LATEST statistics show that more new businesses were established in Northumberland during 2019 than in any previous year – hitting a record high for the second year in a row.

Despite political and economic challenges, 1,531 new companies were registered in the county compared to 1,422 during 2018, representing an increase of 7.7 per cent.

This brings the total number of registered companies in Northumberland to 10,879, up from 10,423 at the end of 2018 - which equates to a 4.4 per cent growth.

The statistics come from a review of company formations carried out by online company records management system, Inform Direct, using data from Companies House and the Office for National Statistics.

John Korchak, director of operations at Inform Direct said: “Reporting a record year – the second in a row – for new company formations in Northumberland during a turbulent year, politically and economically, is a major achievement. Attracting new ventures and encouraging entrepreneurs to set up there, means that the county is clearly delivering positive support for business.

“With Brexit uncertainty casting a shadow – and some companies experiencing falling sales or choosing to relocate internationally – it is heartening that we are seeing signs of business optimism with so many new companies being created. This picture is mirrored nationally with an all-time high of nearly 700,000 new businesses formed in the UK as a whole.”