From classical musicians to pensioners, from airlines to bus firms, no one can escape the runaway escalation of the cost of fuel.

Classical music lovers take note: the oil price shock will soon be playing at a venue near you. That's the warning from Jonathan Beecher, a professional cellist and owner of Beecher Acoustics in Oxford, which supplies orchestras for classical concerts across the UK and restores instruments.

He needs two minibuses and a small truck to ferry an orchestra and its equipment around the country. He reckons that the fuel bill now accounts for about 10 per cent of the total cost of putting on a show. ... Read full article