Relaxing on the beach in Dumfries and Galloway - but the area is amongst lowest for business start-ups in UK, according to stats
Orkney, Dumfries and Galloway and North Ayrshire are amongst the bottom 20 areas for new business births in the UK, according to national accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.
Figures show that 18 out of 20 areas for lowest start-ups are located in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – and the firm says much more needs to be done to encourage new business growth in the ‘Celtic fringe’.
Areas in Northern Ireland fared worst for new business creation, with an average of 29 new businesses created per 10,000 population.
Scottish areas followed with an average of 37, while Welsh areas averaged 40.
English areas performed significantly better, at an average of 53.
The bottom four areas for new businesses are all located in Wales. The Vale of Glamorgan had just 16 new business births per 10,000 population, making it the worst-performing of 360 areas in the UK, compared to 50 on average across the UK, and 64 in London.
The worst-performing areas for new business creation in England were St. Helens on the outskirts of Liverpool (26 new businesses per 10,000 population) and rural Torridge on the north Devon coast (30).
