SME’s make up 99% of the UK’s 5.2 million businesses. As I’ve said many times before SMEs are the lifeblood and the future of the UK economy.

It is encouraging then to see that according to their latest Entrepreneurs Index, produced by Barclays and the Business Growth Fund, the number of start-ups in the UK rose by 3.7% in the second half of 2014 – the second highest increase since the Index was first published in 2012. The total number of active companies in the UK now stands at 3.14 million. The Index also revealed that the number of 18-64 year olds starting their own business was up by an impressive 8.6%.

I’m sure that these stats will have been mirrored in Warrington in our position as an entrepreneurial hotspot for new businesses and one of the start up capitals of the UK.

In September Warrington’s Business Incubator will open its doors focussing its activity on the energy and engineering sectors which have been identified as high-growth sectors in the local Warrington economy. A key part of the support offered to the new businesses that take space there will flexible leases and reasonable rental terms to assist their growth and development in their crucial early years.

For those who are considering starting up in retail, however, setting up at Warrington Market offers a great opportunity. The market has been a thriving entity for 700 years and can offer a very competitive start and similar flexible terms to those which will be available at the Business Incubator. Furthermore Warrington Market is assured a great future. In 2017 it will move into its impressive temporary home and then in 2019 into the fantastic £10 million new market hall.