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  • Tyl by NatWest study identifies bookshops, clothing stalls and markets, and takeaways as some of the fastest growing businesses in the UK between 2017 and 2022.
  • The number of businesses specialising in fresh produce, retail and entertainment has grown the most over the same period.
  • Additionally, businesses specialising in food and drink, gardening and sports witness new interest across UK communities.

 

A new report has revealed the UK has seen an uptick in new bookshops, clothing retailers, and takeaways, particularly across London, Birmingham and Manchester. Making their mark on the UK economy, the number of businesses specialising in retail, food, and entertainment services has grown the most since 2017.

Tyl by NatWest, the payments partner supporting UK SMEs and micro businesses, commissioned the Evolving Enterprise Index, showing the fastest growing and fastest emerging industries across the UK’s largest cities*.

In partnership with Data City, Tyl by NatWest analysed data from Companies House, showing the number of businesses newly opened in some of the most economically significant industries between 2017 and 2022. Representative of Britain’s diverse business landscape, the research showcases entrepreneurial development from the top 14 urban hubs across the UK, confirming that Britain remains a thriving environment for fledgling small and medium sized enterprises.

 

The Evolving Enterprise Index paints a picture of growth for Portsmouth’s sports clubs, Edinburgh’s Garden centres, and Belfast’s fitness outlets, showing that Britain’s heritage of innovative entrepreneurship still has a bright future ahead.

 

Table One: Fastest growing enterprises per region

Region

Fastest growing enterprises (% growth rate 2017-2022)

London

Bookshops (217%)

Birmingham

Clothing & Textiles Stalls (638%)

Manchester

Takeaways (506%)

Leicester

Butchers (265%)

Glasgow

Clothing, Textiles, Footwear Stalls and Markets (662%)

Cardiff

Photography (419%)

Sheffield

Takeaways (488%)

Edinburgh

Garden centres (287%)

Portsmouth

Sports clubs (114%)

Leeds

Physical Wellbeing Activities (265%)

Newcastle

Medical practices (122%)

Belfast

Fitness Facilities (239%)

Southampton

Child day care (138%)

Bristol

Camping facilities (53%)

 

Additionally, Tyl’s research spotlights which sectors have gained completely newfound momentum between 2017 and 2022, revealing the most established areas in which these exciting new business hubs have come to light. Cardiff leads with new clothing retailers, as Leeds and Portsmouth demonstrate growth in artisanal and horticultural crafts, such as bakeries and garden centres.

 

Table Two: Fastest emerging enterprises per region

Region

Fastest emerging enterprise (No. of newly opened businesses 2017-2022)

Leeds

Bakeries (88)

Cardiff

Clothing, Textiles, Footwear Stalls and Markets (87)

Birmingham

Food and drink stalls (87)

Glasgow

Photography (83)

Edinburgh

Child day care (72)

Southampton

Travel Agencies (48)

Bristol

Bookshops (40)

Leicester

Opticians (36)

Newcastle

Opticians (36)

Portsmouth

Garden centres (31)

Belfast

Garden centres (31)

Sheffield

Dry cleaning (21)

 

 

Mike Elliff, CEO of Tyl by NatWest comments: “This research is a testament to the very best of British business. Entrepreneurs have had to weather an unprecedented global pandemic, a shifting political landscape and a rapidly transforming hybrid world. Our Evolving Enterprise Index shows that the UK is a thriving hub for new entrepreneurs who have cemented themselves as the epitome of resilience given the challenges of recent years. Whether SMEs are looking to start, scale or grow their business, we are proud of the role Tyl can play in helping them do so. Our index offers valuable insights for SMEs to better understand the unique business blend of their local communities, and which markets they can take advantage of.”

 

Last year, research from Tyl by NatWest revealed that bakeries are the most sought-after shop on a ‘perfect high street’, with butchers also ranking in the top ten. The Evolving Enterprise Index crowned Leicester as the fastest growing market for butchery, with an increase of 265%between 2017 and 2022, followed by London with 226%, reporting a staggering 1,256 new meat vendors appearing in the capital.

Alternatively, Glasgow leads in the dining-out market with an increase of 169% as the strongest hub for new in-person restaurants, while Manchester has seen the largest surge in takeaways, with a 506% increase.

Elsewhere, Britain’s coastal cities have proven that sports facilities are central to strong communities, with Portsmouth reporting a 114% increase in new sports clubs. Southampton follows suit with an 89% increase, with new sports shops as the fastest emerging market for the city.

Encouragingly, the UK garden centre scene is blossoming in inner city environments. Britain’s capital cities are seeing the biggest boom in gardening facilities, with an impressive 322% increase in new garden centres in Cardiff, closely followed by 298% in London and 287% in Edinburgh.  

 

According to small business expert, Teresa Heath-Wareing: “The key to a thriving SME economy is in a wide variety of sectors that will appeal to a diverse range of consumers. It’s reassuring to see the positive outlook for small businesses who take the time to understand their local landscape and business climate.”

She adds, “Small businesses are fighting an uphill price battle against larger organisations. To succeed in such a competitive environment SMEs must embrace the ways they add value to their customers that go beyond the bottom line.”

 

Tyl’s top tips for SMEs to improve their products and services:

1)      Get to know your customers better

Tailor your product and service offerings to fit the wants and needs of your customers using data. AI tools such as chatbots and predictive analytics can help you make informed business decisions to help grow your customer base. Investing in business analytics is a useful way for SMEs to have an accurate handle on sales, payments, and inventory, often keeping track of everything in one place and at the same time. Features like the Tyl Portal help by providing visibility over transactions, invoices, and settlement history, and can help you find out when the busiest times are in your business. These insights are vital when it comes to refining your business model and gaining an understanding of issues such as staff numbers and what products are flying off the shelves, ultimately helping you maximise your profits.

2)      Embed your business’ purpose in the community

With the role of business increasingly recognised in the fight against the climate crisis and social mobility, showing that you at least consider these factors in your business model is rapidly becoming a minimum expectation for many consumers and investors. However, the real growth and strengthening of customer relationships comes when you go that one step further, showing how your business’ commitment in these areas specifically improves life for the local community.

3)      Diversify your payment methods

Bricks and mortar shops are an important brand building piece for retailers, but consumers want flexibility and choice in how and when they pay. With more ways of taking payments than ever before, like Tap to Pay and Buy Now Pay Later, it’s never been easier to give your customers a payment method that suits their spending habits and gives them more transparency over their finances. Adopt new ways to pay like payment links and QR codes to give your customers the most convenient shopping experience. 

Download the full Evolving Enterprise Index report here.

* By metropolitan population

Notes to editor: In partnership with Data City, Tyl accumulated five years of data from Companies House showing the number of businesses newly opened in some of the most economically significant sectors for cities across the UK. To ascertain a full national picture, Tyl selected the largest city by metropolitan population across all 14 regions of the UK. 

To identify the fastest growing markets in each city, a percentage increase from 2017 to 2022 is used to most accurately compare the data city to city.

If there were 10 or fewer companies operating in a certain sector in 2017, Tyl has identified the city as an emerging market to illustrate the areas where the most exciting new business hubs have come to light.  

Where Tyl has cited estimated number of employees, data has been taken from the Office for National Statistics estimates, available through NOMIS. Based on survey responses, these statistics are indicative and subject to real-world adjustments.

For more information, please contact at Eulogy tylteam@eulogy.co.uk

 

About Tyl by NatWest

Tyl by NatWest is a payment partner for UK small and medium sized businesses. Whether businesses take card payments in store, over the phone, or online, Tyl by NatWest offers a choice of innovative and easy-to-use payment solutions that are backed by the care, experience, and security of one of the UK’s biggest banks. 

Tyl by NatWest allows businesses to receive payments quickly and securely, wherever they and their customers are, offering straightforward customer on-boarding, simple pricing, and next working day settlement. With its access to data-led insights, Tyl by NatWest helps merchants make informed business decisions and create more meaningful customer relationships as they manage and grow their business. 

Tyl by NatWest champions business as a force for good, building better communities across Britain, one transaction at a time. Tyl is available for all banked and non-banked customers. 

 

About NatWest Group

NatWest Group is a relationship bank for a digital world. We champion potential; breaking down barriers and building financial confidence so the 19 million people, families and businesses we serve in communities throughout the UK and Ireland can rebuild and thrive. If our customers succeed, so will we. NatWest Group is a leading banking and financial services group in the UK and Ireland. We operate through a number of well-known banking brands. We have a presence on the high street through our customer facing brands - NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland and Ulster Bank. We are the largest supporter of UK business, banking around 1 in 4 businesses across the UK. Our private banking customers know us through their relationships with Coutts, Child & Co and Drummonds. And NatWest Markets help our corporate and institutional clients manage their financial risks and achieve their short and long-term financial goals. 

NatWest Group, as the leading bank in the UK for business customers and one of the largest for retail customers, is determined to play an active role in tackling climate change. NatWest Group was the principal banking sponsor of COP26 in 2021. 

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