UK Startup Numbers Remain Strong

Businesspeople in the UK aren’t being scared off by the current world economy.  Data from Barclays Bank shows that the recent numbers relating to startups and closures have both remained quite respectable.

The first part of this year went pretty well, actually.  "Barclays estimates that there were 98,000 new start-up businesses in England and Wales in the first quarter of 2008.  Though down on the record figures seen in 2006-early 2007, the figures are the highest in the last three quarters, reflecting the resilience of business start-ups," a press release reported.

As for those closures, there were 99,900 this quarter, compared to 111,900 in the final fourth of last year.

It’s hard to say if conditions will remain so cheerful in the future, of course.  The average person can probably tick off at least three reasons the economy may continue to slide, and John Davis, the marketing director for local business at Barclays, stated, "We do anticipate further modest reductions in both start-ups and closures during the remainder of the year, set against the high numbers in recent years."

Still, it’s encouraging to see this small business statistic remain stable for the time being.