The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
The price of British lamb has reached record highs due to a combination of rising demand, import challenges, and adverse weather conditions. Morrisons drops its 100%…
Deputy PM Oliver Dowden expresses optimism about concluding a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) by the end of the year, potentially boosting…
International Distributions Services (IDS), owner of Royal Mail, is prepared to accept an improved £3.5 billion takeover bid from Czech tycoon Daniel Kretinsky, subject to government…
Labour’s shadow science minister has said the party is planning to launch its strategy on artificial intelligence (AI) within the next couple of weeks, as it…
New research of UK SME business owners shows that the Conservative Party is no longer the party of business.
Over 3,000 cyber breaches were reported to the ICO, which regulates the collection and use of personal data over 2023
UK businesses face significant delays importing perishable goods due to Brexit border IT outages, with lorries held for up to 20 hours and retailers rejecting some…
![Heathrow has said passenger numbers were 60% lower in November than before the coronavirus pandemic and there were “high cancellations” among business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas for Christmas as Omicron spreads. The UK’s largest airport said the government’s travel restrictions had dealt a fresh blow to travel confidence and predicted it was likely to take several years for passenger numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels. This week ministers said passengers arriving in the UK would have to take a pre-departure Covid test, as well as a post-flight test, because of fears about the spread of the new variant. “[The] high level of cancellations by business travellers concerned about being trapped overseas because of pre-departure testing shows the potential harm to the economy of travel restrictions,” the airport said in an update. Heathrow said the drop in traveller confidence owing to the new travel restrictions had negated the benefit of reopening the all-important corridor to North America for business and holiday travel last month. Eleven African countries have been added to the government’s red list, requiring travellers to quarantine before reuniting with families. “By allowing Brits to isolate at home, ministers can make sure they are reunited with their loved ones this Christmas,” said John Holland-Kaye, the chief executive of Heathrow. “It would send a strong signal that restrictions on travel will be removed as soon as safely possible to give passengers the confidence to book for 2022, opening up thousands of new jobs for local people at Heathrow. Let’s reunite families for Christmas.” Heathrow said that if the government could safely signal that restrictions would be lifted soon, then employers at Heathrow would have the confidence to hire thousands of staff in anticipation of a boost in business next summer. The airport is expecting a slow start to 2022, finishing next year with about 45 million passengers – just over half of pre-pandemic levels. This week Tui, Europe’s largest package holiday operator, said it expected bookings for next summer to bounce back to 2019 levels. However, Heathrow said on Friday not to expect the aviation industry to recover for several years. “We do not expect that international travel will recover to 2019 levels until at least all travel restrictions (including testing) are removed from all the markets that we serve, at both ends of the route, and there is no risk of new restrictions, such as quarantine, being imposed,” the airport said.](https://bmmagazine---co---uk.lsproxy.app/wp-content/smush-webp/2024/05/shutterstock_1100012546-768x513.jpg.webp)
Greggs, the UK’s largest bakery chain, reports increased first-quarter sales but faces profit margin pressures due to rising wage costs. The company plans further expansion with…
Taxpayers spent nearly 800 years waiting on hold to HMRC last year, as the spending watchdog criticizes the decline in customer service and the inefficiency of…
Nigel Farage has said he cannot think of any government in recent times which has done more to damage British food production.
Marston's pub chain reports strong first-half profits driven by food and drink sales, anticipates a profitable summer with major sporting events including the Euros.
UK unemployment rises to 4.3%, the highest in nearly a year, as job vacancies decrease. The ONS reports signs of a cooling job market, with wage…
Heathrow Airport criticizes the UK government for hindering the global competitiveness of the aviation industry by withholding VAT-free shopping privileges for foreign visitors.
JPMorgan Chase pledges £40 million in philanthropic investments over five years to enhance access to job opportunities and support financially struggling individuals in the UK.
Nadhim Zahawi, former UK Chancellor, has been selected by the billionaire Barclay family to chair The Very Group, succeeding Aidan Barclay in this key role.