Recession creates appetite for pub grub
By Kate Pritchard
Earlier this week, Mitchells & Butlers (M&B), the Harvester and All Bar One operator, announced sales increases, despite the troubles assailing other parts of the economy. “People are tightening their belts and trading down from fine restaurants to pub meals,” comments food entrepreneur Leyla Edwards, one of M&B’s suppliers.

Linda Bennett sells eponymous fashion chain to private equity

By Catherine Woods
Linda Bennett has finally sold her women’s fashion chain, LK Bennett, to Phoenix Equity Partners and Sirius Equity in a deal that’s believed to have netted one of Britain’s most successful female entrepreneurs around £70m.

"Fuel prices are denting profits," says transport entrepreneur
By Kate Pritchard
Petrol prices look set to hit £6 a gallon. Industry experts predict oil will top $150 a barrel. And the government is still muttering about increasing fuel duty by 2p. No wonder courier entrepreneur Kate Lester is fuming.

Investment boosts AstleyClarke.com
By Real Deals & Real Business
Bec Astley Clarke's online luxury jewellery business has received £2.75m from venture firm Index Ventures to help improve systems and infrastructure, and grow the customer base.

Boyle bags bib niche in baby fashion
By Rebecca Burn-Callander
Lara Boyle founded Beauty & the Bib back in 2003 to jazz up the dowdy bib industry. Five years on, her kitchen table start-up turns over £300,000 and sells into Japan and Dubai.

Tracking device firm snares £4m in its first year
By Rebecca Burn-Callander
Have you ever lost your child in a shop? Sara Murray did. She invented a Buddi, a GPS tracker, to ensure it never happened again.

Steep learning curve for jewellery entrepreneur
By Kate Pritchard
Cassandra Goad set up her eponymous jewellery business in 1985, despite knowing “absolutely nothing about P&L and VAT”. But that didn't hold her back. Today, she's rubbing shoulders with Tiffany's on London's Sloane Street.

Fashion entrepreneur Nicole Farhi wins Lifetime Achievement Award
By Kate Pritchard
“I’m sure thousands of women have dreamed of receiving something from Bill Nighy,” joked fashion designer Nicole Farhi as she accepted a gong from the British actor at the Real Business/CBI First Women Awards last night. “But I’m not sure an award from the Confederation of British Industry is quite what they had in mind.”

Olympics veteran on life after the Games
By Rebecca Burn-Callander
Lois Jacobs' event management firm Jack Morton organised the opening and closing cermonies for the Athens Olympics. Four years on, she speaks at the CBI Business Summit about her Olympic experience. 

Who are Britain's top women entrepreneurs?
By Matthew Rock
Some of Britain's most unusual women entrepreneurs are in the running for tonight's First Women Awards.