Walsall named second lowest rated area in England to start a business, study shows

The study, conducted by business energy experts Utility Bidder, analysed factors such as GDP, business survival rates, transport links, internet speeds and office efficiency ratings to reveal the best and worst regions for UK entrepreneurs to start their businesses.

Walsall came in as the second lowest rated place in England for business owners, with a score of 2.23 out of 10, based on analysis of official data.

The West Midlands borough was just shy of South Tyneside which was named the lowest with an overall score of 1.71 out of 10.

More than 70 per cent of non-domestic buildings in Walsall have an Energy Efficiency rating of C or lower, the research found, with just 23.6 per cent of buildings boasting a positive Energy Efficiency rating.

Meanwhile, just 18.6 per cent of people in Walsall have a level four qualification or higher, compared to Cambridge, which has the highest rate at 47.8 per cent.

The Walsall local authority area also has an employment rate of 76.0 per cent, according to the study, and a five-year business survival rate of 38.8 per cent compared to the top rated West Devon where 59 per cent of businesses survive five years or more.

Meanwhile - also in the West Midlands area - Wyre Forest, in Worcestershire, was named as having the highest employment rate in the country at 88.8 per cent, indicating a strong local economy.

Business utility comparison site Utility Bidder, which helps businesses to save on their energy bills, said the research covered "everything from internet speeds and local qualification rates to the proportion of new businesses that survived the last five years" based on official data.

The study analysed median internet download speed (Mbps), sourced from thinkbroadband, five-year business survival rate - calculated using ONS business demography data, employment data from the ONS and NISRA and GDP per capita, also sourced from the ONS. It also looked at data from the Office of Rail and Road, Valuation Office Agency, and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

A spokesperson for Utility Bidder said: "In addition to the results of this study, new business owners should take time to compare business energy rates and other expenses across suppliers to ensure they start off with the best deals available."

Sarah Moorhouse, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, said Walsall does face challenges but its business community is "one of resilience, innovation and determination".

She said of the figures: “While we can't ignore the challenges shown in the figures, they only tell part of the story and statistics don’t reflect the incredible grit and innovation we see every day in Walsall.

“Take Coinadrink Ltd for example, they've just been named finalists in three major Express & Star Business Awards categories including Business of the Year.

“Howard Butler Ltd is sending their transformers and meters across the globe, while Surespan's windows and accessories are in demand worldwide.

“The appetite for starting businesses in Walsall is still strong too. Our start-up programme helped over 80 new businesses get off the ground before it wrapped up in March, and we've got a waiting list of eager entrepreneurs wanting similar support.

“The real story of Walsall's business community isn't found in percentages picked by an energy comparison website. And although we acknowledge there’s work to do on things like building energy efficiency, for our members it also opens doors for growth in the green economy. 

“Walsall's business community is one of resilience, innovation and determination – qualities that aren't easily captured in percentages but are evident in the real-world success of our local companies.”