Business statisics - why can't you find a plumber in Kensington?

A new study of over 600,000 small businesses paints a fascinating map of how businesses operate across England and Wales.

The research by Barclays Local Business shows why you can never find a plumber in Central London (Kensington has ten times fewer plumbers than average), but you can always find an estate agent in well-heeled parts of the capital (1 estate agent for every 173 people who live in Kensington and Chelsea).

Here are some of the highlights from the study:

Estate Agents

Kensington and Chelsea have a higher concentration of estate agents than anywhere else but the less celebrated Dagenham and Redbridge has nearly as many (one for every 183 people). Great Yarmouth has the lowest number proportionately with just 35 per cent the national average.

Trades

There is a dearth of trades people in inner London according to the survey with London boroughs such as Kensington, Westminster and Camden having the lowest proportion of plumbers and electricians anywhere in the country.

All three have one tenth the level of plumbers compared to the nation overall with one plumbing business per 6,000 of the population, whereas Norwich has one plumber per 500 people.

There is a similar picture for electricians and builders. Towns in Essex have more electricians than elsewhere with Basildon top, whilst Ealing tops the area for builders.

Tourism

Blackpool is king of the bed and breakfast with 14 times more than the national average, whereas York dominates the hotel sector with over five times the national score. Travel agencies have the highest levels in Slough and Manchester with four and three times the national figure respectively. Cornwall has seven times more camping and caravan sites than the national average.

Leisure

Gateshead, Swansea and Barnsley have more public houses relative to the national average than anywhere else with more than twice as many. Chelmsford in Essex has more pubs per person with one for every 385 people.

Great Yarmouth has a higher proportion of restaurants at twice the national average whilst Camden, which takes in large areas of central London, has almost one restaurant for every 100 people.

Hartlepool and Darlington in the north-east of England have the highest concentrations of gambling and betting outlets with nearly ten times the national average. Cheltenham, famous for horse racing’s Gold Cup, comes in third with more than five times that national average.

St Albans in Hertfordshire has the highest concentration of golf clubs whilst Cheltenham again comes top but for health and fitness clubs.

Professions

Central London dominates the accountancy profession with Camden having over three and half times the national rate which works out as one accountant for every 66 people, the highest ratio of business type to population anywhere in the country.

However, when it comes to the law Camden loses out to Manchester which has 2.8 times as many law firms as the national average.

Exeter and Cardiff are the places if you need a dentist, whilst Doncaster has the highest levels of medical practices.

Retailers

Kensington and Chelsea, Brighton and Cheltenham dominate the antique and second-hand shop market at over four times the national average.

Doncaster has a higher proportion of second hand car dealers amongst its businesses but Southend in Essex has more relative to its population, with one for every 665 people. Sheffield dominates petrol sales with four times the national average of petrol outlets whereas Ealing has the least.

Coventry has higher levels of off licenses, Leicester more supermarkets and food shops, Liverpool more newsagents and Middlesbrough the highest level of chemists.

Consultancies

The Thames corridor dominates the world of software consultants with Basingstoke, Slough and Reading’s hegemony only broken by Cambridge. Basingstoke also dominates management consultancy followed by Windsor.