MMC>Knowledge centre>Research>Business Changes File Business Barometer
Business Changes File Business Barometer (Sep 09-Feb 10)
Author: Royal Mail and DQM Group
Date: 17 March 2010
The BCF Business Barometer contains the latest 'change' data from Royal Mail and Experian (September 2009 to February 2010) on UK businesses that have moved location, started up or opened new sites in
the past six months.
The barometer provides a unique picture of the UK's economic activity to help B2B marketers and planners understand national, local and regional business trends. It also offers invaluable insight to business product and service providers who rely on relocation as a trigger for new customer acquisition.
Key findings include:
The number of business movers has increased by 3.7% over the past six months (up from 23,665 to 24,566). And 27% of these businesses have moved to another county.
Glasgow has seen a growth of 8.87%, with the number of active businesses within its boundaries increasing from 41,797 to 45,701 in the last six months.
London still has the highest volume of business moves (3,019) accounting for 9.77% of business relocations in the UK. However this is down from 14% in the previous six months, and there are signs of a gradual of outflow of businesses from the capital.
Plymouth in Devon is the fastest growing town, with 180 new sites in the last six months (1.54% of the total business population for the area). Next come Sunderland in Tyne & Wear (1.53%) and Belfast in County Antrim (1.47%).
Average relocation distance is 15 miles, but even this may prompt a change in suppliers. This is because even for IT maintenance or accountancy services, easy on-site or face-to-face access is important.
The proportion of firms moving within a town or city is an indicator of companies’ satisfaction. It usually reveals a decision to upgrade premises as a firm grows in that location. In order, the top five are: Aberdeen (Aberdeenshire), London (London), Bristol (Avon), Edinburgh (Midlothian), and Milton Keynes (Buckinghamshire).
To find out how your business can benefit from this data, contact one of our B2B data experts.
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