6:34 am, May 9, 2023
Thousands of companies facing failure without new energy contracts, FSB warns
More than one in 10 small companies signed up to a fixed-price energy deal during peak prices last summer leaving them with bills well ahead of what the market is offering today, an influential group has said.
The Federation of Small Businesses said that around 93,000 small companies now fear they might be forced to close down, downsize their business or radically restructure, and it called on some of them to be given new contracts.
Firms had been encouraged by the government to sign up to fixed-term deals locking in the price of the day for a year or more to allow them to benefit from its energy support scheme. But that aid was abolished after six months and replaced by a different, much less generous programme.
Birmingham retains title of worst airport for flight delays
Birmingham Airport was the worst in the UK for flight delays for the second year in a row, an investigation has found.
Departures from the West Midlands airport were half an hour behind schedule on average in 2022, according to analysis of Civil Aviation Authority data by the PA news agency.
That was more than twice as long as the previous year, when it was also ranked last for punctuality. East Midlands Airport had the best performance, with an average delay of just 13 minutes.
Travelodge plans to recruit 400 staff over summer
Travelodge says it plans to recruit 400 new staff over the summer at its hotels and head office.
The company said a mixture of full- and part-time jobs plus flexible hours were available, adding they were ideal for parents and students.
Jobs include managers, bar and cleaning staff as well as receptionists.
Calder Valley named UK small business hotspot
The Calder Valley has been revealed as the fastest-growing area for small businesses in the UK, according to fresh research.
The West Yorkshire region, which was the setting for hit BBC TV drama Happy Valley, was pinpointed as a hotspot for start-ups by GoDaddy’s Venture Forward Research initiative.
Data from more than 2.3m microbusinesses – companies with fewer than 10 employees – showed its density of new businesses grew by 70 per cent over the past 12 months amid a boom in entrepreneurship.
Interest rates could rise to 4.5%
The Bank of England isn’t ready to stop raising interest rates as soaring food prices have kept UK inflation elevated, economists have said.
UK Consumer Prices Inflation remained firmly in double digits at 10.1 per cent in March, squeezing household budgets and proving more stubborn than expected.
Experts at Oxford Economics said that as a result they are expecting another 0.25 percentage point increase when the Bank’s policymakers meet on Thursday, taking the bank rate to 4.5 per cent.
SNP would ‘undo Brexit as far as possible’ if election returns hung Parliament
The SNP would ‘undo Brexit as far as possible’ if the next general election results in a hung parliament, the party has said.
Analysis of last Thursday’s local authority election results in England indicates that Labour could fall short of a majority in the Commons when the UK next goes to the polls.
SNP EU Accession spokesman Alyn Smyth said his party would demand the UK has a close relationship with EU in negotiations with a minority Labour government.
Inflation drives retail sales growth but shopper budgets remain under pressure
High inflation continued to support retailers in April but soaring prices meant shoppers bought fewer products during the month.
The latest BRC-KPMG monthly retail sales monitor reported that retail sales grew by 5.1 per cent in April, compared with a 0.3 per cent decline in the same month last year.
However, the industry experts highlighted that although customers spent more, the volume of items bought by shoppers was lower as inflation continues to weigh on budgets.
Working royals return to official duties
The royal family will return to official engagements today following the coronation weekend of ceremony and celebration.
The King is among the working royals who will go back to business as usual, along with the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
As the coronation festivities came to a close last night, the King and Queen pledged to rededicate their lives to service as Charles called the nation’s support throughout the historic celebrations ‘the greatest possible coronation gift’.
Russia bans car-sharing ahead of Second World War commemorations
Russia has enacted a major security clampdown ahead of today’s annual commemorations marking the defeat of Nazi Germany in the Second World War, curbing the use of drones and car-sharing services in its largest cities amid its 14-month war with Ukraine.
At least 21 Russian cities have cancelled May 9 military parades — the staple of Victory Day celebrations across Russia — for the first time in years, Russian media said.
Regional officials blamed unspecified ‘security concerns’ or vaguely referred to ‘the current situation’ for the restrictions and cancellations. It wasn’t clear if their decisions were taken in co-ordination with the Kremlin.
Abarth announces UK pricing for new 500e
Abarth’s new 500e model is available to order with prices starting from £34,195.
Initially launched in a limited-edition Scorpionissima trim level at £38,695, the electric 500e can now be ordered in more regular trim levels ahead of deliveries starting this summer.
All versions get 17-inch alloy wheels as standard, alongside rear diffuser inserts and matt-grey mirror caps. Inside is a 10.25-inch infotainment screen and a seven-inch TFT driving display. With its 42kWh battery, the 500e can return up to 164 miles of range, says Abarth. Full story here
Coronation weekend headlines on Car Dealer you might have missed
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Weather outlook
Today will see overnight rain stay in the Northern Isles, says BBC Weather. Elsewhere will have bright spells and scattered showers, possibly heavy and thundery in the south, east and Northern Ireland.
Showers will become widespread on Wednesday, turning heavy and thundery again, particularly for eastern areas of England and Scotland. However, there will be sunny spells between the showers.
