to £20,000 for breaking rules, the Government has proposed.
15/05/2009 - 'Absurd' licences stopping new acts - MPs have warned that music stars of the future could have their careers stopped before they even start because of "absurd" Government regulations.
14/05/2009 - Pub`s smoking revolt is stubbed out - A pub landlady`s ingenious bid to save her business by allowing drinkers to avoiding no-smoking laws has been stubbed out.
14/05/2009 - Private landlords register planned - A national register could be set up that would require all private landlords in England to submit their details under new government proposals to protect tenants.
13/05/2009 - Call for probe into 'beer ties' - Ties between pub firms and licensees should be investigated by the competition watchdog over fears the current practice is forcing up drink prices, according to MPs.
13/05/2009 - EU approves tougher toy safety law - EU governments have given the green light for tougher toy safety standards including a ban on the use of toxic substances.
12/05/2009 - Charles praises farmers' solidarity - The Prince of Wales has praised farmers for rising up together to face some of the most "appalling disasters" their community has encountered.
12/05/2009 - Coffee prices soar to 12-year high - The price of Colombian coffee could be on the rise after a period of bad weather and strong demand for the crop.
11/05/2009 - Fleet vehicle checks 'inadequate' - Businesses are being warned that vehicle fleets are being exposed to increased downtime and costs because of service intervals getting longer.
11/05/2009 - Online security restricting shopping - The trading watchdog has said a third of internet users are reluctant to hand over their credit card details while shopping online because of security fears.
08/05/2009 - M&S backs down over bra prices - Marks and Spencer has agreed to end its policy of charging more for larger bras after a campaign by bigger-busted customers.
08/05/2009 - British Gas cuts electricity prices - Around 4.5 million British Gas customers are to benefit from an immediate 10% cut in electricity tariffs, it has been announced.
07/05/2009 - 6,000 sports clubs 'facing closure' - The Government's target to get a million people into sport by 2012 could be undermined by the recession, which could see around 6,000 sports clubs under threat of closure, a new survey suggests.
07/05/2009 - New landlords hit by credit crunch - The credit crunch has hit amateur landlords hard with the buy-to-let market plunging 95% in the past two years, according to new figures.
06/05/2009 - Supermarket withdraws misspelt toys - A supermarket chain has withdrawn misspelt building blocks from its 375 stores following a customer complaint.
06/05/2009 - Empty spaces drive down shop rents - Rents for retail space have dropped by nearly a third over the past year as landlords slash rates to fill up the growing number of empty stores.
05/05/2009 - Work drivers breaking smoking ban - Research by Belfast City Council has found that nine out of every 10 people fined for breaking the smoking ban are commercial drivers.
05/05/2009 - Town profits from trading in Euro - Business people in the East Sussex coastal town of Rye say they have been making profits during the recession by accepting Euros from visitors.
01/05/2009 - Tiny takeaway in names row with KFC - A small takeaway in a Scottish town has refused US fast-food giant KFC's demand to remove a trademarked name from its menus.
01/05/2009 - Warning over coastal flooding - Coastal flooding could rise by 40% over the next four decades, putting many homes and businesses at risk, an insurance trade body has warned.
30/04/2009 - House rentals show revival signs - Although the oversupply of flats is driving down rents and hampering the property market, the letting market for houses is beginning to show signs of recovery, according to new research.
30/04/2009 - Fencing company hit by baby boom - The management at a fencing company has been left wondering if there is "something in the water" after more than half its staff announced they are expecting babies this summer.
29/04/2009 - Cash favoured over card payments - Retailers said that just over £116 billion of payments made last year in shops and online were by debit cards, which accounted for 43% of all retail spending.
29/04/2009 - 'Respite' for retailers in April - April retail figures indicate a "respite" rather than a "revival" for the fortunes of the UK's recession-battered retailers, according to the CBI business lobby group.
28/04/2009 - UK beer sales drop more than 8% - Beer sales in the UK dropped by more than 8% in the first three months of 2009, recording the worst quarterly fall in 12 years, new figures show.
28/04/2009 - UK keeps opt-out from 48-hour week - The UK will keep the opt-out from Europe's 48-hour working week in place after seeing off efforts to phase it out.
27/04/2009 - Bull makes beeline for supermarket - A west of Ireland store owner was left to count the cost to his business after a bull escaped from a cattle market and rampaged through his premises, it has been revealed.
27/04/2009 - Directors criticise equality laws - The "mass" of employment law is causing huge problems for the UK's smallest firms, according to a report.
24/04/2009 - Great English local wins top honour - The top prize in the Enjoy England Awards for Excellence has gone to the great English pub for its "outstanding contribution to tourism".
24/04/2009 - Bird's cigarette habit sparks blaze - The owner of a store in Lincolnshire had to make an unusual claim on his shop insurance after a sparrow with a habit of feathering its nest with cigarette ends sparked a major fire.
23/04/2009 - £5bn more trade credit insurance - Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced up to £5 billion of additional trade credit insurance for businesses which have seen cover levels cut.
23/04/2009 - Oldest masseuse toasts 60 years - Britain's oldest massage therapist, a 98-year-old grandmother from London, is celebrating having spent 60 years in the profession.
22/04/2009 - Buildings levelled to avoid rates - The scrapping of relief on empty property rates has increasingly led owners to knock down unused buildings rather than pay the tax, according to research.
22/04/2009 - Unpaid goods insurance claims soar - Figures show the number of trade credit insurance claims rose by 51% last year as companies were left unpaid for goods supplied to failed firms.
21/04/2009 - Increase in faulty recalled goods - A report shows there was an increase in the number of products that had to be recalled from shops in Europe last year because they were dangerous to consumers.
21/04/2009 - Takeaway 'too close to schools' - A takeaway in east London has been shut down for breaking new rules that ban fast food outlets from opening near schools, parks or leisure centres.
20/04/2009 - Matalan prosecuted over knife sales - Clothing and homeware retailer Matalan has been fined £2,000 after staff sold knives to underage boys.
20/04/2009 - Shopkeeper sold children fireworks - A shopkeeper has been fined £1,100 for selling fireworks to underage girls.
17/04/2009 - Diners dislike complex menus - While haute-cuisine has made a comeback following a rise in flamboyant cooking television shows, many people are put off by complex menus.
17/04/2009 - Thefts rise despite fall in crime - Shoplifting and thefts by employees in London have increased despite an overall reduction in crime in the city, according to police figures.
16/04/2009 - Budget may offer small firms cover - Next week's Budget could offer help to small and medium-sized businesses through new Government guarantees on trade credit insurance, it has been reported.
16/04/2009 - Publicans crippled by high rents - Thousands of pubs have changed hands in recent years with debt leading to repossession in many cases, data show.
15/04/2009 - Scottish hotels see occupancy fall - Scotland's hotel industry saw a relatively slower fall in occupancy rates compared with the UK as a whole in what was a "challenging start to the year", figures have shown.
15/04/2009 - Downturn leads to cramped living - Rising unemployment brought on by the recession will see the number of people living in overcrowded homes in England soar by 15% over the next two years, it has been warned.
14/04/2009 - Driving tests 'not thorough enough' - Employers are calling for a post-test driving qualification as they think young people are ill-equipped to cope with the demands of driving for work.
14/04/2009 - Minister urges use of empty stores - It should be easier for local groups to take over empty shops in order to prevent recession-hit high streets turning into bleak ghost towns, according to the Government.
09/04/2009 - Calls for rural business rate cuts - The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is calling for a rural recession rate relief scheme in the Budget to help companies which have seen trade half during the downturn.
09/04/2009 - Company warning over fake £1 coins - A company that tests money collected from vending machines has said that far more fake £1 coins are in circulation than officially accounted for.
08/04/2009 - Police rung over shrimp emergency - A disgruntled customer in the US called the country's 911 emergency number because she did not get enough shrimp in her take-away fried rice, it has been revealed.
08/04/2009 - Taxes 'putting pub jobs at risk' - A leading organisation in the beer and pub sector has warned nearly 60,000 jobs could be lost from the industry over the next five years if the Government continues to increase taxes.
07/04/2009 - Shoppers urged 'get a bag habit' - Shoppers are being urged to "get a bag habit" as part of a major new drive to get businesses to cut back on the huge amount of plastic carrier bags handed out each year.
07/04/2009 - Business pleads for less red tape - Unemployment will reach 3.2 million in the third quarter of next year as the economy shrinks by 3%, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned.
06/04/2009 - Benefit reforms failing landlords - Research has found many social tenants are failing to pass on their Local Housing Allowance (LHA) to landlords following changes to the benefit system.
06/04/2009 - High street fortunes looking up - The UK's beleaguered high street has received a small piece of encouraging news after Marks & Spencer boss Sir Stuart Rose said that trading conditions had stopped getting worse.
03/04/2009 - Pubs 'being forced to close down' - Company cartels that charge tenants up to 80p above the wholesale price of a pint of beer are driving pubs out of business, according to trade union GMB.
03/04/2009 - 'Happy' anniversary for smoking ban - On the two-year anniversary of the smoking ban the Welsh Assembly Government has said smokers and businesses are abiding by the rules and not lighting up in enclosed public places.
02/04/2009 - Sports club water bill changes call - The Tories are calling on the Government to impose a "moratorium" on changes to water charges that have seen large increases in the bills of some churches and sports clubs.
02/04/2009 - More firms choose to freeze wages - More companies have taken the decision to freeze wages and among those implementing an increase, the average amount given has fallen, new research has revealed.
01/04/2009 - Business rate increase scrapped - Plans to increase business rates by 5% next month have been scrapped by Chancellor Alistair Darling, who has instead limited the hike to 2%.
01/04/2009 - Post office fined over knife sale - A post office in London has been fined £1,750 after two children were sold a knife.
31/03/2009 - Buy-to-let mortgage arrears triple - The number of buy-to-let mortgages that are in arrears of more than three months has more than tripled to 26,800 during the past year compared to 2007, according to a survey.
31/03/2009 - Hay fever costing UK firms £7.1bn - Up to £7.1 billion a year could be lost to businesses in the UK through the debilitating effects of hay fever on workers, according to a study.
30/03/2009 - Landlord not amused by pink prank - A group of vandals dressed as decorators have painted a pub, which dates back to 1545, bright pink.
30/03/2009 - Calls to cut pub satellite TV costs - The Government is to urge satellite television providers to lower football subscription prices for small and independent pubs, it has been revealed.
27/03/2009 - Ban on sunbed use by children urged - MPs are calling for a ban of the use of sunbeds by children after research showed they increase the risk of skin cancer in young people by 75%.
27/03/2009 - Evicted tenants `forgotten victims` - Protection for tenants who are evicted if their home is repossessed by the mortgage lender is being urged on the Government by four housing charities.
26/03/2009 - Mothers 'driven on' by recession - In a bid to fight the recession, increasing numbers of mothers have been spurred on to set up their own business, according to a study.
26/03/2009 - Men steal lorry-load of lingerie - A lorry-load of hosiery and lingerie has been stolen after thieves conned the driver, police have revealed.
25/03/2009 - Landlords `unfairly keep deposits` - Scottish landlords may be unreasonably withholding millions of pounds of tenants` deposits, according to a Scottish Government report. It follows from claims that landlords unfairly withhold up to £6 million of deposits a year.
25/03/2009 - Landlords 'not to blame' for crisis - Landlords have called for retailers not hold them responsible if they fall into administration after paying their quarterly rent bill.
24/03/2009 - UK hotel prices down as others rise - Figures show that the average price of a UK hotel room fell by 12% in the last three months of 2008, but accommodation at many popular overseas destinations increased.
24/03/2009 - Surprise hike in UK inflation - Official figures show the UK`s annual rate of inflation rose unexpectedly to 3.2% last month, driven by rising food and drink prices.
23/03/2009 - Cash still rules the High Street - Last year most of the transactions in Britain were still carried out using notes and coins, despite a reported drop in the number of people using cash.
23/03/2009 - Small firms call for rate relief - Chancellor Alistair Darling can expect to receive hundreds of postcards from owners of small businesses, urging him to bring in automatic rate relief for eligible firms.
20/03/2009 - Shop only serves English-speakers - A Sri Lankan postmaster has decided that he will only serve customers who speak English.
20/03/2009 - Bar owner loses smoking ban case - A Blackpool bar owner who has lost a second High Court battle over his refusal to implement the smoking ban said the result could bankrupt him.
19/03/2009 - More to-let homes force down rents - Desperate homeowners reduced to letting properties they cannot sell are forcing down rents across the country, says the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.
19/03/2009 - 'Minibar meddling' on the rise - High minibar prices are forcing some hotel guests to buy replacements in supermarkets where they are cheaper instead of having to fork out the hefty hotel fee.
18/03/2009 - Pair stole £1,600 of KFC chicken - A pair of opportunists stole a freezer full of KFC chicken worth £1,600 after spotting it outside one of its fast food branches, a court has heard.
18/03/2009 - Gran fights off robber with tray - A grandmother who used a bread tray to fight off an armed robber has said it was instinct that made her do it.
17/03/2009 - Rise in unqualified letting agents - The housing market slowdown has led to a rise in the number of unqualified estate agents establishing themselves as letting agents, it has been revealed.
17/03/2009 - More time to move cigarettes displays - Scotland's public health minister has said that the country's smaller shops will be given more time to introduce the ban on the display of cigarettes.
16/03/2009 - Art works stolen from country house - Thieves have broken into a National Trust estate and stolen £18,000-worth of modern art.
16/03/2009 - Crime affecting London businesses - One in five London firms have been affected by business crime in the last 12 months, research shows.
13/03/2009 - Pub tax burden `is unsustainable` - The tax burden on pubs is now "unsustainable" says the boss of JD Wetherspoon as he announced a 2% rise in first-half profits.
13/03/2009 - Firms not being offered loan scheme - A report claims most businesses do not know that their banks offer a flagship Government lending scheme created especially to support struggling firms through the recession.
12/03/2009 - Taxpayers given incorrect penalties - A "large number" of taxpayers have been wrongly fined £100 for filing their tax returns late despite making the January 31 deadline, it has been claimed.
12/03/2009 - Lending conditions 'have got worse' - A survey has found that businesses are still finding it "harder, costlier and slower" to access finance despite Government initiatives to boost lending.
11/03/2009 - Economy gets ready to receive £75bn - A total of £75 billion is to be pumped into the flagging economy when the Bank of England begins buying up £2 billion in Government bonds as part of the quantitative easing initiative.
11/03/2009 - Commons to look at shoplifting Bill - Plans to shake-up the sentencing of shoplifters will be looked at by MPs after the crime reportedly cost businesses £1 billion last year.
10/03/2009 - Waiter gets cash for fall at work - A waiter who slipped while working in the kitchen at the Savoy Hotel has received £9,000 in compensation.
10/03/2009 - Landlord offers pub in £20 raffle - A pub landlord in west Wales is offering locals the chance to take part in a raffle draw with the watering hole itself as the star prize.
09/03/2009 - Attacks on shop workers reported - Attacks and threats against 4,000 shop staff a year north of the border have been reported by shop workers union USDAW at the Scottish Labour Conference in Dundee.
09/03/2009 - Make Scottish notes acceptable: MP - People in Scotland are "hurt" and offended by English shopkeepers refusing to accept their country's bank notes, the Conservatives have said.
06/03/2009 - Greengrocer to close after 20 years - A community greengrocer is set to go out of business after more than two decades because he can no longer compete with a neighbouring supermarket.
06/03/2009 - Planning rejig should save millions - A shake-up to the planning system could save Britain's economy up to £300 million a year, housing minister Margaret Beckett has said.
05/03/2009 - Bank to cut interest rates further - It is expected the Bank of England will cut interest rates by a further 0.5% and announce plans to start quantitative easing measures in a bid to revive the struggling economy.
05/03/2009 - Britons feeling 'no better off' - According to a new survey, 44% of Britons claimed they were no better off as a result of the Bank of England's steep cut in interest rates.
04/03/2009 - Pub in bring your own booze night - Customers at a Northamptonshire pub have been invited to bring their own booze as part of the landlord's bid to shield his business from the economic downturn.
04/03/2009 - Fire damage linked to arson rise - The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned that the number of arson attacks may be on the rise because of the economic downturn.
03/03/2009 - Traders in customer loyalty scheme - A market town in Hampshire has launched a loyalty scheme in a bid to enable customers to save cash and stop high street shops from closing.
03/03/2009 - Scottish hotels suffer in downturn - A new report has revealed that the economic turmoil has hit Scottish hotels harder than the rest of the UK, with occupancy falling 4.1% on average during 2008.
02/03/2009 - Dirty water-coolers health alert - Dirty water-coolers may be putting the health of workers in Scotland at risk, according to a survey by environmental-health watchdog Consumer Focus Scotland.
02/03/2009 - Recognition for community shop - A North Devon-based community-owned shop has won an award for best village shop and post office in the south-west of England.
27/02/2009 - Call for unpaid overtime change - As five million employees doing more than seven hours overtime continue to be unpaid for their efforts, companies are being reminded of their responsibilities.
27/02/2009 - EU cuts red tape for small firms - The European Commission has decided to abolish accounting rules for small business in a bid to help them save money in the midst of the economic crisis.
26/02/2009 - Carrier bag use slashed by 26% - The amount of carrier bags handed out by the UK's leading high street shops and supermarkets has been cut by 26% since 2006, according to waste reduction agency Wrap.
26/02/2009 - Property glut `driving down rents` - Rents are being driven down across the UK by a glut of properties coming onto the rental market, says property search engine Globrix.
25/02/2009 - Shops cutting jobs at record rate - Figures show that 49% of retailers have cut their workforce in response to the recession - the biggest reduction on record.
25/02/2009 - Employers blamed over work injuries - Employers are not doing enough to tackle repetitive strain injuries (RSI) in the workplace, according to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
24/02/2009 - Warning over axing tougher job laws - The Government has been warned by union leaders that any moves to end enhanced maternity leave and tougher equality legislation would face a "strong backlash".
24/02/2009 - Barman burns £1,000 pub takings - A barman managed to burn £1,000 of pub takings after hiding the cash in the oven for safe keeping.
23/02/2009 - Castle shortlisted for B&B prize - The shortlist for tourism's "Oscars" awards includes a bed-and-breakfast establishment housed in a 19th-century castle.
23/02/2009 - Sharp fall in buy-to-let lending - New figures have revealed a 65% drop in the value of mortgage lending on buy-to-let properties during the past year.
20/02/2009 - Employer sacks 'illegal' worker - Employment laws have forced a company to sack a cleaner who has lived in Britain for more than 50 years as an illegal foreign worker, it has been claimed.
20/02/2009 - Flood-hit pub 'best in Britain' - A pub which was at the centre of havoc caused by the devastating floods in 2007 has been named as the Campaign for Real Ale's (CAMRA) pub of the year.
19/02/2009 - Mouse droppings found in cafe food - A cafe owner from Middlesbrough has been fined £1,200 for breaching food hygiene laws after health officers discovered food contaminated with mouse droppings.
19/02/2009 - Sales of fair trade goods soar - Fair trade products have been flying off the shelves and sales have jumped by 43% to a retail value of around £700 million, figures show.
18/02/2009 - Live rabbit found in hotel kitchen - A countess has been found guilty of food hygiene breaches after health inspectors discovered a rabbit living in the kitchen of her hotel.
18/02/2009 - Guide to advise struggling employers - A new guide has been created to help to businesses seeking advice on how to handle redundancies and lay-offs.
17/02/2009 - Recession hits small London firms - Small London companies have been hit hardest by the recession compared with other areas of the country, researchers reveal.
17/02/2009 - Landlords get help on fire safety - The National Landlords Association (NLA) has published a Fire Safety Logbook aimed at helping landlords keep their properties safe.
16/02/2009 - VAT cut 'failed to help firms' - A survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has revealed that nine out of 10 firms in Britain believe that their business has not benefited from the Government's VAT cut.
16/02/2009 - Property selling inquiries up 118%. - More than twice the number of people are trying to sell property to avoid insolvency or repossession than a year ago, a company has said.
13/02/2009 - Store defends halal-only policy - A pizza chain has come under fire for taking the decision to turn one of its stores into a halal-only outlet, meaning that it does not offer its customers pork products.
13/02/2009 - EU controls 'could hit small farms' - The price of staple foods such as chicken, turkey, tomatoes and cucumbers could be pushed up because of tighter pollution controls on small family farms, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has warned.
12/02/2009 - Flower allergy florist wins award - A florist with a life-threatening allergy to flowers is blooming after scooping a Welsh business award.
12/02/2009 - Plastic bag charges for Wales - Shoppers in Wales are to be charged for plastic bags after a proposed levy was announced.
11/02/2009 - Delay urged over employment laws - Delay is being urged over the introduction of employment and other laws that might cost firms almost £800 million a year.
11/02/2009 - Recession fuelling rodent problem - Authorities in the UK made more than 650,000 visits to deal with rats or mice last year as incidents of infestations increased across the country.
10/02/2009 - January sales rise for retailers - Bargain hunters flocked to the high street in January resulting in a best sales performance for retailers in the UK since May.
10/02/2009 - Weather causes more disruptions - Businesses are bracing themselves for another set of weather-related costs as winter storms battering England and Wales cause flooding and power cuts.
09/02/2009 - 'Urgent' help needed to save firms - The Government has been warned that the credit crunch will get worse without "urgent" intervention, suggesting that the measures already taken are not working.
09/02/2009 - Takeaway has late licence revoked - A council has revoked the late licence of a takeaway in one of Britain's wealthiest neighbourhoods after a criminal gang adopted it as their home.
06/02/2009 - Firms in administration trebles - The number of businesses in administration soared in the fourth quarter of last year, with three times as many firms seeking protection from creditors as the year before.
06/02/2009 - Firms could face £3.4bn parking tax - Companies could be hit with an extra £3.4 billion tax bill if plans to charge businesses for their car parking spaces are rolled out nationwide, a trade organisation fears.
05/02/2009 - Business group hopes to found bank - A consortium of private individuals and organisations is planning to set up its own financial institution in a bid to "put the bank manager back into banking".
05/02/2009 - Government petitioned over rain tax - The Government has received a petition from former England sports stars Brian Moore and Mike Gatting, demanding that community sports clubs be exempt from a controversial tax which could close them.
04/02/2009 - Winter weather 'costs UK Plc billions' - The ravages visited upon the country by the harsh winter weather is estimated to have cost British business as much £3.5 billion this week.
04/02/2009 - Businesses suffer more burglaries - Businesses in England and Wales have suffered a jump in the number of burglaries and break-ins as the recession takes hold, according to Home Office figures.
03/02/2009 - 1,000 premises without gas supply - More than 1,000 properties in a Northumberland town were left without gas as the snow continued to fall.
03/02/2009 - Workers advised to stay at home - Businesses up and down the country are suffering as a result of the extreme winter weather after workers were told to stay at home rather than attempt to get into the office.
02/02/2009 - Fraud cases reach 13-year high - More than £1 billion worth of fraud cases were heard at UK courts last year, the highest level for 13 years - and it is expected to get worse.
02/02/2009 - Small firms making fastest job cuts - Research shows that as a result of the economic downturn, small businesses are making redundancies at the fastest rate in almost 20 years.
30/01/2009 - £50bn plan to boost business loans - A £50 billion asset-buying plan has been unveiled by the Chancellor and Governor of the Bank of England in a bid to improve liquidity for credit-starved businesses.
30/01/2009 - Thieves use digger in ram-raid - Several shops, a post office and a bank have fallen prey to ram-raiders who they cut a swathe through a Buckinghamshire town in a mechanical digger, police said.
29/01/2009 - Council pulls plug on kebab disco - A kebab shop in Newcastle which entertains late night guests with impromptu discos has been told to switch off the music because it does not have a licence
29/01/2009 - Firm to challenge 'wine' label ban - A Government ban stopping a British winemaker from describing a low-alcohol drink as wine is to be the subject of a High Court appeal held next month.
28/01/2009 - Illegal tan linked to mole changes - Skin experts have warned that an injectable tan is being sold illegally that has been linked to the changes in the appearance of moles.
28/01/2009 - Squatters evicted from £22m house - The owners of a £22 million commercial property in London`s exclusive Mayfair district have succeeded in removing a notorious band of squatters.
27/01/2009 - Sales fall blamed on beer duty rise - Beer industry sales fell by 8.3% in the final quarter of last year, prompting calls for Government help.
27/01/2009 - Fruit machine 'jackpot' condemned - Doubling of the prize money - and the stake - for pub fruit machines has been condemned by the Church of England.
26/01/2009 - Ram-raiders steal valuable antiques - Antiques worth thousands of pounds have been stolen in a ram raid on a high street shop in Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds.
26/01/2009 - Toolkit to protect firms from fakes - The Government has launched a new toolkit aimed at protecting businesses from buying counterfeit goods.
23/01/2009 - New flood work to protect firms - Flood prevention work is due to begin in a Gloucestershire town to protect homes and businesses after 57 properties were flooded in July 2007.
23/01/2009 - Village shops get £20,000 boost - A village in Hampshire has received a £20,000 grant as part of a pledge to increase funding to boost business for village shops and protect everyday services.
22/01/2009 - Shop keeper marks 100th birthday - Business is still going strong for a 100-year-old shop keeper from Prestwich in Greater Manchester.
22/01/2009 - Call for Scottish notes acceptance - Businesses in England could be forced to accept Scottish banknotes following the launch of a private member's bill.
21/01/2009 - Bid to save struggling local press - Ministers are calling for the Government to help save the local newspaper industry, which is struggling against online competition and economic problems.
21/01/2009 - HMRC cuts interest on payments - Interest rates charged on late payments and paid on overpayments have been cut following an announcement by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
20/01/2009 - Regulations cost blow to business - British business faces £1 billion a year in new regulations costs, effective in the coming months, which company bosses claimed would lead to job losses.
20/01/2009 - Armed robber targets shop staff - The owner of a travel agency in Wigan was left counting the cost after a raider held staff at gunpoint before making off with cash.
19/01/2009 - Bail-out aimed at boosting lending - Lending provision within the British economy will be strengthened by the billions of pounds earmarked for the latest round of bank bail-outs, according to Gordon Brown.
19/01/2009 - Falling pound boosts visitors to UK - The number of foreign visitors coming to the UK to shop is on the up following the fall of the pound against the euro.
16/01/2009 - Boom for local garages expected - Mechanics across the country have been told they can expect to see "people queuing around the block" as drivers opt to keep their old cars instead of splashing out on a new model.
16/01/2009 - Crunch keeping visitors at home - Tourism businesses are being hit by the credit crunch as official figures show fewer foreign visitors are coming to the UK.
15/01/2009 - Mechanics warned over radio rules - Garages that allow workers to listen to the radio could be breaking the law, according to the Performing Rights Society (PRS).
15/01/2009 - Tax effective at reducing drinking - Increasing tax on alcohol could be the best solution to the rising problem of excessive consumption, according to a study from the US.
14/01/2009 - South East tops tenant dispute poll - More disputes have occurred between tenants and landlords in the South East of England than anywhere else in the country.
14/01/2009 - Small firms get £20 billion bailout - A £20 million bailout for credit-starved small companies has been unveiled by the Government, including taxpayer-backed loan guarantees.
13/01/2009 - Warning as tax deadline looms - More than £479 million will be forked out in penalty charges this year by small businesses and workers who have failed to hit the tax self-assessment deadline, it has been predicted.
13/01/2009 - Retailers face £7bn business rates - A retail group has warned that retailers face a £1.6 billion increase in business rates unless the Government freezes rates in April and reinstates tax relief for empty properties.
12/01/2009 - Empty shops to 'increase by 15%' - Towns across the UK have fallen victim to the deepening economic gloom as shops such as Woolworths and MFI shut up their doors for good.
12/01/2009 - Firms fear widespread Gaza protests - Small businesses were hit by the violent protests in London against Israel`s continuing military actions in Gaza.
08/01/2009 - Hotel wrecked by suspect gas blast - The remains of a hotel wrecked by a suspected gas blast that seriously injured three people is being examined by fire chiefs in Aberdeenshire.
08/01/2009 - Retail prices show record fall - The last month of 2008 saw shop prices fall by the biggest margin in at least three years as consumers benefited from aggressive discounting and the VAT reduction.
07/01/2009 - Darling's VAT cut 'had no effect' - A chief executive of one of the UK's leading fashion retailers has said the temporary 2.5% cut in VAT has had "no effect whatsoever" on consumer spending.
07/01/2009 - Number of empty shops to increase - As the high street continues to be hit by the economic downturn, new research reveals that one in 10 shops will be empty in February.
06/01/2009 - 'Health check' for businesses urged - Companies have been urged to undergo a free Business Health Check service to ensure that they can survive the economic downturn.
06/01/2009 - B&B fire rules 'must be balanced' - Bed-and-breakfast operators in Scotland will not have to follow new fire regulations after the Scottish Government put the changes on hold as many establishments are already struggling to implement the existing rules, a tourist chief has said.
05/01/2009 - Farmers targeted in safety drive - A new safety drive to reduce the number of accidents in the farming industry is to target thousands of British farmers, it has been announced.
05/01/2009 - Threat of worsening credit crunch - The worsening economic outlook will prompts further cutbacks on lending by banks and building societies, according to a Bank of England report.
02/01/2009 - Red tape to hit farming in 2009 - The New Year could see a massive reduction in farm production throughout the UK due to previously unfavourable weather and the rise in "pointless" red tape, a union chief has warned.
02/01/2009 - Shop owner leaves store unstaffed - A shopkeeper's belief in the decency of his customers has paid off after he opened his store on Boxing Day but left it unattended, relying on an honesty box to collect any payments.
31/12/2008 - Last Woolworths stores set to close - Woolworths stores across the country will continue to close over the next few days after the firm went into administration, with the last 200 shops due to stop trading on January 5.
31/12/2008 - Virtual meetings 'may save money' - Businesses are being urged to consider a hi-tech way of making savings which could remove the need to travel to meetings.
30/12/2008 - Action urged to help smaller firms - The Chancellor and the Governor of the Bank of England have been urged to consider capping interest rate charges on credit cards in a bid to help smaller firms cope with the economic downturn.
30/12/2008 - Firms contacting debtline soars - The number of companies seeking confidential advice on debt has doubled in the past year, figures show.
29/12/2008 - Call to not raise minimum wage - The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has called for the national minimum wage not to be increased in 2009 because of the looming recession.
29/12/2008 - Experts warn of economic set-back - An economic think-tank has warned that Britain's economy could be set back five years thanks to the biggest slump in output since the aftermath of the Second World War.
24/12/2008 - Stores recall Colgate toothpaste - Sainsbury's and Boots have had to recall thousands of tubes of fake Colgate toothpaste after they were duped into selling the counterfeit product.
24/12/2008 - Stamp costs to rise 3p in April - The price of first and second class stamps is to rise by 3p in April, the Royal Mail has announced.
23/12/2008 - Firms cut back on fleet car costs - Companies are cutting costs during the economic downturn by limiting the choice of fleet cars available to staff.
23/12/2008 - Warning over insurance deceptions - A trade body has warned that increasing numbers of applicants are running the risk of invalidating their insurance cover by lying when they take out a policy in a bid to get a better deal.
22/12/2008 - VAT reductions for landlords urged - Three-quarters of a million empty homes are the target of calls to use reductions in VAT to help house some of the 1.6 million families on council-house waiting lists.
22/12/2008 - Small businesses get refund promise - New European legislation will better protect the savings of small businesses should banks fail.
19/12/2008 - Firms 'not protecting property' - Research shows that a number of businesses are not protecting their intellectual property, despite knowing it is important to do so.
19/12/2008 - Government `to act as lending bank` - Firms struggling to survive the recession may receive loans directly from the Government in a move to avoid the worst effects of the credit crunch.
18/12/2008 - Flood forecasting centre announced - The Government is to set up a £7.7 million national flood forecasting centre that would protect small business premises in areas vulnerable to flooding, environment secretary Hilary Benn said.
18/12/2008 - Move to block 2.5% VAT cut rejected - An attempt to block the Government's temporary 2.5% VAT cut has been rejected by 303 votes to 223, with a Government majority of 80.
17/12/2008 - Government sounds flood-risk alarm - Many small businesses and homeowners in flood-risk areas may not realise the dangers they are facing, the Environment Agency has said.
17/12/2008 - Browser bug leaves users vulnerable - Internet users are being warned that a security flaw in Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser has led to the infection of more than two million computers worldwide.
15/12/2008 - Christmas party fraud threat danger - Computer fraud and straight theft by drunk employees at the office Christmas party represent a severe risk to businesses, says forensic-computing investigator Andrew Sheldon.
15/12/2008 - Consultation on parking charges - A consultation on allowing councils to charge businesses for parking places they provide to staff has been launched, junior transport minister Paul Clark has announced.
12/12/2008 - Ram-raid gang targets village ATMs - A number of incidents involving overnight raids on cash machines in Kent may be linked, police have said.
12/12/2008 - Rise in property flooding risk - Figures obtained by the Conservatives show that the number of properties at risk of flooding increased by a fifth in five years.
11/12/2008 - Brown promises loan guarantee move - The Conservative Party has called on the Prime Minister to introduce a national loan guarantee scheme to help the declining economy.
11/12/2008 - New legislation 'encourages crime' - Shoplifters who steal to feed an addiction will be given lesser sentences as part of new legislation branded a "shoplifter's charter" by the Tories.
10/12/2008 - Red tape cuts for firms 'on target' - UK businesses could save £3.4 billion a year after it was announced that the Government is on track to meet a target of cutting red tape by 25% by 2010.
10/12/2008 - New payment code to support SMEs - The Government is to launch a prompt payment code to encourage big businesses to pay small companies faster.
09/12/2008 - Tobacco to move under the counter - The health secretary is set to announce moves to force cigarette sales "under the counter" despite concerns over the impact on small firms.
09/12/2008 - Sales drop bodes ill for retailers - It could be an unforgiving Christmas for beleaguered retailers hoping for a seasonal boost after figures showed the first successive monthly fall in overall sales for nearly 14 years.
08/12/2008 - Fewer firms set up as crunch bites - Company start-ups have fallen to their lowest level since the dot-com crash of 2001, reflecting the gathering pace of the UK's economic downturn.
08/12/2008 - Banks 'not lending to small firms' - A new study has revealed that many small businesses are still struggling to get affordable credit from banks, despite commitments to lend fairly.
05/12/2008 - Brown urges banks to reduce rates - Banks are facing increased pressure from the Government to pass on the latest interest-rate cut to borrowers.
05/12/2008 - Man spared jail after theatre scam - A man has been sentenced to 120-hours community service after he and his boss stole as much as £25,000 in ticket receipts.
04/12/2008 - Businesses condemn Supplement Bill - The Government plans to impose an additional supplement of up to 2p on the national business rate despite facing tough criticism from the corporate sector.
04/12/2008 - Rise in security van robberies - Police have warned that security van robberies are on the rise as the economic slowdown takes hold.
03/12/2008 - HBOS in lending move to small firms - Small-business customers have received a boost from Halifax Bank of Scotland after the firm announced a support package to help combat the economic turmoil.
03/12/2008 - Millions saved as red tape slashed - Government moves to cut red tape have saved businesses £418 million a year from the costs of dealing with employment law, ministers have claimed.
02/12/2008 - Poor transport costs firms billions - The extra costs shouldered by UK firms because of the country's "dilapidated" transport systems has more than quadrupled over the past 12 months to £23.2 billion, a business body has said.
02/12/2008 - Firms welcome virtual companies - Working entirely online as a 'virtual company' would be welcomed by nearly half the UK's small and medium-sized businesses, according to a survey.
01/12/2008 - Tourists lured in by UK discounts - As high street prices keep falling the number of tourists coming to the UK to do their Christmas shopping is increasing.
01/12/2008 - Credit-crisis company short-list - A short-list of the type of company the Government would give priority assistance to as the recession bites is being drawn up with the help of Business Secretary Lord Mandelson.
28/11/2008 - Millionth contactless card issued - Barclaycard has welcomed its one millionth customer to its contactless payment card system.
28/11/2008 - Firms' confidence down amid gloom - Bosses of Britain's small and medium sized businesses are facing big problems as a result of the recession, with confidence falling in recent months.
27/11/2008 - OFT publishes legal business guide - The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has published a new guide for businesses on how to comply with competition and consumer laws.
27/11/2008 - Businesses give fit notes the nod - Business groups have welcomed the Government's decision to replace doctors' sick notes with fit notes in a bid to reduce the £100 billion cost to the economy of ill-health.
27/11/2008 - Banks 'must start lending to SMEs' - Britain's banks have been accused of failing to honour commitments made to maintain lending to small businesses.
27/11/2008 - Slow payers hit British businesses - Customers who delay paying their bills are becoming an increasing problem for British businesses, according to new research.
25/11/2008 - Fit note system to be introduced - In a bid to combat Britain's "sick-note culture" and help people back into work, the Government is to introduce a new system involving electronic "fit notes".
25/11/2008 - Small firms get £7bn rescue package - A £7 billion package to help small firms that includes deferred tax rises and access to loans has been pledged by Chancellor Alistair Darling.
24/11/2008 - Bank to freeze overdraft charges - Up to a million small businesses could benefit from a move by a major bank to freeze overdraft charges in a bid to ease growing financial pressure on the sector.
24/11/2008 - Industry hails court music ruling - Pubs, restaurants, hotels and other businesses could face a reduction in the fees they pay for playing background recorded music following a landmark appeal ruling in the High Court.
21/11/2008 - Rental properties flooding market - Some buy-to-let landlords are facing a fall in rental income after figures showed that the lettings market was being flooded with property that had failed to sell.
21/11/2008 - 'Action needed to help businesses' - The Government is being urged to take action to ensure businesses make it through the financial downturn.
20/11/2008 - Brown vows to encourage lending - The Government will take "all measures necessary" to get the banks lending again to small businesses, Gordon Brown has announced.
20/11/2008 - Code on migrant workers launched - Businesses employing migrant workers will be able to sign up for a new voluntary code of practice that is being launched in Lincolnshire.
19/11/2008 - Fire safety advice for small firms - Small business owners within the hospitality industry are being given advice on how to comply with fire safety rules in a new Government-produced booklet.
19/11/2008 - Cheap fuel prompts inflation fall - More interest rate cuts are likely to be on the cards after inflation fell at its fastest rate for 16 years during October, thanks in the main to cheaper fuel prices.
18/11/2008 - Blitz on dangerous Chinese imports - Dangerous goods imported from China are prompting more companies to check that they are fully protected by their public-liability, product-liability and other insurance cover.
18/11/2008 - Firms pessimistic over economy - Companies have become increasingly pessimistic about the outlook for the economy with business confidence hitting a new low, a report has revealed.
17/11/2008 - Group voices unemployment fears - Business leaders have warned more than one in 10 workers could face unemployment if Government bids to kick-start the economy fail.
17/11/2008 - £4m fund open to Midlands firms - The country's manufacturing heartland is to receive a £4 million boost in a bid to offset the damage caused by the global credit crunch.