MAY TRADE NEWS Warehouse complex proposed for Peterborough Local authorities urged to help businesses improve recycling Business leaders lose faith in the Labour government Sole traders join forces on the Isle of Wight FPB calls for government to cancel fuel duty increase Consumers get better protection from rogue traders Health and beauty sector will grow despite economic slowdown Credit crunch hits wholesale and retail businesses' cash flows CBI reports manufacturers expect to increase prices Businesses attack new agency worker rules Credit crunch 'has not stopped owners selling their businesses' BRC stresses UK firms do not use exploitative suppliers OFT targets retailers who claim to be closing Carbon Trust urged to support small firms London business buck trend as sales increase Bank charges 'could harm small business Small businesses 'could be hurt by extended flexible working rules' BRC reports gloomy sales figures Businesses urged to embrace rail network Business pessimistic about economic future Fuel duty rises 'should be postponed to help businesses and consumers' Report calls for better government support of small businesses Businesses asked for bribes to win contracts Small businesses hit by staff absences Small businesses 'turn to older employees to plug skills gap' Businesses warned of continuing economic slowdown Tories pledge to support small suppliers and local businesses Continuity plans 'vital for small firms' Manufacturers force to pass rising costs on to customers Oxfordshire Retailers Flex Their Muscle FSB steps up campaign to protect local suppliers Small firms 'are turning to bridging loans to maintain cash flows' Government looks to help business by streamlining consumer laws Business disappointed by interest rate hold Shop prices 'only rising slowly' Postal competition 'has not helped small wholesalers' Small firms are turning to bridging loans to maintain cash flows South-west's roads 'need to be improved to help wholesalers' Retailers see April increase in shoppers Government urged to involve small firms in tax forum Good online retail practice satisfies customers Small retailers urged to embrace gift card schemes Commission inquiry not doing enough for small retailers Hornby buys model car maker Corgi Trade News Archive   April 08   March 08   February 08   January 08 Subscribe to our newsletter   Go to The Wholesaler UK Directory 13th May 2008 Continuity plans 'vital for small firms' Small firms should always make sure they have a minimum business continuity plan in place, industry experts have said. Ian Fraser, marketing manager at the Institute of Risk Management (IRM), said that businesses that did not have continuity plans in place were unlikely to survive "major incidents", such as last summer's flooding. He was commenting after Experian Business Strategies and Harris Interactive found that just 32 per cent of UK businesses were prepared to deal with the consequences of losing key suppliers. "There are some minimum business continuity elements which the IRM recommends every business must do - such as identifying alternative accommodation [and] arranging communications and data access," Mr Fraser explained. He said that without plans in place, firms would be "very unlikely to survive a major incident". "If a small business fails to manage its risk effectively and something happens then the consequences can be severe," he concluded. Recently, the Forum of Private Businesses (FPB) reported that the credit crunch was putting stress on small firms who had not developed plans to manage their cash flows.   (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd.