Cardiff has the best rate in the UK between business births and deaths.
New research, conducted by the School of Marketing, shows Cardiff had 72% more businesses opening than those closing in 2021 at 3,460 compared to 2,010.
This meant that for every 10 businesses that died, roughly 17 new ones started up.
The financial and business sector is the largest employer with 20% of the city’s workforce employed in this field.
Bridgend is ranked ninth in the UK , having experienced 870 business births in 2021 compared to 630 deaths – a 38% positive difference.
Mansfield in Nottinghamshire came second with 64% and Wolverhampton third with a 50% difference.
The study, using ONS data, also found that business openings across the UK were 4% higher than pre-pandemic numbers with 401,815 companies being started in 2021 compared to 386,200 in 2019.
In terms of closures, 420,135 businesses died in 2021 in the UK – almost 5% higher than the number of new openings in the same year.
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A School of Marketing spokesperson said: “With many prospective business owners holding out to begin their companies with the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, this list not only shows the best regions to do so but also highlights how in many areas the economy is starting to flourish again.
“It’s interesting to see the diversity of the regions in the top ten, with Welsh areas, northern regions and London boroughs all performing well for new businesses.”
The best UK regions to start a business
Rank
Region
2021 Business Births
2021 Business Deaths
Births/Deaths % Difference
Number of new businesses born, for every 10 that died
1
Cardiff
3,460
2,010
72.14%
17.21
2
Mansfield
625
380
64.47%
16.45
3
Wolverhampton
1,780
1,180
50.85%
15.08
4
Sandwell
2,140
1,460
46.58%
14.66
5
Ipswich
925
635
45.67%
14.57
6
Hull
1,345
925
45.41%
14.54
7
Broxtowe
580
410
41.46%
14.15
8
Darlington
590
425
38.82%
13.88
9
Bridgend
870
630
38.10%
13.81
10
Newham
3,570
2,625
36.00%
13.60
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