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Banks’s chief executive today launched a scathing attack on the Government for soaring beer duty rates, accusing ministers of “jeopardising” any chance of pubs recovering from the recession.

Birmingham City continue the quest to move the Premier League’s success story onwards and upwards cautioned by the plight of football’s crisis clubs.

The rate that pubs are closing has slowed down but last orders were called at more than 2,000 locals last year, with the loss of 24,000 jobs nationwide.

Beer sales are showing signs of recovery as the industry starts to claw its way out of the downturn, according to the British Beer and Pub Association.

Midland hospitals are suffering from a drop in donations – with income plunging by up to £588,000 in a year.

More than half the workforce at a West Midlands car hire and repair company has been axed after the firm went into administration, it was revealed today.

Whitbread is back in talks over bringing a 120-bed hotel and restaurant to Walsall’s Waterfront after pulling out of the scheme in the summer.

Fuel prices have soared to their highest levels of the year – with drivers forking out up to 109.9p a litre at pumps in Stafford.

A £200 million revamp of the world-famous Belfry complex in the West Midlands has been put on hold due to the recession, it emerged today.

One in three Black Country pubs currently up for sale could be flattened, according to a report from estate agents released today.

A men’s designer store launched in Wolverhampton city centre just five months ago has become the latest victim of the recession.

Crowds flocked to Wolverhampton Airport for the revival of a traditional Saturday market following its closure three years ago.

The boss of a Black Country brewery that has been taken over after going into administration today said expansion plans could still become a reality.

An historic Black Country brewery has been sold for just £80,000 after falling into administration with debts of £1million.

Jaguar Land Rover confirmed today it would be shutting one of its West Midlands manufacturing bases – on the same day that it announced the creation of 800 new jobs on Merseyside.

Carillion has revealed it is on the fast-track to success with a recession-beating order book that includes a hotel with its own Formula One track.

Walsall’s Sporting Star columnist Darren Fellows enjoyed the occasion of facing Leeds this week but experienced an all-too-familiar case of deja vu.

Jobless figures surged by another 220,000 in the three months to June, hitting the 2.44 million mark – the highest for 14 years.

Land is being bought up to make way for a £140million shopping and leisure complex in the Black Country that has been delayed by the recession.

A Sandwell steel company is expected to make around 40 workers redundant as it struggles through the recession.

Workers made redundant in the recession are helping clear up Walsall’s waterways as part of a community scheme aimed at helping them back into jobs.

Dobbies garden centres are looking to create allotments at some of their garden centres, including one in Staffordshire, and start selling hens and chicken coops to customers.

Half the staff at a Black Country DIY store could be made redundant, less than a year after it opened its doors.

Cannock Chase’s council leader has warned of stinging cuts to public services and rises in council tax as a result of the Government’s recession spending

West Midlands companies in the vehicle industry are to receive £3.5 million of Government and European cash aimed at safeguarding up to 1,000 jobs.

Violent crime is on the increase in the West Midlands – official Home Office figures have showed.

A former metal coating factory in a Black Country town is set to be transformed into a new parade of shops and flats.

A family-run dress shop is the latest business in Cannock to fold during the recession – following less than 12 months of trading in the town.

Was Gordon Brown launching the next General Election campaign in Wolverhampton yesterday? Peter Rhodes tried to get a straight answer.

Writing exclusively for the Express & Star, Conservative leader David Cameron says he was not impressed with the Prime Minister’s visit to Wolverhampton