Business News Articles

Terminal 5 beset by problems
The launch of the new Heathrow Terminal 5 has been beset by a succession of problems that saw over 60 flights cancelled in the first two days and passengers forced to sleep overnight at the airport. Many of the problems stemmed from the inability of the baggage systems to cope with the demands placed on it, while there were also reports of airport staff being unable to get through security and... more

Road taxes ‘hit green plans’
Government initiatives to encourage small businesses to use more fuel-efficient company cars will be overshadowed by the burden of additional transport taxes, the Forum of Private Business (FPB) has warned. The rate of VAT on fuel increased by 2p a litre in October last year and while another 2p rise in April 2008 was delayed in the Budget, this was only put off until October. ... more

TV show boost for franchising
The new series of The Apprentice will see a surge in demand for franchising, according to Domino’s Pizza. The franchise company reported sales enquiries rose by 50% when the series was shown last year, peaking the day after episode eight. ... more

Call to speed up injury claims
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has again called for the government to implement a more efficient system for settling personal injury claims. The organisation claims the average motor accident personal injury claim takes 730 days to settle, while workplace claims took three years. ... more

Firms ‘five hours from disaster’
Being offline for just five hours could put a company's future at risk, according to a business ISP. Research conducted by Star Technologies found that many customers now see the internet as their main business communication vehicle and perceive a site that has gone down in the same way they would a company that has ceased trading. ... more

Call for action on mortgages
The Council of Mortgage Lenders has called on the Bank of England to act to improve the amount of liquidity in the mortgage market as banks struggle to meet demand for loans. The organisation revealed that gross mortgage lending fell by 7% in February to £24bn as banks restricted the amount of money they lent. ... more

CBI predicts two-year slump
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has predicted slower economic growth for the next two years in the wake of the global credit crunch. The employers’ body forecast the economy would grow by 1.8% this year and 1.7% in 2009, making the chancellor’s prediction of between 1.75% and 2.25% for the next 12 months look optimistic. ... more

UK inflation hits 2.5%
Consumer inflation in the UK hit its highest level in nine months but only because of a new way of calculating energy bills, according to the Office for National Statistics. The Consumer Prices Index reached 2.5% on a year-by-year basis, taking it well above the government’s target of 2.0%. ... more

Heathrow welcomes Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 has made its first commercial flight in Europe, landing at Heathrow airport from Singapore. The Airbus is currently operated by Singapore Airlines, which has three in service and 16 more on order, and features a new double-decker design capable of holding 470 people. ... more

Shock rise in high street sales
Retail sales saw strong growth in the UK in February, rising 1% from January’s figure and 5.5% from February 2007, the Office for National Statistics has revealed. The increase in spending has been partly due to an increase in food sales and has surprised many analysts who were predicting spending would fall from the levels seen in January. ... more