Central Business News

Setting up your own business in the current economic climate is never going to be easy, but one enterprising 21-year-old, has more obstacles than most to overcome.

Becki Stone from Leicestershire has Cystic Fibrosis. She has to take between 30 and 40 tablets a day and have regular physio to keep her lungs clear. But with a great deal of determination she's just fulfilled her lifelong ambition and opened her own hairdressing salon. Jane Hesketh reports.

• Business
• Business
• Leicestershire

Derby-based Rolls Royce has a secured a contract with Indonesian airline Garuda Indonesia Airlines for Trent 700 engines.

The engines which are made in the Midlands will help the airline build their fleet of A330 planes, of which they will have 24 by 2015.

Rolls Royce has over 2,400 Trent 700 engines on order from companies across the world.

• UK
• Business
• Rolls Royce

A former Midlands prison could be turned into a business park if new proposals go ahead. Rutland County Council says it's started 'final' negotiations with the Ministry of Justice to buy Ashwell Prison. It was shut last March two years after being badly damaged during a prison riot.

• UK
• prison
• business

"The issue was recently discussed at the October meeting of the European Commission's Consumer Safety network and it was agreed that the current warning on packaging which says "do not use indoors" does not go far enough. The standards are going to be modified so that they provide mandatory safety warnings placed in a prominent position and directly onto packaging."

• Health
• Government
• business

• UK
• business
• Princess Anne

The Princess Royal visits the Brandauer factory in Birmingham as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations.

She tells employees that they are part of an "incredible success story, one which is all the more remarkable for being a family firm operating at such a high level of technology.

• UK
• business
• Princess Anne