Starting a business is exciting, empowering, and full of potential — but no one tells you how difficult it can really be behind the scenes. Whether you’re launching a new café on the Barbican, opening a shop in Plymstock, or building a service-based business from your home office in Plympton, the early stages of a startup are full of challenges that can catch even the most prepared entrepreneur off-guard. As someone who works with new and growing businesses across the city, I’ve seen the same...

If you’re wondering “Should I start a business in Plymouth?” the answer is yes — Plymouth is now one of the strongest city centres in the UK for new startups. With more than 11 million annual visitors to the city centre and year-on-year footfall growth of nearly 20%, Plymouth outperforms many similar cities and offers a thriving environment for retail, food, leisure and service businesses. This guide explains how to start a business in Plymouth, why the city is seeing such strong growth, and whe