FEWER businesses are being created in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole – but in the neighbouring Dorset Council area more are opening. 

According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, around 1,910 new businesses opened in the three towns during 2023, down from 1,935 a year earlier. 

But in the Dorset Council area, around 1,580 new businesses opened during the same period, up from 1,530 a year earlier. 

Meanwhile in BCP, 1,690 businesses closed in the area last year, down from 1,980 in 2022. 

It still means that the total number of businesses in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased last year. 

Across the UK, the rate of new businesses opening hit its lowest level since 2010, at 11 per cent of all active businesses. 

Anna Leach, chief economist at the Institute of Directors, blamed poor financial conditions after the pandemic, a “relatively weak” growth environment and skill shortages. 

“Recent budget decisions unfortunately undermine the UK’s business environment, disincentivising employment and reducing investment through the impact of higher taxes on business costs,” she added. 

“Meanwhile, higher public spending is expected to raise the cost of finance in the UK.” 

“If the government wants to get higher growth, it’ll need a vibrant business sector to deliver it.” 

However, the figures did show an increase in the number of 'high-growth' businesses, those which saw their workforce swell by more than 20 per cent for three years in a row. 

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that the most recent growth figures are “not good enough” as he said he wanted “better” results than those seen last week. 

Numbers released last Friday by the Office for National Statistics showed that the UK economy grew by 0.1 per cent between July and September, versus 0.5 per cent growth in the previous quarter. 

The estimate was behind economists’ predictions of 0.2 per cent and covers the months ahead of the budget in October. 

Labour had made growth a key part of their pitch to the country during the summer election. 

“We had the growth figures on Thursday and Friday. Look, they’re not good enough, they’re not satisfactory – I want to go further than that,” he said. 

“That’s why we’re working so hard to get the investment we need into the country. 

“But the first step is to stabilise the economy.”