Belfast, Belfast

2014 Annual Business Confidence Report

Headlines

  • December 2014 saw a new record in company closures in Belfast when compared to any previous December.

Contents

  1. New Company Registrations
  2. Closed Companies (dissolved)
  3. Net Company Growth
  4. UK Company Share
  5. Director Age
  6. Director Gender
  7. Naming Trends
  8. SIC Data
  9. Recent Companies

New Company Registrations

  1. Annual Data (2014)

    A total of 1,864 companies were formed in Belfast in 2014. This total is 3.8% lower than in 2013 and compares poorly to the UK figure of a 10.0% growth compared to 529,363 the previous year.

    YearBelfastUK
    20141,864582,051
    20131,938529,363
    20121,781491,893
    20111,509452,870
    20101,298400,358
    Record Year2013 (1,938)2014 (582,051)
    New Companies by Year
  2. Half Year Data (Jul-Dec 2014)

    In the second half of 2014 a total of 881 companies were formed in Belfast. This figure is 8.4% lower than last year, which compares badly to the UK wide figure of 8.2%.

    The highest total for a second half year in Belfast occurred in 2013 when a total of 962 were formed.

    Half Year (Jul-Dec)BelfastUK
    2014881281,320
    2013962259,931
    % change-8.4%8.2%
    Record Year2013 (962)2014 (281,320)
    New Companies by Half Year
  3. Quarterly Data (Q4 Oct-Dec 2014)

    A total of 439 companies were registered in Belfast during the fourth quarter of 2014 (Oct 2014 - Dec 2014).

    This figure is a decrease of 6.6% versus the same period last year (Q4 2013). This figure compares badly to the UK as a whole, which saw an increase of 8.4% against the same period last year.

    fourth quarter (Oct 2014 - Dec 2014)BelfastUK
    2014439137,906
    2013470127,247
    % change-6.6%8.4%
    Record Year 2012 (483) 2014 (137,906)
    New Companies by Quarter
  4. Monthly Data (Oct, Nov & Dec 2014)

    New Companies by Month
    OctoberNovemberDecember
    New companies in 2014175152112
    New companies in 2013160177133
    % change9.4%-14.1%-15.8%
    Record Year2012 (185)2013 (177)2013 (133)

Closed Companies (dissolved)

  1. Annual Data (2014)

    A total of 1,144 companies were dissolved in Belfast in 2014. This total is 12.6% higher than in 2013 and compares favourably to the UK figure of 10.8% growth compared to the previous year.

    YearBelfastUK
    20141,144367,937
    20131,016332,213
    2012980293,729
    20111,028314,524
    20101,595342,233
    Record Year2010 (1,595)2009 (533,789)
    Dissolved Companies by Year
  2. Half Year Data (Jul-Dec 2014)

    In the second half of 2014 a total of 582 companies were dissolved in Belfast. This figure is 23.8% higher than last year, which compares badly to the UK wide change of 7.7%.

    The highest total for a second half year in Belfast occurred in 2010 when a total of 1,123 were closed.

    Half Year (Jul-Dec)BelfastUK
    2014582190,730
    2013470177,021
    % change23.8%7.7%
    Record Year2010 (1,123)2009 (244,544)
    Dissolved Companies by Half Year
  3. Quarterly Data (Q4 Oct-Dec 2014)

    A total of 303 companies were dissolved in Belfast during the fourth quarter of 2014 (Oct 2014 - Dec 2014).

    This figure is an increase of 22.2% versus the same period last year (Q4 2013). This figure compares poorly to the UK as a whole, which saw a decrease of 2.0% against the same period last year.

    fourth quarter (Oct 2014 - Dec 2014)BelfastUK
    201430389,060
    201324890,851
    % change22.2%-2.0%
    Record Year 2010 (553) 2013 (90,851)
    Dissolved Companies by Quarter
  4. Monthly Data (Oct, Nov & Dec 2014)

    December 2014 saw a new record in company closures in Belfast when compared to any previous December.

    Dissolved Companies by Month
    OctoberNovemberDecember
    Closed companies in 201411980104
    Closed companies in 2013917879
    % change30.8%2.6%32%
    Record Year2010 (383)2012 (81)2014 (104)

Net Company Growth

  1. Annual Data (2014)

    A total of 720 companies were added to the company register for Belfast in 2014. This number represents growth of 38.6% in the total number of active companies, which compares favourably to the UK figure of 36.8%.

    This number is 202 companies lower than the previous year.

    The highest net company growth figure ever seen in one year came in 2007 when the Belfast company register grew by 1,275 companies.

    YearBelfastUK
    2014720214,114
    2013922197,150
    2012801198,164
    2011481138,346
    2010-29758,125
    Record Year2007 (1,275)2007 (237,353)
    Net Growth by Year
  2. Half Year Data (Jul-Dec 2014)

    In the second half of 2014 the company register for Belfast increased by 299 companies.

    Half Year (Jul-Dec)BelfastUK
    201429990,590
    201349282,910
    Record Year2003 (616)2003 (117,772)
    Net Growth by Half Year
  3. Quarterly Data (Q4 Oct-Dec 2014)

    Net company growth for Belfast during the fourth quarter of 2014 (Oct 2014 - Dec 2014) was 136 companies.

    fourth quarter (Oct 2014 - Dec 2014)BelfastUK
    201413648,846
    201322236,396
    Record Year 2006 (342) 2012 (49,848)
    Net Growth by Quarter
  4. Monthly Data (Oct, Nov & Dec 2014)

    Net Growth by Month
    OctoberNovemberDecember
    Net growth in 201456728
    Net growth in 2013699954
    Record Year2003 (138)2003 (108)2006 (114)

UK Company Share

  1. Annual Data (2014)

    In 2014 Belfast formed 0.3% of all UK companies. This is a decline on 2013 when Belfast was responsible for 0.4% of all UK companies.

    YearBelfast
    20140.3%
    20130.4%
    20120.4%
    20110.3%
    20100.3%
    Record Year (since 1960)1968 (1.4%)
    Company Share by Year
  2. Half Year Data (Jul-Dec 2014)

    In the second half of 2014 Belfast formed 0.3% of all UK companies. This is less than the 2013 figure of 0.4%.

    Half Year (Jul-Dec)Belfast
    20140.3%
    20130.4%
    20120.4%
    20110.3%
    20100.4%
    Record Year (since 1960) 1968 (1.4%)
    Company Share by Half Year
  3. Quarterly Data (Q4 Oct-Dec 2014)

    In the fourth quarter of 2014, Belfast formed 0.3% of all UK companies.

    fourth quarter (Oct 2014 - Dec 2014)Belfast
    20140.3%
    20130.4%
    20120.4%
    20110.3%
    20100.4%
    Record Year (since 1960) 1968 (1.6%)
    Company Share by Quarter
  4. Monthly Data (Oct, Nov & Dec 2014)

    Company Share by Month
    OctoberNovemberDecember
    UK formation share in 20140.3%0.3%0.3%
    UK formation share in 20130.3%0.4%0.4%
    % change4.0%-18.5%-27.9%
    Record Year1924 (3.9%)1938 (3.1%)1943 (3.8%)

Director Age

  1. Annual Data (2014)

    The average age of a director in 2014 was 44.7.

    The percentage of directors under the age of 25 was 4.5% compared to the UK figure of 4.0%.

    The percentage of directors over the age of 65 was 2.3% compared to the UK figure of 4.0%.

    Director Age by Year
  2. Half Year Data (Jul-Dec 2014)

    The average age of a director in the second half of 2014 was 44.7.

    The percentage of directors under the age of 25 was 4.7% compared to the UK figure of 3.7%.

    The percentage of directors over the age of 65 was 2.5% compared to the UK figure of 4.5%.

    Director Age by Half Year
  3. Quarterly Data (Q4 Oct-Dec 2014)

    The average age of a director in the fourth quarter of 2014 was 44.7.

    The percentage of directors under the age of 25 was 4.3% compared to the UK figure of 3.8%.

    The percentage of directors over the age of 65 was 2.2% compared to the UK figure of 4.5%.

    Director Age by Quarter

Director Gender

  1. Annual Data (2014)

    The record year for female directors in Belfast was 1926 when 63.6% of all directors were female.

    The percentage of female directors in Belfast in 2014 was 24.8%. The average for the UK during this time was 26.1%

    Director Gender by Year
  2. Half Year Data (Jul-Dec 2014)

    The record second half year for female directors in Belfast was 2005 when 26.8% of all directors were female.

    24.4% of all director appointments in Belfast in the second half of 2014 were female. This compares to a UK average of 26.1% for the same period.

    Director Gender by Half Year
  3. Quarterly Data (Q4 Oct-Dec 2014)

    The record fourth quarter for female directors in Belfast was in 2007 when 27.8% of all directors were female.

    25.3% of all director appointments in Belfast in the fourth quarter of 2014 were female. This compares to a UK average of 25.8% for the same period.

    Director Gender by Quarter

Naming Trends

  1. Previous 12 months (Dec 2013-Dec 2014)

    Excluding: LIMITED, LTD, &, UK, SERVICES, THE, (UK), AND, LTD., A, LLP, SOLUTIONS, COMPANY, OF.

    wordpercentageuk worduk percentage
    (NI)4.27%CONSULTING5.22%
    MANAGEMENT2.54%MANAGEMENT4.58%
    BELFAST2.50%CONSULTANCY3.57%
    CONSULTING1.27%PROPERTY2.66%
    MEDICAL1.08%CONSTRUCTION2.12%
    NI1.04%ENGINEERING2.10%
    PROPERTY1.00%CARE2.02%
    PROPERTIES0.96%TRADING1.94%
    CONSULTANCY0.88%LONDON1.93%
    IRELAND0.81%TRANSPORT1.93%
    INVESTMENTS0.81%DESIGN1.66%
    DEVELOPMENTS0.73%CONSULTANTS1.64%
    M0.69%ELECTRICAL1.62%
    MEDIA0.65%PROPERTIES1.62%
    S0.62%BUSINESS1.56%
    ROAD0.62%J1.54%
    TRADING0.62%CO.,1.50%
    PRODUCTIONS0.58%GLOBAL1.49%
    TRUSTEES0.58%INVESTMENTS1.48%
    ENGINEERING0.58%ASSOCIATES1.47%
    STAVELEY0.54%DEVELOPMENTS1.35%
    GLOBAL0.50%MEDIA1.33%
    ENERGY0.50%IT1.31%
    C.I.C.0.46%BUILDING1.29%
    LAGAN0.46%M1.22%

SIC Data

  1. Previous 36 months, excluding companies less than 12 months old

    sic codenumber of companiesuk companies
    None Supplied778265,608
    99999 - Dormant Company24448,509
    82990 - Other business support service activities not elsewhere classified9958,068
    68100 - Buying and selling of own real estate927,106
    70229 - Management consultancy activities other than financial management7942,290
    86210 - General medical practice activities774,591
    86220 - Specialists medical practice activities764,031
    96090 - Other service activities not elsewhere classified7529,009
    41100 - Development of building projects7411,397
    62020 - Information technology consultancy activities7330,178
    68209 - Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate6711,212
    74909 - Other professional, scientific and technical activities not elsewhere classified6619,049
    62012 - Business and domestic software development619,752
    86900 - Other human health activities5512,976
    56102 - Unlicensed restaurants and cafes464,745
    86101 - Hospital activities444,366
    35110 - Production of electricity422,551
    62090 - Other information technology service activities4212,837
    98000 - Residents property management405,255
    56101 - Licensed restaurants398,782

Recent Companies

  1. Randomly selected companies from this quarter

    COMPANY NUMBERCOMPANY NAMEINCORPORATION DATE
    NI628190 QUEST PROPERTIES (NI) LIMITED 04 Dec 2014
    NI628250 ANNS7 LIMITED 10 Dec 2014
    NI628273 ENTERPRISE ROAD LIMITED 11 Dec 2014
    NI628430 THRALCOT HOMES LIMITED 23 Dec 2014
    NI628111 NEW CANTON HOUSE BALLYCASTLE LTD 01 Dec 2014
    NI628354 AERO JOB MARKET LIMITED 16 Dec 2014
    NI628198 VENTURES INCORPORATED 05 Dec 2014
    NI628135 432K-SOFTWARE LIMITED 02 Dec 2014
    NI628174 RJF ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED 04 Dec 2014
    NI628349 LITTLE SEEDLINGS (NI) LTD 16 Dec 2014
    NI628109 THE LONGFELLOW BAR LTD 01 Dec 2014
    NI628231 THE ENTERTAINMENT TRAIN LIMITED 09 Dec 2014
    NI628419 ZENITH CONNECTIONS LIMITED 22 Dec 2014
    NI628106 LSZ ONE LIMITED 01 Dec 2014
    NI628169 NICOTRADING LTD 03 Dec 2014
    NI628193 PARADE 1969 LIMITED 04 Dec 2014
    NI628320 HPC GLOBAL (NI) LIMITED 12 Dec 2014
    NI628326 MFHV LIMITED 15 Dec 2014
    NI628389 HILLTOP DEVELOPMENTS (NI) LIMITED 18 Dec 2014
    NI628279 PAULRAJ SOLUTIONS LIMITED 11 Dec 2014
    NI628293 BLUE SWAN LTD 11 Dec 2014
    NI628337 OCFE IMAGING LTD. 16 Dec 2014
    NI628235 DALY'S GARAGE LIMITED 09 Dec 2014
    NI628168 ESCARMOUCHE IRELAND LIMITED 03 Dec 2014
    NI628208 NI NDT LIMITED 05 Dec 2014