Brighton named '˜most enterprising' UK city

Brighton and Hove has trumped London as having Britain’s most enterprising mentality, according to a new study.

The findings come from research by Funding Circle, a direct lending platform for small businesses, which has launched a campaign to celebrate entrepreneurial spirit in Britain.

It said more people living in Brighton (64 per cent) believe they have the right skills to set up their own business than anywhere else in Britain.

The city also scored highly on adaptability and working well in high-pressured situations; all qualities that drive business-thinking minds.

Research also found the city had some of the lowest rental costs, cheap business rates and fast broadband connection, and that the seaside city is now home to 16,000 businesses and more than 140,000 jobs, providing £7 billion to the UK economy every year.

The company found the average cost of an office in Brighton has remained relatively low for the last five years, and the average annual business rate is 64 per cent cheaper than London.

Christine Johnston, Brighton-based founder of The KiTE, SURF & SUP Co, said: “These results reveal what those of us who have set up businesses in Brighton have known for years. It’s not just the infrastructure that makes Brighton such an appealing place to start a business, it’s the type of people that gravitate towards the city and the culture that’s been created as a result. There’s something about Brighton that gives people the confidence to follow their dreams and turn their passion into a reality.”

James Meekings, co-founder of Funding Circle, said: “This campaign is all about celebrating the creative people and business minds across Britain. They combine passion with hard work, and just simply say ‘I can do this’. These are the people we should be proud of, the hard workers and creators, the small business owners up before dawn working hard for their families and communities, ordinary people doing extraordinary things, the people that are made to do more.”

Geoff Raw, chief executive of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “Not only are we one of the most entrepreneurial cities, we are also one of the UK's leading services export cities. This means as a civic institution, we have a major role in supporting businesses across the city region in navigating Brexit and accessing new international markets.”

To find out more about Funding Circle, visit: {http://www.fundingcircle.com|www.fundingcircle.com