Record company closures stifle business growth in Gloucestershire

The total number of companies based in Gloucestershire continued to grow in 2021, but it did so at the slowest rate for at least a decade. Entrepreneurial enthusiasm was still very much in evidence, with an impressive 6,357 new companies formed in Gloucestershire in 2021. However, this success was largely offset by the record number of businesses ceasing to trade, with 5,435 companies closing their doors during the year. By the end of 2021 56,711 companies were based in Gloucestershire.

Despite difficult trading conditions the appetite to create new business opportunities was evident across the whole county. 1,763 new companies were created in the South Gloucestershire region, with 1,046 formations in Gloucester itself and a further 1,024 in Cheltenham.

Our infographic below looks in detail at company incorporation activity in Gloucestershire in 2021, comparing it both to previous years and to other English counties. You can drill down to explore the performance of individual districts and even wards within the county.

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