Ealing Among UK's Top 10 Areas for New High Street Business Registrations

More than 1,000 new companies were registered across Ealing's high street trades during 2025, placing the borough among the UK's top 10 local authority areas for entrepreneurial activity in these sectors.

New analysis of Companies House records reveals that 1,028 companies were registered across 12 high street trades in Ealing last year, compared with 618 in 2019 — an increase of approximately 66%.

The figures, compiled by business data company Salenovo and reported by Ealing.News, cover activities including cafés, takeaways, convenience stores, hairdressing and vehicle repairs.

Ealing ranked 10th among 361 local authorities for the number of registrations in these trades.

Southall Leads the Growth

Southall was a major contributor to the borough's increase.

Within the Ealing Southall parliamentary constituency, registrations more than doubled from 162 in 2019 to 356 in 2025.

Convenience store registrations rose from 27 to 72, while takeaways increased from 31 to 66. Café registrations also climbed from 24 to 54.

The figures suggest continued interest in establishing businesses serving local communities, particularly in food, retail and personal services.

Other parts of the borough also recorded increases.

Acton's W3 postcode district saw registrations rise from 129 to 164, while Greenford's UB6 recorded 140, compared with 94 in 2019.

Ealing Broadway's W5 district increased from 88 to 100. West Ealing recorded 73 registrations, Northolt 82 and Hanwell 49.

These geographical figures refer to postcode districts, some of which extend beyond borough boundaries.

Which Business Sectors Are Growing?

Food and personal services were prominent among the newly registered companies.

Across the borough, takeaway registrations increased from 114 in 2019 to 181 in 2025.

Cafés and unlicensed restaurants rose from 99 to 150, while hair and beauty businesses increased from 79 to 138.

Convenience stores also recorded substantial growth, from 71 to 131 registrations.

The findings highlight the importance of neighbourhood shopping streets and local services to Ealing's business community.

However, company registration does not necessarily mean a new shop has opened. The figures identify businesses registered at their own addresses, not verified operating premises.

Starting a Business Is Only the Beginning

The research also examined how many newly registered companies remained on the Companies House register after three years.

Across Ealing, 47.4% of companies in the analysed registration cohorts were still registered at that point, compared with 51.4% nationally.

The proportion was 44.6% in Ealing Southall, 47.3% in Ealing North and 49.5% in Ealing Central and Acton.

Remaining registered does not prove that a company is actively trading, while removal from the register does not necessarily indicate business failure.

The findings therefore tell two important stories: Ealing continues to attract people willing to establish businesses, but helping those enterprises develop and remain viable is equally important.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many new high street companies were registered in Ealing in 2025?

There were 1,028 registrations across the 12 trades examined, compared with 618 in 2019.

Which area recorded particularly strong growth?

The Ealing Southall parliamentary constituency saw registrations rise from 162 to 356 between 2019 and 2025.

Which types of businesses were most common?

Takeaways, cafés, convenience stores and hair and beauty businesses were among the leading categories.

Does this mean 1,028 new shops opened?

No. These are company registrations, not confirmed new trading premises.