Looking to join the ranks of Budget, Enterprise, and Avis, new car hire businesses were the most popular start up in April 2008 according to Selectbase, a UK marketing firm. Selectbase supplies details of new start ups each month through Startupsplus, their small business marketing service. This is the first month that car hire firms have ever topped the monthly list. The rest of the top ten featured more common start ups: pubs, driving schools, hairdressing, plumbers, employment consultants, beauty salons, electricians and builders. Figures show that, on average, seven new businesses were begun each day in April. The figures do not tell whether the car hire businesses were franchises or newly created independent suppliers.

Startupsplus was surprised to see new car hire business reach the top of the list. Steve Sellwood, a spokesman for Startupsplus said, “We are well used to seeing the most popular types of start -up like pubs, builders and hairdressers top our lists month after month, so to see car hire firms suddenly come from nowhere was a real surprise.” He went on to say, “This type of startup hasn’t even figured in our top ten before.” The news is especially surprising considering the skyrocketing cost of oil.

Figures released by Startupsplus show that the Birmingham, Belfast, and Sheffield postcode areas have the highest growth of new start ups. This is of no surprise as these areas consistently top the monthly figures. Of continued surprise and concern is the continued decrease of new businesses in London, according to Startupsplus figures.