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Gift shop companies in Bristol

133 gift shop companies have a registered office in Bristol, and 15 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £32,895 in cash and owed £57,449 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Other retail sale of new goods in specialised stores (not commercial art galleries and opticians)” (SIC 47789).

The numbers

Gift shop companies in Bristol compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureBristolUK
Registered companies13311,136
Formed in 2025 or 202615 (11%)20%
Being struck off or in liquidation11 (8.3%)11%
Typical cash at year end£32,89541 accounts£25,063
Typical amount owed at year end£57,44981 accounts£48,463
Typical number of employees381 accounts2

What this means if you’re starting one

You will be up against established operators

11% of the 133 gift shop companies in Bristol were formed in 2025–26, against 18% of all companies in Bristol.

Few new companies are entering, so your customers will compare you with businesses that have years of reviews and regulars.

Cash is tight in this trade

At year end the typical gift shop company in Bristol holds £32,895 in cash and owes £57,449; that cash figure is higher than 51% 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.

At least a quarter of these companies owe more than they own

The lowest quarter of gift shop companies in Bristol report net assets of -£3,870 or less; the median is £19,621 (70 filings).

Many operators are propped up by loans, unpaid bills or money from the owner rather than by profit kept in the business. It is easy to keep going for longer than the numbers justify.

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What 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.

Gift shop in other places

Other businesses in Bristol

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