Car hire firms drive to top of UK start-ups

Car hire firms were the most popular type of new business to start up in the UK last month for the first time according to the Startupsplus marketing service from Selectabase.

Starting a car hire business was the top type of new venture in April 2008, with more than seven new businesses starting each day across the country.

The news is according to data released by Selectabase, a UK marketing firm which supplies details of new start-ups each month through its Startupsplus small business marketing service.

This is the first month that the team at Selectabase have seen car hire firms top the monthly league table of new start-ups since the service started.

The rest of the top ten new businesses to start up in April featured more frequently seen new business ideas and occupations such as pubs, driving schools, hairdressing, plumbers, employment consultants, beauty salons, electricians and builders.

Startupsplus data is one of the most widespread sources of new business start-up activity in the UK.

Each month data is obtained from a range of different sources then cross referenced and telephone verified to ensure accuracy.

The team at Startupsplus are surprised to see car hire firms top the league table in April.

"We are well used to seeing the most popular types of start - up like pubs, builders and hairdressers - top our lists month after month, so to see car hire firms suddenly come from nowhere was a real surprise", said Steve Sellwood of Selectabase.

"This type of start-up hasn't even figured in our top ten before".

The latest figures from Startupsplus also show that the Birmingham, Belfast and Sheffield postcode areas were the top locations in the UK for new business start-ups last month.

This presents fewer surprises, as these areas consistently top the monthly league tables as top new business locations.

However, in recent months the London area has seen a consistent decline in its share of new business start-ups.

Small businesses can obtain Startupsplus for locally targeted marketing campaigns to start-up businesses, by contacting Selectabase.

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