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Outo Kumpo job losses

Up to 230 people could lose their jobs at a steel company in Sheffield. Outo Kumpo has announced plans to close it's factory near Meadowhall.

It's the only steel mill in the UK producing stainless steel long strip which is used to make cutlery and surgical knives.Ìý

Roy Cooke is the vice president of the plant and spoke to ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Sheffield, they started by asking him if this decision had come out of the blue...

New jobs with laminates firm

However, also in September 2008 a local firm announced that they would be expanding and as a result creating a potential 200 new jobs in Sheffield over the next couple of years.

Howard Pressman spoke to Geoff Bywater from Laminates Limited about the news. Listen to the interview below.

Parrot crunch

Some people say Toby Foster gets all the birds!ÌýWell he did on Bigger at Breakfast, when he was joined by two parrots from the National Parrot Sanctuary in Lincolnshire.

Sheffielder Steve Nichols founded the sanctuary, and since the Credit Crunch began he's been inundated with abandoned parrots that people can no longer afford to keep…

He joined Toby, along with Sarah and Hercules, to tell the story of his special zoo and how it began in South Yorkshire…

Robin Hood airport

The airline industry in the UK may be in decline as the Credit Crunch hits - but it seems Robin Hood Airport's bucking the trend.

Nationally carriers like Ryanair, Easyjet and British Airways have cut services this winter because they expect fewer of us to have the cash to jet off on holiday.

But all the destinations offered by the Doncaster airport remain in place - spokesman Robin Tudor says they seem to be escaping the worst of the doom and gloom...

XL Airlines

The travel company XL collapsed on 12th September 2008. We've heard of thousands of people trying to make their way back to the UK.

The company grounded all their flights around the world, leaving thousands of travellers unable to get home.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Sheffield spoke to a couple from Sheffield who were stuck on a Greek island with their 14 month old little girl. They are now back in South Yorkshire after a couple of hectic days and Steve White spoke to them about what happened...

Holdup for Sheffield centre development

´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Sheffield understands that work on the new retail quarter in the centre of Sheffield isn't going to be started now until 2009.

Sheffield's 'Sevenstone' redevelopment

Hammerson, the company behind the £600 million shopping development, say they're taking a prudent approach to all new developments given current market conditions and it's unlikely that any major new schemes will start before summer 2009.

This includes Sevenstone, the development which would have seen the John Lewis building and the surrounding area being completely re-built.

John Lewis has been described as the 'anchor tenant' for the complex and their spokesperson has also confirmed that their new store, which was due to be finished by 2011, will now be three years behind schedule and won't open until 2013.

Credit Crunch at Bramall Lane

´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Sheffield's Seth Bennett spoke to Blades manager Kevin Blackwell in August 2008 about the effect the credit crunch is having on the Lane.

Kevin Blackwell - Can he do it?

"It has to affect football as well. If we take our eye off the financial football, we'll suffer in the long term... I can keep the squad I've got, add to it when I think and then move people on in a prudent fashion.

"Clubs now who have taken a real gamble are having to get rid of players left right and centre. We were able to raid Watford because of their financial problems, and we'll be able to raid one or two other clubs when the time is right.

"But if I go and spend the money willy nilly, I'll have no money when i need it. If it's not broken, don't fix it. Just because we're near the top of the table doesn't mean I'm going to go getting five, six, seven players in - no no no!

I like Sheffield United in that they're not a club that's rash... There will be times when things aren't going well - for me or the club - and that's when a pragmatic approach and understanding from everybody comes into play, and that's when you get stability. Sheffield United has always been known as a fairly stable football club."

:: Is the credit crunch affecting you or your business? Maybe you've seen some positive effects of the economic slowdown? If you have a story to tell us, let us know...