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Takeaway and street food companies in the Southampton area

504 takeaway and street food companies have a registered office in the Southampton area (SO postcodes), and 179 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £5,066 in cash and owed £17,396 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 SO postcodes, including Southampton, Winchester, Eastleigh.

The numbers

Takeaway and street food companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureSouthamptonUK
Registered companies50472,295
Formed in 2025 or 2026179 (36%)39%
Being struck off or in liquidation86 (17%)18%
Typical cash at year end£5,06685 accounts£6,223
Typical amount owed at year end£17,396220 accounts£14,128
Typical number of employees3223 accounts3

What this means if you’re starting one

Most of your competition will be other newcomers

36% of the 504 takeaway and street food 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 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

16% of takeaway and street food 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 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 Southampton area (SO postcodes) holds £5,066 in cash and owes £17,396; 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 Southampton

All business benchmarks in Southampton