(Image: Newsquest)
North Yorkshire has been named the best place in Yorkshire and the Humber for starting and sustaining a business.
This is according to new research from American Express, which highlights the county's strong start-up rate and highest two-year business survival rate in the region.
Ruchi Sharma, vice president of UK card services at American Express, said: "Our research demonstrates there are thriving entrepreneurial communities right across the country.
"Behind the findings are thousands of small businesses bringing ideas to life, creating jobs and contributing to the places they call home.
"Supporting them as they start, run and grow is at the heart of what we do at American Express."
North Yorkshire topped the regional rankings, with 71.9 per cent of new businesses still trading after two years.
This compares with the Yorkshire and the Humber average of 64.8 per cent and the UK average of 68.9 per cent.
The analysis was carried out by Development Economics on behalf of American Express and assessed 317 local authority areas across the UK.
Each area was evaluated using business start-up rates and resilience, resulting in the Amex Entrepreneurial Hotspots list.
Nationally, Stratford-on-Avon ranked first overall, while Uttlesford in Essex came second, and Waverley in Surrey placed third.
Michelle Ovens, director of Small Business Saturday, said: "Starting a small business takes resilience and ambition, and these findings show there are strong foundations for entrepreneurs to thrive beyond the UK’s big cities.
"Entrepreneurial potential exists across the country, and creating the right environments for small businesses to succeed will strengthen local communities and economies."
Small Business Saturday, a grassroots campaign supported by American Express, takes place on December 5.
The campaign encourages the public to support independent businesses by shopping small.
In Yorkshire and the Humber, Kirklees and York followed North Yorkshire in the rankings for entrepreneurial success.