Here is this weeks business news from BigFish Media Voiceover Artist Sasha Twining:
BITTEN BY A SHARK
Really shocking statistics came out this week about loan sharks. It seems that they are sadly profiting from the recession. A hundred thousand families turned to them just before Christmas, borrowing a total of £29million. The average loan was just under £300, which sounds almost manageable, until you realize that equates to £820 after the interest is added.
DRIVING UP THE PRICES
I think I’ll be taking a course in fuel-efficient driving after my last trip to fill up the car. Petrol prices reached an eye-watering high this week. On average, a litre of petrol will now cost you £1.12. That’s up 25p on this time last year. It’s worth noting that the further north you go, the lower the prices. However I’m not sure how cost-effective it is to make the weekly trip to Hull though.
OX-FAIL GROUP
Spare a thought for Oxfam in the recession. They’ve revealed that their sales are up, but donations are down by a whopping 15%. It seems that we’re turning to eBay to flog our goods and pocket the cash instead. The bad weather hasn’t helped either – it’s been easier to log on to auction sites than battle the snow and ice to donate at the high street shop.
PRIME POSITION
Whatever they’re doing, Primark is doing it well. They released their Christmas trading figures this week and unveiled a huge rise - sales up nearly 20% on last year. They’re not the only ones celebrating the festive season. The owner of Currys and PC World revealed that a TV or PC was sold every other second.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE DANCIN'
You can be forgiven for thinking that everyone was out having a festive boogie in December, but actually nightclubs are having a tough time of it. Luminar, the UK’s biggest club owner, had a poor Christmas. They’re suffering because their target age group, the 18-24 year olds, are facing high unemployment. Club bosses have revealed they are planning a tie-up with HMV, the record store, which may mean we see far more live music in nightclubs.
Sasha Twining is LBC 97.3's Business Correspondent. You can hear her Monday-Friday between 4 and 7pm on the James Whale Programme.
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