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Takeaway and street food companies in the Belfast area

1,287 takeaway and street food companies have a registered office in the Belfast area (BT postcodes), and 448 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £14,125 in cash and owed £16,285 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Take-away food shops and mobile food stands” (SIC 56103), which also covers food truck or street food stall, sandwich shop, ice cream parlour. Covers companies with a registered office in BT postcodes, including Belfast, Derry, Londonderry, Lisburn.

The numbers

Takeaway and street food companies in the Belfast area (BT postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureBelfastUK
Registered companies1,28772,295
Formed in 2025 or 2026448 (35%)39%
Being struck off or in liquidation180 (14%)18%
Typical cash at year end£14,12596 accounts£6,223
Typical amount owed at year end£16,285598 accounts£14,128
Typical number of employees3616 accounts3

What this means if you’re starting one

Most of your competition will be other newcomers

35% of the 1,287 takeaway and street food companies in the Belfast area (BT postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 19% of all companies in the Belfast area (BT postcodes). Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 97% 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

11% of takeaway and street food companies in the Belfast area (BT postcodes) are currently being struck off, against 5.2% of all companies there. Nationally that rate is higher than 98% 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 takeaway and street food company in the Belfast area (BT postcodes) holds £14,125 in cash and owes £16,285; that cash figure is lower than 95% 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.

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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.

Takeaway and street food in other places

Other businesses in Belfast

All business benchmarks in Belfast