Across the UK and Republic of Ireland, it is against the law to carry a knife or an offensive weapon in a public place unless you have a good reason. If police think you are carrying an offensive weapon they can stop and search you. Exception.
The total today stands right around 5,000. About 5.7 million small businesses have employees, and private companies account for between 56% and 63% of Americaâs GDP. Small business employs about half the people in the workforce, and account for about 86% of companies with 500 or more employees, according to Forbes. Small business is big business.
How many businesses open and close each year? An estimated 552,600 new employer firms opened for busi-ness in 2009, and 660,900 firms closed. This amounts to an annual turnover of about 10 percent. Nonemployer firms have turnover rates three times as high, mostly because it is much easier for them to go into business and cease operations.