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Takeaway and street food companies in the Reading area

515 takeaway and street food companies have a registered office in the Reading area (RG postcodes), and 180 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £6,399 in cash and owed £17,294 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 RG postcodes, including Reading, Basingstoke, Newbury.

The numbers

Takeaway and street food companies in the Reading area (RG postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureReadingUK
Registered companies51572,295
Formed in 2025 or 2026180 (35%)39%
Being struck off or in liquidation69 (13%)18%
Typical cash at year end£6,39984 accounts£6,223
Typical amount owed at year end£17,294244 accounts£14,128
Typical number of employees3246 accounts3

What this means if you’re starting one

Most of your competition will be other newcomers

35% of the 515 takeaway and street food companies in the Reading area (RG postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 18% of all companies in the Reading area (RG 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 Reading area (RG postcodes) are currently being struck off, against 5.6% 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 Reading area (RG postcodes) holds £6,399 in cash and owes £17,294; 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 Reading

All business benchmarks in Reading