Insurance News Archive

Property leads the way in entrepreneur increase

The number of budding entrepreneurs has risen and property ventures are leading the way, Barclays has said.

Nearly 25 per cent more businesses started up in the first quarter of 2006, compared to the same period last year.

Property Services were up 43 per cent on 2005, according to the bank.

"A string cyclical rebound in people starting a business has occurred in the first quarter but despite the high levels, the trading conditions for small businesses are still quite tough," said John Davis, marketing director for local business at Barclays.

"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," he said.

Regionally, the West Midlands and the south east saw the biggest overall increase in entrepreneurship, with respective increases of 34 and 29 per cent.

21 Jul 2006