Number of businesses in the Greater West of England, 2025

11 Mar 2026

This data insight gives a breakdown of the number of businesses in the Greater West of England in 2025.

The Greater West of England is defined here as Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, South Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire, North Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire.

The data are compiled from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR).

101,945

Number of private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England, 2025

613

Number of private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England per 10,000 working adults

77.6%

Percentage of private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England with 0-4 employees

Private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England by local authority area and legal status, 2025

The number of private sector enterprises in each local authority in the Greater West of England by legal status.

In all local authorities other than Bristol, the largest number of private sector enterprises were ‘companies’, followed by ‘sole proprietors’, ‘partnerships’ and ‘non-profit or mutual’ had the least. In Bristol the final two categories were reversed.

Private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England by local authority and employee size band, 2025

The majority of private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England have fewer than 5 employees (77.6%). This is comparable to England excluding London (77.9%).

Among local authority areas, Swindon (80.5%) has the largest proportion of private sector enterprises with fewer than 5 employees, while Bristol (75.4%) has the smallest.

Private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England by constituency and employee size band, 2025

Among the Greater West of England’s parliamentary constituency areas, Bristol North West (81.1%) has the largest proportion of private sector businesses with fewer than 5 employees, while Bristol Central has the smallest (69.9%).

Private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England by local authority and annual turnover size band

In each local authority area in the Greater West of England, the majority of private sector enterprises have an annual turnover of £249,000 or less. Swindon has the highest proportion of enterprises in both the smallest and largest turnover size band.

Private sector enterprises in the Greater West of England per 10,000 working age adults

The number of enterprises per 10,000 working age adults in the Greater West of England local authority areas. Data show South Gloucestershire has the largest total (769) while Bristol has the lowest (523).