Analysis of Companies House data by the Centre for Entrepreneurs shows there were 772,002 new businesses last year, up 13.25% on 2019. Major increases in the manufacturing and retail of medical equipment, pharmaceutical goods, cleaning products. The percentage of small businesses running exclusively online doubled during the pandemic, from just over a quarter (27%) to more than half (55%).
hotels, restaurants, pubs and bars all saw a decline in new start-ups created. Conference organisers also fell
London was the area with the biggest growth in start-ups. There was a 22% rise to 269,734 businesses.