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Restaurant companies in the Southampton area

502 restaurant companies have a registered office in the Southampton area (SO postcodes), and 124 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £35,477 in cash and owed £77,385 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Licenced restaurants” (SIC 56101). Covers companies with a registered office in SO postcodes, including Southampton, Winchester, Eastleigh.

The numbers

Restaurant companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureSouthamptonUK
Registered companies50254,142
Formed in 2025 or 2026124 (25%)27%
Being struck off or in liquidation119 (24%)21%
Typical cash at year end£35,477119 accounts£23,201
Typical amount owed at year end£77,385240 accounts£62,010
Typical number of employees6243 accounts6

What this means if you’re starting one

More of these companies are closing than in most trades

15% of restaurant companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) are currently being struck off, against 6.4% of all companies there. Nationally that rate is higher than 96% 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 restaurant company in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) holds £35,477 in cash and owes £77,385; that cash figure is lower than 54% 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.

Most of your competition will be other newcomers

25% of the 502 restaurant companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 17% of all companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes). Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 80% 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.

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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.

Restaurant in other places

Other businesses in Southampton

All business benchmarks in Southampton