Partner Article

25% increase in UK entrepreneurs

A quarter more people are starting businesses in the UK, according to research by Barclays. 110,300 new businesses started up in the first quarter of 2006, almost one-quarter more than in the same period last year (88,800). It was the second strongest first quarter on record since the bank started tracking the market in 1988. The start-ups survey also reveals that 20,600 women started a business in the first quarter of 2006. This is up from the 16,700 in 2005, but still falling short of the number of men setting up businesses in 2006, which was 75,400.John Davis, marketing director for local business at Barclays says, “A strong cyclical rebound in people starting a business has occurred in the first quarter but despite the high levels, the trading conditions for small business are still quite tough. We expect a more widespread improvement in small business trading conditions to occur later in 2006 and into 2007 as the current economic conditions pick up, providing improving opportunities for more individuals to set up and grow their business.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .