The Telegraph (Free subscription) | yesterday
By Roland Gribben Last Updated: 5:29PM GMT 02 Dec 2008Many complained that the cost of administration was outweighing the benefits. Others said they were not passing on the reduction because it was too much trouble at a time when they were already engaged in an intensive price-discounting battle with the bigger chains. Heather Gorringe, founder of the award-winning Herefordshire-based...
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 11/17/2008
By Roland Gribben Last Updated: 4:58PM GMT 17 Nov 2008The Federation of Small Businesses is reinforcing the case for a new £1bn 'survival fund' to replace the Small Firms Loan Guarantee scheme in the short-term and urging the Chancellor to scrap the planned increases in corporation tax.To ensure the survival fund money reaches the businesses most in need the FSB wants the Government to...
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 11/10/2008
By Roland Gribben Last Updated: 4:23PM GMT 10 Nov 2008 The inflation pointers were reinforced by forecasts that the slide in oil prices could see a 10pc reduction in gas prices and 5pc in electricity charges next year. However, new data revealed that retailers were experiencing their worst trading conditions for three years. A substantial fall in the prices paid by companies for raw materials...
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 11/09/2008
By Roland Gribben Last Updated: 6:12PM GMT 09 Nov 2008The slump in private housebuilding where the number of new homes under construction is back to its lowest level since 1945 is set to continue throughout next year when sharp falls in office and retail developments will add to the industry gloom according to an authoritative industry survey. Growing worries about the health of the sector...
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 10/27/2008
By Roland Gribben Last Updated: 3:27PM GMT 27 Oct 2008Ofgem, the industry regulator, used its powers to intervene and appoint British Gas as the supplier of last resort to keep the power flowing to E4B's 40,000 customers after PriceWaterhouse Coopers failed to find a buyer to avoid the business going into administration. Many, faced with a steep rise in the cost of supplier with the switch...
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 10/23/2008
By Philip Aldrick and Roland Gribben Last Updated: 5:47PM BST 23 Oct 2008The first gathering of what will be a reconstituted "Small Business Forum" will take place within three weeks, when it will be decided whether to bring the warring sides together on a quarterly or monthly basis. The forum, a quarterly event at the Bank of England until Mervyn King took over as Governor in 2003, was...
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 10/23/2008
By Roland Gribben Last Updated: 3:38PM BST 23 Oct 2008They are preparing to budget for pay increases of about 3.5pc, maintaining the current trend, according to a survey by Industrial Relations Services which gathered data from 540 groups of private sector employees. Manufacturers are the most optimistic, suggesting they could afford to pay wage increases of 4pc. The optimism about pay...
