Excluding London it has been found that Milton Keynes is the most expensive place to operate a small business, this according to the Alliance and Leicester Business Banking unit.
It has found that the property rental costs, the price of labour and also transportation are higher here, meaning small businesses have to deal with higher operating costs before they can begin to make any profit. The Alliance and Leicester found Milton Keynes to be the most expensive place to rent retail space and also the eighth best place for wages.
One of the good things about this Alliance and Leicester survey is that high business costs are also associated with businesses doing well. Therefore there are opportunities for new businesses to succeed in Milton Keynes.
,p>The Alliance and Leicester current account offer that has a credit interest rate of 8.5 percent gross is being extended until the end of September according to a recent announcement.
The move has been made to encourage more consumers to save regularly, the high interest rate being a real eye catcher designed to highlight the benefits of saving. The accounts that are included in this Alliance and Leicester promotion are the Premier 50 and Premier Direct current accounts.
Younger savers also have an extension on their own promotion. The Alliance and Leicester Premier 21 account is a current account specifically for those aged between 16 and 21 which is offering a 10 percent interest rate during the promotional period.
Michael Klein, reported recently to be leaving Citigroup, of which Citibank is a part, is set to receive one of the largest payouts in the industry for a departing executive since the credit crunch started.
It is understood that Mr Klein will receive a settlement package from Citibank worth over USD42 million, made up of stocks and cash, with the proviso that he does not join a rival organisation before next October. The amount may cause consternation for the company since it sits uncomfortably with the position of banks and financial institutions saying they are struggling.
Citibank has seen many changes in recent months, with a new management structure now in place to try and steer the business back into profitability and financial stability following heavy losses on the back of the US sub-prime lending collapse.
