Profits warning from telecoms company

TELECOMS company BNS Telecom Group has warned that its full-year operating profit in one of its key divisions is likely to be £1.3m lower than the company's expectations.

The Northumberland company said it is considering all options for its Network Services Division after a review revealed "significant underperformance during the third quarter and an over ambitious expectation for the final quarter of the financial year".

BNS also said the £2.1m of goodwill associated with the business is also subject to an impairment review.

Membership milestone for sector group

The North-East Process Industries Cluster (Nepic) has attracted its 300th member in just two years.

The body, which represents the region's chemical and pharmaceutical sector, has now signed up bioethanol specialist Ensus.

Bob Coxon, chairman of Nepic, hailed the addition as being a "significant milestone" for the organisation.

More stores to close days after reprieve

Supermarket group Kwik Save has announced it is to close 22 more of its stores around the UK.

The announcement comes only days after the troubled chain said it was to re-open 20 of the 79 stores it closed last month as part of a restructure of the business.

Earlier today, union Usdaw said the latest closures - which mean that Kwik Save has now axed 81 of its stores, about a third of the total number, was a "devastating blow" for workers.

For more on all of these stories, read tomorrow's edition of The Northern Echo