FIGURES have revealed that 2015 was the best year for business in Cheshire with more companies registered in the county than any other year.

Almost 12,000 new companies formed in the region in 2015, which is up from 10,830 the year before.

This is more than 10% growth and means that there are now a record number of firms in the area.

In Cheshire East alone there were 3,850 companies registered, with 208 of those in Knutsford, making it the second most prolific ward for business in the borough, coming in after Wilmslow East.

Henry Catchpole, managing director of Inform Direct, who conducted the report, said: “Of course London has always stormed ahead in business but our figures from 2015 demonstrate that the rest of the UK is also displaying a growing confidence in entrepreneurialism.

“Cheshire has had a very successful year and the figures indicate a surge in entrepreneurialism in 2015 for this region.”

Of the new companies created last year in Cheshire, 5,026 were in Warrington, 3,850 in Cheshire East, 2,452 Cheshire West and Chester and 646 in Halton.

Inform Direct used its software to identify not only start-ups, but also the number of UK companies dissolved in the same period, with 100 being dissolved in Knutsford.

There are now a total of 67,995 firms in Cheshire.

To view the report including a full ward breakdown, visit informdirect.co.uk/company-formations-2015/cheshire