MORE new companies were founded in Oxfordshire last year than ever before, according to the latest Companies House figures.

A total of 4,653 businesses – such as Fraser and Emily Jones’s Barefoot Kitchen bakery in Oxford’s Covered Market – were formed in the county in 2014 compared to 4,295 in 2013, the previous best year.

There are now 5.5 per cent more active firms in Oxfordshire than a year before and 27.5 per cent more than five years ago, according to a survey by company records management website informdirect.co.uk

The firm, which uses Companies House records to compile regional lists, said 2014 was a record year for the UK as a whole, with a total of 586,784 businesses formed.

However, the number of businesses dissolved in Oxfordshire also increased from 2,674 in 2013 to 2,795 last year.

Oxford Mail:

At the end of the year there were a total of 35,597 businesses registered in Oxfordshire, the website found.

Business experts said the record figure reflected growing confidence in the economy, while entrepreneurs believed the county offered an unbeatable diversity for businesses and customers.

The Joneses opened their Barefoot Kitchen bakery in September after Mrs Jones’ Summertown stall, launched in 2013, proved a hit.

And even though they had to leave the new unit just before Christmas when the landlord sold it, business has never been better thanks to the burst of publicity it gave them.

Mrs Jones, 38, said the city’s success for new businesses was down to its diversity of people and businesses.

Oxford Mail:

She said: “Oxford is so vibrant, diverse and multicultural, there is so much going on we wouldn’t have dreamed of moving anywhere else to start up.”

Mr Jones, 33, said: “Oxford is exactly the right place for what we wanted to be – it wouldn’t work in a bland town like Swindon.

“Because of the universities and international visitors there are a range of cafes and restaurants and shops catering for those people.”

The couple from Elsfield did not seek any help from the Chamber of Commerce or traders association, and said they had no shortage of friends who had started their own businesses or had financial expertise.

They now have a regular stall at Summertown’s North Parade market and are hoping to open a new Oxford shop soon.

A total of 1,018 businesses were registered in Oxford, 1,053 in Cherwell, 1,017 in South Oxfordshire, 818 in West Oxfordshire and 747 in Vale of White Horse.

Bianca Elgar launched her fashion business Be Unlimited in November from her home on Osney Island.

The mum-of-two said what Oxford had offered her was expertise from many like-minded independent businessmen and women.

Mrs Elgar, 53, said: “I didn’t need to go very far to meet the right people, there is good networking in Oxford.”

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She officially launched her line at Oxford Fashion Week in November and with a show at Modern Art Oxford.

Among the other new companies, ACE apprenticeship academy in Kidlington launched a new not-for-profit company leasing scooters to apprentice to get to work around the county.

James Morris, who co-founded city centre cafe Jimbob’s Baguettes in Oxford with his friend Bob Sayers last April, said: “Oxford has a great amount of students with student loans to spend, a lot of tourists with holiday budgets – it’s just a good setting with a lot of opportunities.”

He said the economic recovery had definitely been part of the duo’s thinking when deciding to start a business last year.

Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce president Peter Smith said the figures reflected entrepreneurs’ growing confidence in the economy.

He said: “We have found that many people have started their own businesses, encouraged by the economic recovery, ability to gain funding and lower corporation tax.”

Oxford Mail:

Oxford business campaign group ROX said the figures reflected a national picture where people who may have lost jobs in the recession tried to set up on their own.

But spokesman Graham Jones cautioned that there had always been a high fail rate in new companies.

He said: “People start with good ideas but they haven’t necessarily done their homework sufficiently.

“But it still shows there is energy and enthusiasm – it is one per cent inspiration and 99 per cent perspiration.”