A tale of petrol stations, hairdressers and plumbers – Yorkshire’s trade secrets revealed

IT’S a well known fact that small businesses are responsible for 50% of the UK’s GDP.

From single person enterprises to larger firms employing more, they provide the country with tradespeople, hairdressers, car mechanics, beauticians, pet groomers, accountants, dentists, taxis, estate agencies, vets, nursing homes, health clubs, antique dealers, takeaways, small retailers – and so the list goes on.

But just like large business has clusters up and down the country, so too do small to medium sized enteprises (SMEs) as revealed by Barclays Local Business Trade Map.

The research, based on Barclays Local Business data and representing roughly one fifth of UK small business under £1m turnover, creates an interesting picture of the country’s SME community.

Although it may come as no surprise that Blackpool is the king of bed and breakfasts with 14 times the national average, the fact that Slough has four times the number of travel agencies than anywhere else in the UK is a little less obvious. Having been to Slough and forced to circumnavigate its many roundabouts perhaps not.

And there are other interesting anomalies closer to home. Doncaster for example has a higher proportion of second hand car dealers among its businesses than anywhere else in the country while Sheffield – somewhat inexplicably for a city boasting one of the UK’s best public transport networks – dominates petrol sales with four times the national average of petrol outlets.

Other regional centres also boast unusual findings. Hairdressers and beauty salons come in as the top trade in Barnsley followed by pubs and bars, plumbers and estate agents.

For Bradford, it’s amusement arcades, funeral parlours, interiors and furniture shops and night clubs. Donacster follows a similar leisure orientated theme with leisure parks topping its top 10 trades. Medical practices come in at number two with car sales and plumbers hot on their tale. Once again, socialising helps form the core of Hull’s small business community with night clubs and takeaways coming in at number one and two respectively. Plumbers in Hull fall to a disappointing eighth position.

Leeds and York look very different on paper compared to Yorkshire’s other cities with Leeds unsurprisingly supporting more law firms than any other business closely followed by car sales, nursing homes and accountants. Indeed, anyone new to the city would be forgiven in thinking it was dull with book shops and stationers coming in at number five and grocers sixth. Things get more lively with takeaways coming in seventh, but it’s a return to sensibility at eight with golf clubs, followed by furniture stores and software consultants.

York is perhaps more reflective of its roots with B&Bs coming in first, followed by hotels, plumbers, clothes shops, painters, pubs, car sales, law firms, takeaways and restaurants and cafes.

For David Slane, regional director of Barclays Local Business in Yorkshire, the findings go to further prove the region’s love of work and play.

“The region’s leisure sector is definitely thriving,” he says.

“But it would be hard to explain just why Bradford has more amusement arcades or Doncaster leisure parks.”

And although this year looks to mark a slow down in the number of small firms opening for business, Slane is confident that survival rates will be high despite an economic slow down.

“Last year was a record year for start-ups,” he adds.

“We saw a 20% year-on-year increase to 471,500 – the average being just over 400,000. I don’t think 2008 will be as strong however. That said, I think that smaller firms will cope with the economic slowdown.”

He also hopes the trade map will help highlight the important role small businesses play.

“Most of us have had experiences of trying to track down a plumber or electrician and this analysis highlights where different business types dominate.

“However, what the report really shows is how important small businesses are to the country as a whole. For instance, whether it is going to the local for a pint, on holiday to a B&B or to the newsagent for a papret, all these services which we take for granted are provided by small business people up and down the country.

“Without them the country would just grind to a halt.”