• New American Express research reveals the area located in the West Midlands leads the UK for its combination of business start-ups and resilience.

• Uttlesford in Essex and Waverley in Surrey complete the national top three.

London, 14 October 2026: The local authority area of Stratford-on-Avon in the West Midlands has been named the UK’s leading entrepreneurial hotspot in new research from American Express*, based on its combination of new business creation and business resilience.

The study, which analysed data from 317 local authority areas across the UK, including districts, boroughs and cities, places Uttlesford in Essex second and Waverley in Surrey third place - highlighting how some of the strongest entrepreneurial communities can be found beyond London and the UK's biggest cities.

Analysis conducted on behalf of American Express by Development Economics assessed local authority areas across the UK using two measures: business start-up rate and business resilience. Together, the measures provide a picture of where new businesses are both being created and successfully sustained.

Based on this analysis, the Amex Entrepreneurial Hotspots list reveals the highest-ranking area in each UK nation and English region: [https://tinyurl.com/yhfm34kd]

Ruchi Sharma, Vice President, UK Card Services at American Express, said: “Our research demonstrates there are thriving entrepreneurial communities right across the country. Behind the findings are thousands of small businesses bringing ideas to life, creating jobs and contributing to the places they call home. Supporting them as they start, run and grow is at the heart of what we do at American Express.”

Why Stratford-on-Avon comes out top of the UK’s Entrepreneurial Hotspots

The district of Stratford-on-Avon (which includes the town of Stratford-upon-Avon) ranks first overall in the UK when its business start-up rate and two-year business resilience are considered together. Its start-up rate stands at 85 new businesses per 10,000 working-age residents – above the UK average of 73. Its resilience rate is the third highest of any local authority area in the country and highest in the West Midlands, with 81.4% of new businesses still trading two years after registration, compared with a UK average of 68.9%.

Entrepreneur Testimonial: Gemini Woman (independent clothing boutique), based in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon

“Gemini has been trading in Stratford for 41 years, so we’ve seen first-hand how the town has evolved. Stratford has something increasingly rare: a genuine sense of place, combining the heritage and international recognition of Shakespeare with the energy of a living town. For us, that means a wonderful mix of loyal local customers, new people moving to the area and visitors discovering us, alongside a strong community of independent businesses. The real strength of Stratford is that it has evolved without losing its character, as well as a real sense of collaboration between local businesses.”

Commenting on the research, Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday, said: “Starting a small business takes resilience and ambition, and these findings show there are strong foundations for entrepreneurs to thrive beyond the UK’s big cities. Entrepreneurial potential exists across the country, and creating the right environments for small businesses to succeed will strengthen local communities and economies.”

Small Business Saturday [https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com] takes place on 5 December and is a grassroots non-commercial campaign - of which American Express is founder and remains principal supporter in the UK - aimed at celebrating and uplifting independent firms by encouraging the public to support their local small businesses by shopping small.

ENDS

About the research

*Commissioned by American Express, the analysis was conducted by Development Economics in August 2026, using ONS data. Each area was scored on two equally weighted measures: start-up rate (new business registrations in 2024 per 10,000 working-age residents) and business resilience (the share of businesses started in 2022 still trading two years on in that area). Combining the two measures identifies the top ranked areas nationally and in each UK region.

According to the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, Stratford-on-Avon benefits from a diverse local economy; Stratford-upon-Avon’s international reputation as the home of William Shakespeare attracts visitors from the UK and overseas, supporting its leisure, retail and hospitality sectors, while the wider district is also home to professional services firms and specialist manufacturers.

**The list is based on defined local authority boundaries, which do not necessarily correspond with the wider county or geographic area associated with a place name. The examples in the table illustrate some of the places within each local authority area and are not exhaustive. For example, the North Yorkshire local authority area does not include the City of York, which is a separate local authority.

CONTACTS:

amexteam@firstlightgroup.io

ABOUT AMERICAN EXPRESS

American Express (NYSE: AXP) is a global payments and premium lifestyle brand powered by technology. Our colleagues around the world back our customers with differentiated products, services, and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.

Founded in 1850 and headquartered in New York, American Express’ brand is built on trust, security, service, and a rich history of delivering innovation and Membership value for our customers. We seek to provide the world’s best customer experience every day to a broad range of consumers, small and medium-sized businesses, and large corporations, and we build and manage relationships with millions of Merchants across our global network.

For more information about American Express, visit americanexpress.com, americanexpress.com/en-us/newsroom, and ir.americanexpress.com.

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