0:00:00 > 0:00:05Adam Wild BBC News. That is it for now,
0:00:05 > 0:00:06we are for now, back with
0:00:06 > 0:00:08the late news at 10.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10Now on BBC1 it's time for the news where you are.
0:00:10 > 0:00:20Goodbye.
0:00:20 > 0:00:21Good evening from BBC London News.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25I'm Alpa Patel.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27There are concerns that lower consumer spending this Christmas
0:00:27 > 0:00:29could mean difficult times for small businesses.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31There are more than a million small and local firms
0:00:31 > 0:00:33across London, employing tens of thousands of people.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36But there are fears, that as we continue to cut back,
0:00:36 > 0:00:37some will struggle to survive.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38Sarah Harris reports.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40I have those ones, the brown ones.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43For ten years Irina has run her designer clothes and shoes
0:00:43 > 0:00:45business in central London.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48It's been a great success.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51But in the last 12 months she's noticed a sea
0:00:51 > 0:00:55change ,both online and in her shop.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Having had the business for a long time, we can definitely compare year
0:00:59 > 0:01:03on year the trend where customer spend has
0:01:03 > 0:01:04reduced, or basically the
0:01:04 > 0:01:07customers are spending less.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11On the South Bank they are gearing up for the
0:01:11 > 0:01:13festive season, but according to the latest
0:01:13 > 0:01:16research commissioned by the
0:01:16 > 0:01:17Federation of Small Businesses, it seems
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Christmas cheer is thin on the
0:01:18 > 0:01:19ground among their members.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22A lot of London businesses have been having a
0:01:22 > 0:01:24tough time recently, the cost of doing business
0:01:24 > 0:01:26is at its highest for four years.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29London was hit really badly by this year's
0:01:29 > 0:01:30change in business rates, a
0:01:30 > 0:01:34lot of people's bills went up enormously, they are facing rents
0:01:34 > 0:01:38going up in many cases and so times have been tough.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Some small firms, though, are bucking the trend.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45Sheila's cactus business is going from strength to strength.
0:01:45 > 0:01:51I think if you offer something different, it's not on
0:01:51 > 0:01:54every high street, it's not in every other shop, people warm to it.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56I think I have been lucky that I have
0:01:56 > 0:01:59picked the right thing.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02And even, you know, if people don't want to buy a
0:02:02 > 0:02:12plant, they generally come in and they will buy
0:02:13 > 0:02:15because it's green and it's healthy, and makes
0:02:15 > 0:02:16them feel good.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18With small businesses accounting for half of
0:02:18 > 0:02:21the capital's jobs, it is hoped the pessimism is not
0:02:21 > 0:02:23being overplayed and the festive spirit will lead to
0:02:23 > 0:02:24better than expected sales.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29Sarah Harris, BBC London News.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Five men have been injured after a car hit a group of people
0:02:33 > 0:02:34in Brixton in the early hours.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36Police believe it happened shortly after an altercation
0:02:36 > 0:02:38between the people in the car and some pedestrians.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40The VW Golf was abandoned when the occupants ran off.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Police are still at the scene on Stockwell Road,
0:02:43 > 0:02:44which is still is still closed.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48There have been no arrests.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Researchers from the University College London have been
0:02:50 > 0:02:58involved in a study which has found that
0:02:58 > 0:03:00overweight middle aged people are more likely
0:03:00 > 0:03:01to develop dementia.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02The research found that being overweight, reduces
0:03:02 > 0:03:04blood flow to the brain.
0:03:04 > 0:03:05Experts say the study highlights the importance
0:03:05 > 0:03:14of having a healthy weight in supporting a healthy brain.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17the Salvation Army in readiness preparing extra food parcels for
0:03:17 > 0:03:22those in need, partly in the light of the roll-out of Universal Credit
0:03:22 > 0:03:25in the town next week, there are fears that thousands of families
0:03:25 > 0:03:29could struggle to eat if there are delays with the new benefit payment.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34It is all locally done, the money raised for it is from local
0:03:34 > 0:03:40donations, and then it goes to local families and people as well. Maybe
0:03:40 > 0:03:44three weeks into December if a family or an individual or a couple
0:03:44 > 0:03:52struggling even if they are not now we will still be able help them. It
0:03:52 > 0:03:57has felt a bit warmer today, let's find the weather out now, with Sara
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Thornton.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04find the weather out now, with Sara Thornton.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08Good evening, if you've been waiting for the much heralded milder air,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11you probably spent much of the day today wondering where it is.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14It is coming but slowly and we've still got the cold at the moment
0:04:14 > 0:04:17with some breaks in the cloud overnight, the temperatures
0:04:17 > 0:04:19will fall away to about 4 or 5 degrees.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21And there's more rain to contend with first thing tomorrow.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24It's because we've got a couple of frontal systems, another sinking
0:04:24 > 0:04:27towards us as we go through the night but bear with it
0:04:27 > 0:04:28because that is mild
0:04:28 > 0:04:30air to filter in behind it as the day wears on tomorrow.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33We'll have a cloudy and a damp start but things
0:04:33 > 0:04:36improve all the while and you'll notice the difference in the feel
0:04:36 > 0:04:37of things through the afternoon.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39So rain around breakfast, coming in from the north,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42and it's tracking off towards the south nicely and from
0:04:42 > 0:04:44lunchtime we'll start to see breaks in the cloud,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46some brighter spells for the afternoon and here is your
0:04:46 > 0:04:47reward, 11 Celsius, 52 Fahrenheit.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49You will notice the difference.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50At the beginning of the week we'll keep
0:04:50 > 0:04:53that slightly milder air with us, looks like things
0:04:53 > 0:04:53turn again though from Thursday, colder next weekend.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58turn again though from Thursday, colder next weekend.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00Not bad, temperature wise!
0:05:00 > 0:05:04This it from me and the team - have a lovely evening won't you.
0:05:04 > 0:05:05Bye for now.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Bye for now.