Fuel hikes threaten consumer spending
Getty Images The price of fuel has hit a three-and-a-half-year high as the price of oil continues to climb, putting more pressure on consumers. The average price of petrol has risen to 127.22p a litre and diesel to 129.96p a litre, following a rapid rise in the oil price. Recent figures suggest a squeeze on […]
Making a business from honey: Beekeeper’s mead mission
Matt Newell owns 130 hives, each containing roughly 60,000 Welsh honey bees Not many people are lucky enough to turn a hobby into a career. But that is what Matt Newell, 30, has done, using honey from his beehives to make mead – an alcoholic drink – that is now on sale across the Wye […]
Chefs call for more support to help Bristol restaurants
BBC The Bristol Food Union was formed during lockdown A group of chefs has warned the restaurant scene in Bristol may take years to recover from the impact of coronavirus. They want more support for the hospitality industry in the city, which more than 40,000 people work in. A number of food producers have added […]
‘Fish and chips must help save our seas’
BBC Matthew Williams hopes to win Fish and Chip shop of the year An award-winning fish and chip shop has called for takeaways to do more to protect the seas. The Crispy Cod in Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taff, plans to eliminate plastic bags and polystyrene packaging from the shop. It kicked off its efforts by […]
Climate bill will be ruination of NI agriculture, says UFU
Elaine Mitchell BBC News NI Pacemaker Cattle produce methane, which makes up much of the emissions in the farming sector The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has said a climate bill supported by most of the Stormont parties will be the “ruination” of the agriculture industry in Northern Ireland. The bill sets a binding target of […]
Shoppers stuck at home shun new clothes in 2020
Getty Images Shoppers bought far fewer clothes last year as lockdowns meant people had less opportunity to socialise and go out. While shops have reported demand for certain clothing such as pyjamas and loungewear has risen, demand for going-out items has fallen sharply. And despite a pick-up in December, clothing sales remain lower than before […]
Young farmers and mental health: ‘We feel so isolated’
Levi Jouavel Newsbeat reporter Kelsey Ann Williamson Kelsey lost her partner in 2019 “He didn’t get help as early on as he should have. By the time he did it was too late.” Kelsey Ann Williamson, 23, is speaking about her late partner. They both worked in the farming industry but he took his own […]
Conservatives head for German election victory but far-right AfD set for second place, exit polls say
There’s a lot at stake in these electionspublished at 13:04 Greenwich Mean Time 13:04 GMT There’s a few reasons why this election is so significant to Germany. It comes in the wake of a series of deadly attacks across the country, in Mannheim, Solingen, Magdeburg and Afschaffenburg. Then, 10 days before the election, a mother […]
Cutting methane gas ‘crucial for climate fight’
Justin Rowlatt Chief environment correspondent Science Photo Library Methane gas bubbles trapped in a frozen Alaskan lake Reducing emissions of methane gas is vital for tackling climate change in the short-term, a major UN report says. Methane is produced when living things decompose; it’s also in natural gas. It persists for just a short time […]
NI’s hotels and bars can reopen from 3 July
Armagh City Hotel The plan will see pubs, along with hotels and cafes, open sooner than originally anticipated Northern Ireland’s hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes can reopen from 3 July, the Stormont Executive has confirmed. Self-catering accommodation such as caravans can also open from 26 June. First Minister Arlene Foster said the moves will only […]