Which UK Towns and Cities Started the Most New Enterprises in 2016?
In 2016, a record 80 new companies an hour were launched in the UK. This is inspiring for anyone thinking to start their own business. It’s also encouraging for anyone in the early stages of launching a startup. But whereabouts in the UK did the majority of these small businesses pop up in 2016?
We used data from StartUp Britain to discover which UK towns and cities started the most new enterprises in 2016. Here are the top five:
1. London
- Small Business Statistics: London came in at number one in the list, with a total of 205,325 startups opening in 2016. The top three business areas within the city were Camden, Westminster and Hackney.
- The Opportunity: With a reputation as one of the world’s best cities for business, it’s no surprise that London appeared at the top of the list. The city runs on business know-how and creativity in equal measure, and is a feast of opportunity for new enterprises.
2. Birmingham
- Small Business Statistics: A total of 17,473 small enterprises launched here in 2016, placing Birmingham in the second spot.
- The Opportunity: Birmingham City Council offer a business support package scheme, which won in the Improving Business Environment category at the 2016 Enterprising Britain Awards. The scheme helps attract talent and investment, which encourages small businesses in the area to flourish.
3. Wiltshire
- Small Business Statistics: The opening of 10,164 small enterprises here in 2016 put the county of Wiltshire firmly in third place.
- The Opportunity: From digital work to handmade crafts, Wiltshire has proven itself to be a lucrative place to develop a small business. Aside from its general appeal (the county is home to 21 charming towns and one city, Salisbury, plus the iconic Stonehenge), this could be down to the relatively small number of large businesses operating in the area, which leaves more room in the market for smaller enterprises to thrive.
4. Manchester
- Small Business Statistics: Manchester came fourth, with 9,416 startups launching in 2016.
- The Opportunity: The Capital of the North does not disappoint when it comes to small business. The startup community is diverse, and places like the MediaCityUK business park in Salford offer the perfect breeding ground for success.
5. Glasgow
- Small Business Statistics: 7,845 new enterprises opened here in 2016, positioning Scotland’s biggest city in fifth place.
- The Opportunity: Glasgow has benefitted from infrastructure investments in recent years, as well as major regeneration. A lot of tech startups are attracted to the city, with Glasgow even being dubbed a “tech hotspot” a couple of years back.
Other Popular UK Cities for Small Enterprises
Here are the areas and cities that make up the remainder of the top 20:
6. Leeds
7. Edinburgh
8. Cheshire East
9. Warrington
10. Central Bedfordshire
11. Bristol
12. Liverpool
13. East Hertfordshire
14. Brighton and Hove
15. Bury
16. Bradford
17. Leicester
18. Sheffield
19. Bromsgrove
20. Luton
Startups Per 100 People
Slightly different figures were also collected to highlight how entrepreneurial an area is in relation to its population size. The top five were as follows:
1. Bromsgrove
- Startups opened in 2016 per 1000 people: 38
- Total number of startups in 2016: 3,647
2. East Hertfordshire
- Startups opened in 2016 per 1000 people: 30
- Total number of startups in 2016: 4,359
3. Warrington
- Startups opened in 2016 per 1000 people: 28
- Total number of startups in 2016: 5,711
4. London (combined)
- Startups opened in 2016 per 1000 people: 24
- Total number of startups in 2016: 20,5325
5. Poole
- Startups opened in 2016 per 1000 people: 22
- Total number of startups in 2016: 3,358
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