Coffee shop and café companies in the Southend-on-Sea area
360 coffee shop and café companies have a registered office in the Southend-on-Sea area (SS postcodes), and 118 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £3,311 in cash and owed £21,367 at year end.
The numbers
| Measure | Southend-on-Sea | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Registered companies | 360 | 44,437 |
| Formed in 2025 or 2026 | 118 (33%) | 36% |
| Being struck off or in liquidation | 60 (17%) | 16% |
| Typical cash at year end | £3,31155 accounts | £8,573 |
| Typical amount owed at year end | £21,367151 accounts | £27,813 |
| Typical number of employees | 3153 accounts | 4 |
What this means if you’re starting one
Most of your competition will be other newcomers
33% of the 360 coffee shop and café companies in the Southend-on-Sea area (SS postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 19% of all companies in the Southend-on-Sea area (SS postcodes). Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 95% of UK industries.
New rivals are arriving faster than in most trades, so your customers already have fresh options. Being new is not a difference on its own.
More of these companies are closing than in most trades
13% of coffee shop and café companies in the Southend-on-Sea area (SS postcodes) are currently being struck off, against 7.3% of all companies there. Nationally that rate is higher than 94% of UK industries.
Closures run high here. It is a churn signal, not a survival rate, but it means the common failure points are worth learning before you start.
Cash is tight in this trade
At year end the typical coffee shop and café company in the Southend-on-Sea area (SS postcodes) holds £3,311 in cash and owes £21,367; that cash figure is lower than 89% of UK industries.
Typical operators end the year holding less cash than they owe, so there is little slack if takings dip or a big bill lands early.
Planning a business like this in Southend-on-Sea?
Answer two questions about your customer and what makes you different, and get a free three-week plan to test the idea before you spend real money. No account or card.
Check my ideaWhat these figures can’t tell you
Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.
Coffee shop and café in other places
- Norwich393 companies
- Peterborough390 companies
- Chelmsford328 companies
- Ipswich277 companies
- London8,734 companies
- Birmingham1,890 companies
- Manchester1,137 companies
- Glasgow1,095 companies
Other businesses in Southend-on-Sea
- Buy-to-let landlord2,267 companies
- Business consultancy1,683 companies
- Dog grooming and other personal services1,466 companies
- Electrician984 companies
- IT support or consultancy983 companies
- Handyman975 companies
- Online shop921 companies
- Takeaway and street food783 companies