Best areas to start a business in West Midlands
The top-ranked West Midlands local authority for each of 37 business types, by the Gera Business Location Score.
Where are the best areas to start a business in West Midlands?
In West Midlands, the strongest business-location opportunity by the Gera Business Location Score is a car showroom in Malvern Hills (GBLS 87.9/100), with premises at £76/m²/yr. We rank 37 business types across West Midlands from 2025 UK government open data; re-dated annually.
Source:VOA Business Floorspace + ONS Business Counts + ONS ASHE (work geography) + ONS population estimates·As of 2025 (VOA 31 March 2025; ASHE 2025 provisional; Business Counts 2025; population mid-2024) · updated annual · last refreshed
Top West Midlands area by business type
| Business type | Best area | GBLS | Rent (£/m²/yr) | Local pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cafe | Staffordshire Moorlands | 66.1/100 | £63 | £26,204 |
| Restaurant | Staffordshire Moorlands | 65.6/100 | £64 | £26,204 |
| Takeaway | Herefordshire, County of | 69.3/100 | £107 | £28,366 |
| Retail shop | Staffordshire Moorlands | 64.8/100 | £78 | £26,204 |
| Convenience store | Tamworth | 64.2/100 | £92 | £28,143 |
| Hair & beauty salon | Wyre Forest | 61.8/100 | £89 | £27,346 |
| Office-based business | Staffordshire Moorlands | 65.5/100 | £57 | £26,204 |
| Financial / A2 office | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 64.1/100 | £61 | £27,238 |
| Gym / fitness suite | Staffordshire Moorlands | 64.7/100 | £28 | £26,204 |
| Vehicle repair garage | Herefordshire, County of | 86.1/100 | £42 | £28,366 |
| Workshop / warehouse | Staffordshire Moorlands | 66.5/100 | £30 | £26,204 |
| Storage / store unit | Staffordshire Moorlands | 63.6/100 | £29 | £26,204 |
| Private clinic / health centre | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 65.5/100 | £65 | £27,238 |
| Veterinary clinic | Malvern Hills | 69/100 | £61 | £27,744 |
| Car showroom | Malvern Hills | 87.9/100 | £76 | £27,744 |
| Retail warehouse | Herefordshire, County of | 75.6/100 | £69 | £28,366 |
| Betting shop | Cannock Chase | 61/100 | £92 | £29,719 |
| Garden centre | Wyre Forest | 63.9/100 | £7 | £27,346 |
| Funeral home | Malvern Hills | 63.7/100 | £43 | £27,744 |
| Post office | Herefordshire, County of | 65.3/100 | £52 | £28,366 |
| Drive-thru restaurant | Shropshire | 72.2/100 | £258 | £28,397 |
| Builders merchant | Herefordshire, County of | 81.1/100 | £37 | £28,366 |
| Tyre & exhaust centre | Herefordshire, County of | 81.4/100 | £56 | £28,366 |
| Large food store | Herefordshire, County of | 63.2/100 | £150 | £28,366 |
| Trade showroom | Herefordshire, County of | 68.3/100 | £44 | £28,366 |
| Kennels & cattery | Bromsgrove | 67.9/100 | £26 | £27,494 |
| Community day centre | Staffordshire Moorlands | 65.4/100 | £24 | £26,204 |
| Members / social club | Bromsgrove | 66.1/100 | £29 | £27,494 |
| Commercial garage | Herefordshire, County of | 87.9/100 | £37 | £28,366 |
| Storage depot | Staffordshire Moorlands | 57.9/100 | £28 | £26,204 |
| Pharmacy | Herefordshire, County of | 70/100 | £239 | £28,366 |
| Farm shop | Herefordshire, County of | 70.5/100 | £38 | £28,366 |
| Large distribution warehouse | Sandwell | 67.6/100 | £51 | £28,766 |
| Superstore / hypermarket | Sandwell | 59.6/100 | £135 | £28,766 |
| Sports clubhouse | Lichfield | 56.9/100 | £22 | £28,845 |
| Golf course | Bromsgrove | 75.2/100 | £74 | £27,494 |
| Dance school | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 67.9/100 | £41 | £27,238 |
Full rankings by business type
Cafe in West MidlandsRestaurant in West MidlandsTakeaway in West MidlandsRetail shop in West MidlandsConvenience store in West MidlandsHair & beauty salon in West MidlandsOffice-based business in West MidlandsFinancial / A2 office in West MidlandsGym / fitness suite in West MidlandsVehicle repair garage in West MidlandsWorkshop / warehouse in West MidlandsStorage / store unit in West MidlandsPrivate clinic / health centre in West MidlandsVeterinary clinic in West MidlandsCar showroom in West MidlandsRetail warehouse in West MidlandsBetting shop in West MidlandsGarden centre in West MidlandsFuneral home in West MidlandsPost office in West MidlandsDrive-thru restaurant in West MidlandsBuilders merchant in West MidlandsTyre & exhaust centre in West MidlandsLarge food store in West MidlandsTrade showroom in West MidlandsKennels & cattery in West MidlandsCommunity day centre in West MidlandsMembers / social club in West MidlandsCommercial garage in West MidlandsStorage depot in West MidlandsPharmacy in West MidlandsFarm shop in West MidlandsLarge distribution warehouse in West MidlandsSuperstore / hypermarket in West MidlandsSports clubhouse in West MidlandsGolf course in West MidlandsDance school in West Midlands
Other regions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best business to start in West Midlands?
- By the Gera Business Location Score, the highest-scoring opportunity in West Midlands is a car showroom in Malvern Hills at 87.9/100. The score balances premises affordability (VOA rateable value), local wages (ONS ASHE) and market density (ONS Business Counts). Your own budget and trade will shift the ranking — use the finder tool to filter.
- How is each area scored?
- Each local authority is scored 0–100 per business type: 45% premises affordability, 25% labour cost and 30% market density, all from real UK government open data joined on the ONS local-authority code. Full method on the methodology page.
Starting up in West Midlands? Get compliant from day one.
UK GDPR applies the moment you handle customer data; the EU AI Act applies if you use AI tools or sell into the EU. GeraCompliance sets it up in a fixed-scope sprint.
Contains public sector information published by Valuation Office Agency and Office for National Statistics and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: VOA Business Floorspace + ONS Business Counts + ONS ASHE (work geography) + ONS population estimates (2025 (VOA 31 March 2025; ASHE 2025 provisional; Business Counts 2025; population mid-2024), published December 2025).