HARTLEPOOL has been named as the fastest-growing area in the North-East with a 35 per cent increase in business start-ups in the past year.
The North-East has seen record numbers of new businesses, according to Barclays Bank.
The number of start-ups last year was the highest recorded by Barclays since it began tracking the market in 1988.
The number of businesses opened in the North-East last year reached 15,700, compared to 14,600 the previous year - an increase of eight per cent.
The construction sector in the UK grew by 34 per cent in the past year, with about 40,000 businesses set up, the highest number recorded.
Karen Swainston, regional liaison manager at Barclays, said: "The record numbers of small business start ups has been driven by the boom in the construction sector as Britain's obsession with home improvement continues.
"This is particularly true in the North-East, where the trades you associate with DIY are enjoying substantial growth."
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