Data last verified: 13 November 2026. Figures re-checked against their primary sources under the Whito rolling re-verification programme.
Finding
The number of UK cafe and unlicensed restaurant businesses rose 158.0% between 2010 and 2026, from 11,225 to 28,955.
Source: Whito, whito.co.uk/cafes/uk-cafe-industry, 2026-11-13. Free to quote with a link to this page.
Last Updated on November 13, 2026
Read a short summary
General summary
The UK had 28,955 cafe and unlicensed restaurant businesses registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is 158.0% up on 2010 (11,225) and 16.7% up on 2021 (24,810). 77.4% employ fewer than ten people. London has the most per head, 68.8 per 100,000 residents. North East has the fewest, 31.1.
Bullet points
- 28,955 UK cafe and unlicensed restaurant businesses in March 2026 (ONS).
- Compared with 2010: 158.0% up on 2010 (11,225).
- Compared with 2021: 16.7% up on 2021 (24,810).
- 77.4% employ fewer than ten people.
- Most per head: London, 68.8 per 100,000 residents. Fewest: North East, 31.1.
Basic explainer
This page counts cafe businesses in the UK, using official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The official group also includes restaurants that do not sell alcohol. The page shows how the number has changed since 2010, how big the businesses are and where they are based. A business with several sites is counted once, so this is not a count of cafes.
These summaries were written with AI from this page only. The full page below is the record.
Short answer: the UK had 28,955 cafe and unlicensed restaurant businesses registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is 158.0% up on 2010 (11,225) and 16.7% up on 2021 (24,810). 77.4% employ fewer than ten people. London has the most per head, 68.8 per 100,000 residents; North East has the fewest, 31.1.
This page uses official counts you can rerun yourself, the rules that apply, and Whito’s published research. The regional and change figures are Whito’s calculations. The official category is “Unlicensed restaurants and cafes”, so it covers cafes, coffee shops and restaurants that do not sell alcohol. A business with several sites is counted once.
The key figures
| Figure | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Cafe and unlicensed restaurant businesses (UK, SIC 56102) | 28,955 | ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 (official statistic) |
| Change since 2010 | +158.0% (from 11,225) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Change since 2021 | +16.7% (from 24,810) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Fewer than 10 employees | 22,400 (77.4%) | Same dataset |
| 250 or more employees | 195 | Same dataset |
| Most per head | London, 68.8 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
| Fewest per head | North East, 31.1 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
The count year by year
| Year | Businesses (UK) |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11,225 |
| 2011 | 11,295 |
| 2012 | 12,350 |
| 2013 | 12,785 |
| 2014 | 14,415 |
| 2015 | 18,715 |
| 2016 | 19,885 |
| 2017 | 21,060 |
| 2018 | 22,025 |
| 2019 | 22,970 |
| 2020 | 23,670 |
| 2021 | 24,810 |
| 2022 | 26,655 |
| 2023 | 26,990 |
| 2024 | 27,420 |
| 2025 | 28,170 |
| 2026 | 28,955 |
The highest count in this period was 28,955 in 2026. The lowest was 11,225 in 2010. Each count is a snapshot taken in March of that year.
How big are cafe businesses?
| Employees | Businesses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | 22,400 | 77.4% |
| 10 to 49 | 6,055 | 20.9% |
| 50 to 249 | 305 | 1.1% |
| 250 or more | 195 | 0.7% |
| Total | 28,955 |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 56102 “Unlicensed restaurants and cafes”, 2026, via Nomis (dataset NM_142_1). Counts are rounded to the nearest 5, so bands may not add exactly to the total.
Where cafe businesses are based
| Region or nation | 2010 | 2021 | 2026 | Per 100,000 residents | Change 2010 to 2026 | Change 2021 to 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 2,505 | 5,205 | 6,280 | 68.8 | +150.7% | +20.7% |
| Northern Ireland | 560 | 850 | 975 | 50.6 | +74.1% | +14.7% |
| Scotland | 915 | 2,120 | 2,495 | 45.0 | +172.7% | +17.7% |
| South West | 1,120 | 2,095 | 2,425 | 41.1 | +116.5% | +15.8% |
| Wales | 590 | 1,200 | 1,290 | 40.6 | +118.6% | +7.5% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 825 | 2,060 | 2,295 | 40.5 | +178.2% | +11.4% |
| South East | 1,305 | 2,920 | 3,600 | 37.1 | +175.9% | +23.3% |
| East of England | 855 | 1,955 | 2,310 | 34.9 | +170.2% | +18.2% |
| North West | 1,000 | 2,325 | 2,665 | 34.3 | +166.5% | +14.6% |
| West Midlands | 645 | 1,745 | 2,080 | 33.5 | +222.5% | +19.2% |
| East Midlands | 605 | 1,565 | 1,680 | 33.0 | +177.7% | +7.3% |
| North East | 290 | 775 | 860 | 31.1 | +196.6% | +11.0% |
| United Kingdom | 11,225 | 24,810 | 28,955 | 41.7 | +158.0% | +16.7% |
Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates. Per-head and change figures are Whito calculations. A business is counted once, where it is registered, which is not always where it works.
What stands out
- London has about 2.2 times as many per head as North East (68.8 against 31.1 per 100,000 residents).
- Fastest growth since 2010: West Midlands (+222.5%). Slowest: Northern Ireland (+74.1%).
- Every region has more businesses than in 2021.
- The data cannot say why counts rise or fall. New firms, firms crossing the VAT threshold, mergers, closures and businesses registering elsewhere all move the count.
Rules that apply
Anyone who sells, cooks, stores, handles, prepares or distributes food must register as a food business with their local authority. A business with several sites must register each one.
GOV.UK advises registering about 28 days before you are ready to start trading. Source: GOV.UK, Food business registration, last updated 25 June 2026.
What Whito’s research adds
Whito’s other cafe pages: How much could a UK cafe save without selling one more coffee? We priced it up (2026 data), UK Cafe Marketing Costs 2026: What to Spend and Where, UK Cafe Marketing in Numbers: 2026 Data Report. This page adds the official business counts, by size, by region and by year.
What we do not know yet
- How many people work in the industry. This page counts businesses, not workers.
- The smallest sole traders. Businesses that are neither VAT registered nor employers are not in the ONS count.
- Turnover. We only publish figures we can check at source.
Method and limits
- Business counts: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 56102, all legal statuses, March snapshots for 2010 to 2026, via the Nomis API (dataset NM_142_1), read 13 November 2026.
- Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates via Nomis (NM_2002_1).
- Counts are rounded to the nearest 5 by ONS. Business counts are March 2026; population is mid-2025.
Compare with other industries: see UK trade businesses in 2026: ten industries compared, one table with each count, its date and the change since 2010 and 2021.
Compare with other industries: see how cafes compare with eleven other UK industries by number of businesses, growth since 2010 and business size, in one table: UK industries compared 2026.
Common questions
How many cafe businesses are there in the UK?
28,955 registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the ONS (SIC 56102). The count includes restaurants that do not sell alcohol. A business with several sites is counted once.
Is the number of cafe businesses growing?
It rose 16.7% between 2021 and 2026 and rose 158.0% since 2010 (Whito calculation from ONS data).
Which part of the UK has the most cafe businesses?
By number, London (6,280). Per head, London, with 68.8 per 100,000 residents.
Are most cafe businesses small?
Yes. 22,400 of 28,955 (77.4%) employ fewer than ten people.
Sources (opened 13 November 2026)
- ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis, NM_142_1: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_142_1
- ONS mid-2025 population estimates via Nomis, NM_2002_1
- GOV.UK, Food business registration (last updated 25 June 2026): https://www.gov.uk/food-business-registration
