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Takeaway and street food companies in the Chelmsford area

524 takeaway and street food companies have a registered office in the Chelmsford area (CM postcodes), and 191 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £4,701 in cash and owed £13,876 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 CM postcodes, including Chelmsford, Harlow.

The numbers

Takeaway and street food companies in the Chelmsford area (CM postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureChelmsfordUK
Registered companies52472,295
Formed in 2025 or 2026191 (36%)39%
Being struck off or in liquidation68 (13%)18%
Typical cash at year end£4,70152 accounts£6,223
Typical amount owed at year end£13,876226 accounts£14,128
Typical number of employees2227 accounts3

What this means if you’re starting one

Most of your competition will be other newcomers

36% of the 524 takeaway and street food companies in the Chelmsford area (CM postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 19% of all companies in the Chelmsford area (CM 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

12% of takeaway and street food companies in the Chelmsford area (CM postcodes) are currently being struck off, against 6.6% 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 Chelmsford area (CM postcodes) holds £4,701 in cash and owes £13,876; 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.

Planning a business like this in Chelmsford?

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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 Chelmsford

All business benchmarks in Chelmsford