Britain's business community divided over vote on EU membership

Cleckheaton, England

ERIC Simpson, the owner of a furniture recycling firm in northern England, once believed in the European Union. Now he's unsure how to vote in a referendum on Britain's future in the bloc, reflecting growing doubts among the business community.

Leaving the world's biggest economic area, the market for almost half Britain's exports, may sound like business folly. And yet small company bosses like 55-year-old Mr Simpson - and even executives of some larger firms - are divided over the vote on EU membership that Prime Minister David Cameron has promised.

Four decades ago Britons voted decisively to stay in the European "com…